Peace memos - August 26, 1999

To keep churches and members informed and in dialogue about peace and justice ministry, the following is for your information, prayer and support:

There are numerous items in this mailing. Please take time to read through them, and pass the information on through the most appropriate channels. I hope these will be timely and useful, even though planning for the fall is most certainly in full swing. Please distribute this memo and the enclosures to others in your congregation who may be interested.

This will be my last peace memo to congregations as I will be moving to Toronto to begin graduate studies in theology. It has been a real privilege and blessing to have the opportunity to serve you in this way. Marilyn Houser Hamm will be assuming the peace and justice portfolio on September 1, along with other responsibilities (email: mhhamm@mennonitechurch.ca). The last item of this memo includes some of my own reflections.

1. Peace Prayer Calendar

Enclosed is one copy of a calendar which invites congregations, families and individuals to pray for peace. Please make copies and distribute it. It could be posted on Sunday School class walls; the prayers could be incorporated during worship times or be given to prayer groups.

Why am I receiving this now? Many of you told me that worship ideas, prayer suggestions, and tangible actions for peace were things you wanted to receive from this office. These prayers are a place to start. Secondly, this fall many congregations will be studying the Bible and identifying the mission of the church using the study guide, "Envisioning a New Mennonite Church." As the 1999 New Life Assemblies have been reminding us, a vital mission of the church is to be agents of God’s peace in the world. Therefore, it is important for us to keep these peace prayers on our minds and before God. Thirdly, this is a tangible resource incorporating some prayer requests from the Global Anabaptist Peace and Justice Network, a Mennonite World Conference initiative. About 10 Mennonite Church Canada congregations are part of this network, but I would strongly encourage each Mennonite Church Canada congregation to join. Contact this office and request a sign-up package. This is a vital way to stay connected to brothers and sisters in the global faith family.

Which 40 days should I use? The calendar is flexible and the prayer suggestions are not correlated to specific days.

• you may want to end the time of prayer on November 7, which is Peace Sunday in many congregations. Then begin on September 29.
• you may want to pray for peace during advent, awaiting the Prince of Peace. Then begin on November 16 in order to end on December 25.
• you may want to correlate these prayers with the time your congregation spends on "Envisioning a New Mennonite Church."

Many of the suggestions come from individuals in North America and Anabaptists throughout the world. As part of a visioning process for peace and justice ministry in the Mennonite church, we asked several people what hopes and dreams they had for this ministry, and how the Mennonite Church might be a vessel for God’s peace. A 7 page document compiles more detailed responses. Entitled "Strong Roots, New Branches," contact the Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre if you would like a copy, 1-866-888-6785, (888-6781 in Winnipeg).

2. Peace Sunday

• In spring, congregations received Peace Sunday outlines in either Leadership (from GC) or Memo (from MC). Called "Becoming Model Communities of Social Justice," the theme related to economic justice. You may contact the Mennonite Church Canada Resource Centre for further copies.
• MCC Ontario also puts out a resource package which Ontario congregations will receive automatically. Other congregations can request a free copy by contacting your provincial MCC office. This package is organized on the theme, "Kosovo: What have we learned?"

3. New Resource for Youth Groups –"From Kosovo to Columbine"

A Bible study on violence and peace by Titus Peachey, MCC U.S. staff associate for peace education. Includes four sessions exploring the Bible and contemporary examples of violence. 14 pp. $1. See the Resource Update in this mailing, or call the Resource Centre.

4. Peace Evangelists

Currently, seven Peace Evangelists are commissioned by the wider Mennonite churches. They are available to Mennonite congregations to give sermons, workshops, facilitate group discussions, lead music, tell stories, etc. They seek to connect peace and evangelism, embrace peacemaking as a way of life, and invite others to faith and peacemaking.

The Peace Evangelists are:

Addie & Michael Banks, Bronx, New York
Jonathan Larson, Atlanta, Georgia
Ray & Marilyn Houser Hamm, Altona, Manitoba
Derek Suderman, Waterloo, Ontario
Luzdy Stucky, Tuscon, Arizona

The Mennonite Church Canada is a supporter of this initiative, and has made some money available to help especially smaller congregation to invite these speakers. The Peace Evangelist program is administered by Susan Mark Landis, Mennonite Church Minister for Peace and Justice. Contact her office for more information: Box 173, Orrville, Ohio 44667-0173; phone/fax 330-683-6844; email mcpjc@sssnet.com

Alert your Missions Committee to the availability of these resource people. Consider inviting a Peace Evangelist for a Deeper Life weekend.

5. Christian Peacemaker Teams, Canada office

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) has appointed Doug Pritchard (Toronto, Ontario) to a three year term as CPT Canada Coordinator. For the past two years Pritchard has developed an active CPT Reserve Corps in Ontario and facilitated connections and relationships with First Nation Peoples in Ontario.

The position of CPT Canada Coordinator was developed after members of CPT's constituency, including the Mennonite Church Canada, expressed strong sentiment that CPT should spend more time developing membership, support, and peacemaking projects across Canada.

As CPT Canada coordinator, Pritchard will expand CPT's work among Mennonites and within interfaith settings. He will also expand his present position as Canada contact person for national and international media during times of CPT emergencies. In consultation with other churches and agencies he will represent CPT to the Government of Canada. CPT will be exploring ways to develop groups of Christian Peacemaker Corps with particular attention to Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Canadian Contributions towards the work of CPT grew to $60,000 last year. In addition to Pritchard, Canadian Peacemaker Corps members Natasha Krahn (Waterloo, Ontario) and Pierre Shantz (Blainville, PQ) are also full time CPTers.

CPT is a violence reduction program supported by the Mennonite Church Canada and other church bodies. Contributions towards the work of CPT should be directed to the Mennonite Church Canada, 600 Shaftsbury Blvd., Winnipeg, MB R3P 0M4. Doug Pritchard may be contacted at:

CPT Canada Coordinator, Box 72063, 1562 Danforth Ave., Toronto, ON M4J 5C1 phone 416-421-7079 email cptcan@web.net

4. Stewardship of the Earth

The Mennonite Environmental Task Force is a joint MC/GC committee which seeks to promote environmental concerns in congregations. Their call to congregations is as follows:

The Mennonite Environmental Task Force calls the church, which brought the Task Force into being, to the following vision:

Let each congregation give substance to the belief that "the earth is the Lord’s" and affirm that the sustenance of all life and care of the environment is a Christian responsibility. Accordingly each congregation is encouraged to take the following actions:

• develop and practice liturgy and celebrations honouring God and God’s creation, in connection with events such as Earth Day;
• develop and practice good stewardship of church property, including energy-saving practices, natural landscaping styles and maintenance, and minimizing the amount of paved surface area;
• develop and use curriculum which encourages careful use and sharing of the earth’s limited resources; and
• foster a sense of place and connection to the soil and food production as well as to local fields, woods and water courses, through tree planting celebrations, community gardening, and by spending time learning about and enjoying nature in our local communities.

For more information, or a list of resources, contact Doug Krehbiel, director of peace and justice resources, General Conference Mennonite Church, Box 347, Newton, KS, 67114-0347, phone 316-283-510, email dougk@gcmc.org

5. Globalization of the Economy

In 1998, the Resources Commission committed itself to providing a moderate study package to congregations on the globalization of the economy. A Mennonite Church Canada congregation had identified this as a relevant issue for the church, and encouraged us to provide some handles on this huge issue for congregations. Putting together a package has consumed much of my time over the last year, even though it remains incomplete at the end of my term.

What have we been working on?

• A "Primer" on the global economy – which consists of a detailed glossary of terms. There is much good description and analysis on the global economy, but we sensed a need to help congregations "get into the language" of the global economy. Identifying over 50 terms, some common and others more technical, we provide a simple definition, and an illustration from real life to help illuminate what the term means. A question or two is also included, and serves as a way to raise the relevant concerns of faith and make connections.
• An annotated bibliography – where to find more resources. This document is organizaed in two ways. First, by organization – ie. what does MCC, MEDA, Ten Days for Global Justice, etc. offer on economic globalization? Secondly, by purpose – ie, what should I use if I want a basic introduction, material for a youth group , worship suggestions, etc.?

You will be hearing more about this in the coming months, and it is our intention to send a free copy to each congregation.

6. Calendar

Please note the following events. Even if they do not apply directly to you, this list is a reminder to pray for those involved in these initiatives:

• October 16, 1999 – Manitoba New Life Assembly (NLA), Winkler – Topic: Peace and Mission, Resource People: Ray and Marilyn Houser Hamm
• November 4-15 – Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) delegation to Chiapas, Mexico
• November 6 – MCEC NLA, East Zorra– Topic: Peace and Mission, Resource Person: Terry Widrick
• November 7 – Peace Sunday (suggested)
• November 18-30 – CPT delegation to Hebron
• December 27-30 – CPT Congress, Washington D.C.
• February 4-16, 2000 – CPT delegation to Hebron
• February 15-19 – CPT delegation to Chiapas

Where to find more information on these events?

New Life Assemblies – contact the offices of CMM or MCEC
CPT delegations – contact Doug Pritchard, see item 5 above for contact info
CPT Congress – enclosed brochure. Pass this brochure on to at least one other person or committee.

7. Reflections

At the "Of Roots and Branches" peace gathering in St. Louis, Ray Hamm shared a vision for Mennonite peace ministry which struck a chord for me. He noted that when Mennonites get together, worship and especially harmonious singing come naturally for us. We just do it; and this must be because it is deeply rooted in who we are. Is it that as Mennonites peacemaking comes just as naturally? When we come together or work in our own communities, will "just doing peace" be as intrinsic to who we are as our signing?

Peace and justice ministry is not just an issue among many, which we can take or leave. It is not primarily about a range of social issues and "isms." It is about the gospel of Jesus, and Jesus’ call to follow the way of the Cross in the world. The biblical story and our own experience tell us that for "news" to be "good news," it must be about healing in the face of brokeness, justice instead of oppression, community instead of the division of "Jew and Greek," active and loving nonviolence as a response to violence, reconciliation with God and neighbour in the face of a world torn by sin. Clearly not things which we ought to ignore.

On the one hand, having offices, programs, congregational committees, college courses, etc. explicitly devoted to peace tells us that it is important, essential to who we are, and help to remind us of this. Forming a peace committee in a congregation can be a sign of the Reign of God. On the other hand, God’s desire for shalom and Jesus’ call to be peacemakers extend into every facet of our lives. And so the peace ministry of the church must be integrated with every other ministry. The faithful visits which members make to sister, brother, sick, hungry or imprisoned; the welcoming of a refugee or newcomer into our communities and congregations; the lessons we teach in Sunday School; the individual member who writes a letter to the government or prays for healing; and the mediation of a conflict in the home or workplace are all part of this integrated ministry of the church. I think our challenge is to work intentionally at both, at the same time.

In St. Louis, we heard articulated visions for Mennonite Church Canada and for the mission of that church. Peace and justice ministries will be affected and hopefully transformed by the current process. A few months ago I was asked to report on Mennonite Church Canada Peace and Justice Ministries for a report book on North American Mennonite peace initiatives. Building on the Canada Country Committee’s reflections on context, I concluded with the following:

As we move to become Mennonite Church Canada, we are guided by a structure that may extend our primary focus from bi-national concerns to include global concerns more intentionally. How will we discern the cries for justice and reconciliation together with partners from other countries, including the "poor-church," and engage in peace ministry which is reciprocal? What are the new opportunities and challenges for our peace ministry as we relate to the post-modern "non-church" in Canada, and to the Canadian ecumenical context? What ought to be our prophetic words and deeds in the uniquely Canadian context in which our country is regarded as a middle power, a "peace-keeper," a "mosaic" of cultural diversity and a place of universal social support systems, but in which these realities may be illusory or shifting?

In Christ,

Jeremy Bergen