Brethren Congregations to Take Part in International Day of Prayer for Peace

Church of the Brethren Newsline
August 28, 2007

As of Aug. 24, 54 congregations or colleges associated with the Church of the Brethren are planning a time of prayer on or near Friday, Sept. 21, to mark the International Day of Prayer for Peace, according to an update from On Earth Peace. The Brethren Witness/Washington Office of the Church of the Brethren General Board and On Earth Peace are encouraging congregations and faith communities to pray publicly about violence on or near Sept. 21. The event is connected with the World Council of Churches’ Decade to Overcome Violence.

Networking calls for those planning peace prayer events are offered tomorrow, Aug. 29, at 1 p.m. eastern time, and on Tuesday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. eastern. The call facilitator is Matt Guynn, coordinator of peace witness for On Earth Peace. Each call will last 90 minutes. To register contact Mimi Copp, organizer for the International Day of Prayer for Peace in the Church of the Brethren, at 260-479-5087 or miminski@gmail.com.

In addition to the more than 50 congregations and organizations taking part, “We are also very excited to learn that our sisters and brothers in the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria, Ekklesiar Yan’uwa a Nigeria, are planning to participate,” said On Earth Peace. In addition, the Brethren Witness/Washington Office is hosting a delegation of people from five continents, through the World Council of Churches. The office will be taking the group around the east coast, including a stop in “Amish country,” and ending up in New York City on Sept. 21 to be part of the Uniter Nation’s service of prayer for peace.

Following are some examples of peace events being planned by Church of the Brethren congregations:

  • Skippack Church of the Brethren in Philadelphia, Pa., is installing a peace pole on Sept. 21 and centering a prayer service around it.
  • Una Nueva Vida en Cristo church in Floyd, Va., is planning Bible study and prayer about the importance of peace in our world and our responsibility as Christians to achieve peace.
  • Pleasant Hill (Ohio) Church of the Brethren is showing a peace-related video leading up to Sept. 21, that will be geared toward youth. The event will be tied in to a prayer service that weekend.
  • Some members of Beacon Heights Church of the Brethren in Fort Wayne, Ind., will be in Toronto for the Christian Peacemaker Teams Congress. The congregation also has decided to join the Just Peace group at St. Francis University in their peace prayer plans. On Sunday, Sept. 16, Beacon Heights will have a time of prayer for peace and consecration of representatives from the church who are going on a delegation to a sister congregation in Nicaragua from Sept. 18-24, for delegates attending the Christian Peacemaker Teams Peacemaker Congress, and for a young adult starting Brethren Volunteer Service Orientation on Sept. 23.
  • Children at Beaver Dam Church of the Brethren in Union Bridge, Md., will pray for peace on Sept. 21, in conjunction with an “On Earth Pizza” event.
  • Springfield (Ill.) First Church of the Brethren is co-sponsoring an interfaith worship event on Thursday evening, Sept. 20; a Rally for Peace on Friday, Sept. 21, at the Illinois State Capitol; and is hosting a 7 a.m. prayer service at the church’s peace pole, where the community will be invited to come and offer prayers for peace on the way to work or school. This is the third year the church has observed the International Day of Prayer for Peace.
  • Brethren who are part of the Peace Seekers of Washington County in West Bend, Wis., will be helping to dedicate a Peace Pole on Saturday, Sept. 22, at 2 p.m. at the town’s Labyrinth Garden. The public is welcome to attend. The group also will be requesting the mayor of West Bend to issue a proclamation concerning the International Day of Prayer For Peace. For further information call 262-334-2234.

For the list of Brethren congregations and organizations planning peace events, and for a link to resources in English and Spanish for the International Day of Prayer for Peace, go to www.brethren.org/oepa/programs/peace-witness/prayforpeace.html.

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The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board. Matt Guynn contributed to this report. Newsline stories may be reprinted if Newsline is cited as the source. To receive Newsline by e-mail go to http://listserver.emountain.net/mailman/listinfo/newsline. Submit news to the editor at cobnews@brethren.org. For more Church of the Brethren news and features, subscribe to “Messenger” magazine; call 800-323-8039 ext. 247.

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