Church of the Brethren hosts national committee for Decade to Overcome Violence.

Representatives from the General Board and On Earth Peace attended a national US Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) committee meeting in Washington, D.C., Mar. 4. The event was hosted by the Washington (D.C.) City Church of the Brethren and the General Board's Brethren Witness/Washington Office.

The gathering included representatives of Church World Service, the Society of Friends, the Evangelical Lutheran Church USA, the Antiochian Orthodox Church, and the United Churches of Christ. The Church of the Brethren presence included Rachel Peterson, Church of the Brethren DOV coordinator and a Brethren Volunteer Service worker at On Earth Peace; Jeff Carter, pastor of Manassas (Va.) Church of the Brethren; and Bryan Hissong, of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office.

Agenda items covered discussion of this year's DOV focus country, namely the US; new DOV promotional materials; a calendar for upcoming DOV events; Mel Gibson's film, "The Passion of the Christ"; proposals for new initiatives, including DOV peacemaking awards, a 2004 Advent celebration, and a National Day of Prayer; and a Washington-based action group concerning issues of peace and justice.

The meeting was one of the last duties for Peterson as Brethren DOV coordinator, as her BVS term came to a close Mar. 14. Filling her role temporarily will be Brethren Witness/Washington Office legislative associate Bryan Hissong, who will be interim DOV coordinator for the next several months until the position is filled on a permanent basis. Questions, thoughts, and concerns about DOV can be directed to Hissong at bhissong_gb@brethren.org.

Source: Newsline 3/19/2004 top