Thursday, July 14, 2011

International Day of Prayer for Peace organizers seek 200 churches.

International Day of Prayer for Peace is the day to start stopping violence and building reconciliation in your community. On Earth Peace is looking for at least 200 congregations and community groups--anywhere on the planet--to hold public prayers about community or global violence during the week of Sept. 21.

As of July 12, 42 congregations and community groups have registered with the campaign, including groups in South Africa, Nigeria, Sudan, the DR Congo, and across the United States. Eleven events so far are being organized by youth or young adults.

On Earth Peace nonviolence organizer Samuel Sarpiya reflects: "Since Alexander Mack, our mandate as the Church of the Brethren is to be peacemakers--not to just sit idly by and think thoughts about peace, or stay out of things but to step in. In a generation that is marred with so much violence, we must unite our voices and our hands to work together to stop violence and bring reconciliation. We’re calling on the church to step up, to make this a distinctive and a declaration of who we are as Brethren in this time."

Registration is free and online at www.onearthpeace.org/idpp.

-- Matt Guynn is program director for On Earth Peace.

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