Letter from Serbia - Peace to the Peacemakers
Dan Hess
"Brother, would you have something you would like to share
with us ? Just 15 minutes or so, as the Spirit leads?"
It was the Sunday before Christmas and I was visiting a small
charismatic church in Belgrade. What to say? My immediate thoughts were that I
am here in this part of the world because of a commitment to peace building, so
why not talk about loving your neighbor. Before I could settle into comfortable
thoughts about what I would say, I was struck by the realization that this would
be the first time I had spoken about peace here, in this country, where my own
nation had so recently bombed. Could I speak to these fellow Christians about
loving their enemies, when the enemy is my own people?
After a period of energetic singing and dancing in worship, it
was my turn to speak. I briefly introduced Mennonites and spoke of Mennonite
Central Committee's (MCC) response to needs around the world. I said in
addition to meeting humanitarian needs, MCC has been working to respond to
conflict, which too often underlies the needs.
I said that we are all aware that our nation has so recently
bombed their country, so it is especially important to us personally, to MCC as
an organization, and to the Mennonite church, that we are here, to extend the
hand of friendship, to communicate that we do not support the war that was
inflicted on them, to build relationships of trust. Heads were emphatically
nodding all over the room.
I spoke of our call to love our neighbor, to love even our
enemies, from international enemies to the "enemy" who lives within our own
churches or even our households, who can sometimes be the hardest enemy of all
to love. All the while, the emphatic heads continued to nod in supportive
response.
When I sat down, the pastor responded. This church had prayed
throughout the bombing that they would be spared from hatred and bitterness, he
said. He expressed gratitude that they had been able to maintain a spirit of
forgiveness. This was the first visit of Americans since the war, he said. He
invited the congregation to pray a bless-ing over us as a symbolic way of
praying a blessing on the American nation.
So we were once again invited to the front of the room.
Brothers and sisters from the congregation joined us, laying their hands on us.
The praying broke out all around, some in Serbian, some in English and some in
tongues we could not understand. They prayed for forgiveness and for blessing.
Tears began to flow. The pastor embraced me. We prayed aloud together,
thanking God for the gift of Christian brothers and sisters: brothers and
sisters experiencing God's grace across the divide of nations, even across the
divide of war. We prayed for the healing of our nations and for the healing of
people in both nations.
I had been wondering how I would rediscover Advent, here in
Serbia, where many of the things that usually activate the Christmas feeling for
me would be absent. On this inauspicious evening it was just a small group of
believers. An unremarkable evening in an unremarkable room. But the unexpected
happened. The peacemakers brought greetings, nothing so remarkable. But the
gift given in return? Spectacular! The gift of peace to the
peacemakers.
Isn't that the way it has always been? Even when we are not
expecting it, the grace of God's gift breaks into our experience with a
surprise.
MCC workers Dan and Evanna Hess serve in Belgrade, Serbia,
with Bread of Life, the relief agency of Serbian evangelical
churches.
MCC News Service, 7 Jan 2000
******
Dear readers,
So far this year, one topic has dominated headlines in
newspapers in German-language areas: the political party donations scandal,
particularly of the Christian Democratic Union party. Scandalous are not only
the misdeeds themselves; what is also frightening is that because of the whole
scandal other very important events such as Russia’s brutal war against
the Chechen people receive only passing notice. The few appeals against this war
are weak and muted. There is scarcely any public recognition of the almost
unimaginable suffering of the civilian population, of the fact that the lives of
young Russian soldiers are being wilfully put at risk. No public statement
resisting the war is to be heard from the Russian Orthodox Church. In contrast,
a recent issue of epd-Wochenspiegel (journal of the Evangelical Church in
Germany) carried positive news from the group of German initiatives working for
a ban on landmines: “Following the Ottawa Agreement (of 1 March 1999), for
the first time more landmines were destroyed in the same period of time as were
laid ... of the 54 nations which formerly produced these Ôdreadful
weapons’, only 16 are still active in their production. There is a near
cessation in the export of these mines. Simultaneously, action worldwide for
humanitarian mine clearance and help for victims continues to increase.”
(epd- Wochenspiegel , 10/2000) However, China, Russia and the United States have
not yet signed the Ottawa Agreement.
In this issue you will find more copied materials than usual.
The necessary reduction of a halftime position in the office also requires a
reduction in our work program. For this reason the newsletter will continue to
focus on current reports, announcements and calendar items, though the format
may be more modest than previously. This issue begins with reports and
impressions from the Balkans region.
Christian Hohmann
Trans: TRM
******
Visit to the Ecumenical Information Centre in Dresden
Christian Hohmann
The ...kumenische Informationszentrum (...IZ-Ecumenical
Information Center) in Dresden is located across from the Church of the Cross
with its famous choir. The ...IZ is actually more of an advice and discussion
center with many different emphases such as refugee assistance, immigration
issues and pluralism in society. The warm, inviting Cafe Cabana on the ground
floor is also a part of the services the center offers. Further concerns include
accompanying and advising conscientious objectors and giving advice on
ecological issues for individuals and church members who wish to have
environmentally-friendly living and working spaces. Members of Amnesty
International and the Initiative RumŠnien - work with Roma and Sinti
peoples - also meet regularly at the ...IZ. At present the ...IZ is the only
Church and Peace member in the former East Germany.
The ...IZ considers its activities as being linked with the
conciliar process for justice, peace and the integrity of creation. The founding
of the ...IZ can be traced to the Ecumenical Assembly in 1989 in East Germany;
following this assembly, the Dresden city ecumenical group founded the
Ecumenical Information Center on 1 July 1990. In autumn of 1989 the peace
movement in the former East Germany was still very strong, and the prayers for
peace in Dresden as well as the Monday prayer services in Leipzig were well
attended. Many of these peace groups no longer exist. “Most peace workers
today must stand alone,” remarked Annemarie MŸller, ...IZ Peace Unit
Secretary and co-organizer of prayers for peace each Monday. During the war in
Kosovo there was significant interest in Dresden in the prayers for peace. This
was an important sign of solidarity for ...IZ’s partners in Novi Sad who
run an ecumenical relief organization and who suffered in the nightly air
raids.
At the beginning of our discussion, I had the chance to meet
Frieder and Isabella as well. Frieder had just started his term of alternative
service at the ...IZ and could already tell me much about the resources in the
center’s library on the conciliar process. An average of three to four
persons come daily to make use of the approximately 8000 books and journals in
the former peace library.
Isabella is from Lublin, Poland, speaks fluent German and had
just started her work as a trainee at the ...IZ. “Contacts in Poland, the
Czech Republic and other eastern European countries are very important for
us,” explained MŸller.
Randi Gontrude Weber also joined our group for part of the
discussion. A pastor, theologian and Director of the ...IZ, she is also
responsible for planning worship services and prayers for peace and for contacts
with the Lutheran regional church in Saxon and the ecumenical movement. She
regrets that socially critical voices are not understood by the Lutheran
regional church in Saxon. She commented ironically that because it would be
unthinkable to criticize the long-desired democratic government, Church and
State are seen as one unit.
In April the ...IZ took the initiative of commemorating the
1989 Ecumenical Assembly and used the occasion to ask what has become of the
conciliar process - suggested by the East German delegation at the World Council
of Churches Assembly in 1983 in Vancouver - over the past ten years. The ...IZ
held a weekend conference in Dresden on 16-18 April 1999 entitled “Is the
hope gone?”. The consensus of the conference was two-fold: the trias of
justice, peace and integrity of creation “continues to be valid”
and, with the specter of the war in Kosovo, the “preferential option for
nonviolence” was confirmed by a vast majority. Still, participants
determined that “we have only minimally succeeded in motivating young
people to take part in the conciliar process”.1
In Dresden more and more traces of the horrible destruction of
WWII, particularly the firebombing of 13 February 1945, are being removed.
Symbolic is the disputed reconstruction of the Frauenkirche. The ruins of this
church long stood as an obvious memorial and a plea that there can be no more
wars. To fight the tendency of many to forget that which many of the older
residents of Dresden can never forget, the ...IZ will continue with its
educational and awareness-raising work and remind everyone that war and violence
are the consequences of global injustice and to overcome them the development of
a lifestyle of solidarity is required.
1. Documentation from the conference is available in German.
Contact the ...IZ, Kreuzstr. 7, D-01067 Dresden, Tel: +49 351 492 33 65, Email:
oeiz@coswig.de
Trans: TRM
******
Interview - Ivo Markovich on the role of interreligious dialogue in Bosnia
Ivo Markovich, a Franciscan priest, heads Face to Face
Interreligious Service, an independent, nongovernmental, non-partisan,
non-profit, voluntary organization for the promotion of interreligious dialogue,
cooperation and understanding in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Pontanima, a choir whose
members include singers from Bosnia's major religions, is one Face to Face
project. Face to Face is supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Mennonite
Central Committee (MCC) and the Province of Bosnian Franciscans, "Bosnia
Argentina." MCC workers John and Karin Kaufman Wall serve with Face to Face.
Here Karin conducts an interview with Markovich.
Kaufman Wall: What gives you vision for your work?
Markovich: Faith gives me vision. My work in interreligious
dialogue is inspired by my experiences in the war. I saw how xenophobia, fear
and distance can be dangerous and can produce hatred and violence among
humans.
Kaufman Wall: How does Pontanima choir, with its Muslim,
Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish members, promote
interfaith relationships?
Markovich: Through the choir, we can improve the
relationships of common people through the power of art, spiri-tuality, music
and cooperation. Through this choir, we wanted to show that we, in the Balkans,
can live together. Not only live together, but sing the songs of our neighbors
and interact together. In this way, we remove xenophobia and build
understanding and participation in other cultures. Religions are often involved
as instruments in war. Monotheistic religions demand that their religion is
unique the only way to God, and because of that, they are often the cause of
aggression and violence.
Kaufman Wall: What does that mean in a Christian worship
setting?
Markovich: Pluralism is a term that has been misunderstood.
It means living together while preserving our uniqueness, not blending into one.
We enrich our own identity and stability through communication with others. In
isolation, we can't enrich our identity, we lose it.
If we as Christians try to change others' identity, to convert
them from one identity to another, we produce defense mechanisms and hatred
against Jesus Christ and everyone/thing identified with Christ. In a
pluralistic life we have the possibility to inform people about salvation
through Jesus Christ. With grace, we hope people will find an approach to Jesus
Christ. We can prepare the road on which God is coming. Only God has the power
to convert people.
Our goal is that we can sing in worship with Christian,
Islamic and Jewish communities. During worship services, we sing only the songs
of that religion, the songs that can be integrated into worship. Those of us
from that particular religion will participate in worship, and others will be
there in respect, as guests who are with their friends in the most important
part of their lives.
Kaufman Wall: What were some of the joys and difficulties in
making the choir a reality?
Markovich: When we started this choir in 1996, some members
couldn't easily accept singing the songs of their "enemies." But over time,
singing together, they soon felt the advantages of life together,
reconciliation, healing and forgiveness. The choir as a community has the same
problems as any community, but our differences are constructive.
When we sang in Zagreb, Croatia, after the war, we sang
Serbian Orthodox songs that could be integrated into the Catholic liturgy.
These were the songs of their enemies. But instead of opposition, we found
people were delighted with the idea and experienced the power of
reconciliation.
We have also met with a great deal of opposition. My own life
was threatened by a Catholic brother because he saw me singing an Islamic song
with the choir in Sarajevo. Under the exclamation of this song, thousands of
people from my group (Croats) had been killed. During the war, songs that had
been written as worship songs to praise God were distorted into military anthems
to unite ethnic groups and turn them against each other. Many people were
killed, tortured and terrorized by these sacred songs that were misused as
instruments of war. By singing these songs, together with people of various
ethnic groups, we restore the songs to their intended purpose: to praise God.
Markovich is featured in the 18-minute MCC video "The Balkans:
Wounded and searching for peace," available for free loan from the MCC Europe
Office, CP 52, CH-2720 Tramelan, Tel: +41 32 4875756, Email:
Simone_Dunlap@mail.mcc.org
MCC News Service, 3 March 2000
*******
Through music, choir aims to ease the hurts of post-war Bosnia
The world watched in horror as artillery shells destroyed
600-year-old buildings and snipers shot people who chose the wrong moment to
step outside their houses. When the horrific Bosnian war finally ended in 1995,
Sarajevo was left in ashes and its residents who had once lived together
peacefully despite religious and ethnic differences were deeply
divided.
A chorus of voices is rising above the ruins, its melodies
bringing healing to a shattered nation. Pontanima, a choir whose members include
singers from Bosnia's major religions Muslim, Serbian Orthodox, Roman Catholic
and Jewish communities has performed throughout Bosnia, proving that religion
can bring people together.
Many scars remain in post-war Bosnia. Choir member Lirija
Krusa, 24, who sought refuge in Macedonia during the war, recalls returning to
Sarajevo to find her dreams of home destroyed. The city was torn apart, most of
her friends had left. Some who stayed during the war criticized her for leaving.
"And then one day three years ago, I joined this choir and found something that
looked almost unbelievable. I found the spirit of my hometown before the war,"
says Krusa.
Some friends questioned how Krusa, a Muslim, could sing in an
interreligious choir that rehearses in a Roman Catholic church. The choir sings
Western Christian music and Jewish, Orthodox and Muslim songs as well as songs
from Far East religions. They asked how she could sing music of all religions.
"My response was always the same: Why not? They never answered me. They couldn't
find an appropriate response," she recalls.
Seeing people from different backgrounds blending their voices
has been an example for their audiences. Krusa sees "that this choir, with me in
it, is making a difference in this town [Sarajevo]. A lot of changes have
happened, for the best of course, in ordinary peoples' minds."
"Now, more and more, people think that this kind of
[inter-religious] orientation, which my choir has, is a good way of healing
wounds. And I am proud to be a part of that healing process," she says.
Pontanima choir is a project of Mennonite Central Committee
(MCC) partner Face to Face Interreligious Service, a dialogue center in
Sarajevo. MCC workers John and Karin Kaufman Wall serve with Face to Face; both
sing in the choir and coordinate its activities. "I believe this choir has the
power to bring to life dialogue about differences of religion and culture among
people," says John. "This is extremely important in light of the increase of
conflicts based on ethnic and religious hatred in the world today."
MCC News Service, 3 March 2000
******
Church & Peace in the Year 2000
Delegation of Responsibility among Staff
In response to personnel transitions subsequent to the Church
& Peace Administrative Committee meeting at the end of October last year, we
have restructured the areas of responsibility in the International Office to
make them more transparent. For us it is important that you within the Church
& Peace network know exactly how the office is structured and who the
contact person is for which areas of responsibility. In the International Office
in Laufdorf responsibilities have been divided as follows:
- Office Director: Christian Hohmann
- Communications and Publications: Terri Miller
- Finances, Fundraising and Bookkeeping: Gerlinde Simon
and Christian Hohmann
- Christian Services Unit: Terri Miller
- Church & Peace Germanic Region: Christian hohmann
and Silvia von Verschuer (contact person)
- Church & Peace Anglophone, Francophone and East
European Regions: Terri Miller
Generally we hold a staff meeting once a week to discuss
projects, calendar items, longer-term planning and division of labor.
The Christian Service Unit has taken over the work of the
former Liaison Centre for Ecumenical Services. The focus of this work is the
regular updating of a directory of church-related voluntary service
organizations worldwide, which, according to their statements of purpose, make a
contribution to the conciliar process for justice, peace and the integrity of
creation.
Translations for the newsletter and the pamphlet series
“Theology and Peace” comprise a significant portion of our work.
Persons outside of the International Office undertake a large part of this
translation work. The following persons are responsibility for translation
into:
- German: Volunteers in the Germanic region, coordinated
by the International Office
- English: Terri Miller
- French: Volunteers in the Francophone region,
coordinated by Ruth Wenger Sommer
- Hungarian and Russian: Coordinated by the East European
Regional Office
Because Church and Peace is a European network, an important
part of our joint work is done in the two regional offices and by the regional
committees and staff. There is regular contact between the regions and the
International Office. Contact persons in the regions are:
- Church & Peace Britain and Ireland: Gerald
Drewett
- Church & Peace Francophone Regional Office: Sylvie
Gudin Poupaert, Coordinator
- Church & Peace East European Office: Kati Simonyi;
David Fülep (Webmaster)
The central decision-making body of Church & Peace is the
Annual General Meeting (AGM). The AGM elects the Administrative Committee and
the auditors. The Administrative Committee in turn elects the Director and
determines the personnel composition in the International Office and the
regions.
The International Office and staff in the regions carry out
the decisions of the AGM and the Administrative Committee, reporting back
regularly to these bodies concerning their work and making suggestions for
future projects and forward planning. The International Office works at
maintaining close working ties with both the Administrative Committee and the
members.
Christian Hohmann
Trans: TRM
*******
New staff member in the International Office
We are pleased that Ms. Gerlinde Simon has been working in the
International Office approximately 6 hours per week since January of this year.
Ms. Simon is responsible for the bookkeeping and finance-related adminstration
in the office. She also assists with the production and mailing of the
newsletter and other publications.
Ms. Simon has worked in several different offices and
companies in the Wetzlar area. She is married and has two children.
Christian Hohmann
Trans: TRM
*******
Working “behind the scenes”
Reflections on voluntary service term in the International
Office
Blaise Amstutz
Eleven months have passed, and my time with Church and Peace
has come to an end. Despite the fact that I was in the office only 10 hours per
week, I feel that I was well integrated into the office team of Christian,
Birgit and Terri even if differences in mentality surfaced from time to time,
though no more than can be expected when persons of three different
nationalities work together in an office.
This was a year of change for Church and Peace. Of course
there were low points, specifically the termination of Birgit’s position.
However, many new ideas and initiatives showed me that Church and Peace desires
to move ahead: the nomination of six new Administrative Committee members, the
beginning of Terri’s work as an employee, the restructuring of the
Quarterly into a newsletter and the publication of the first issues in the
Theology and Peace pamphlet series.
One highlight for me personally this past year was the
opportunity this summer to visit several communities who are a part of the
Church and Peace network. This was a tremendous experience for me as a
Mennonite, because I was able to “immerse” myself in other
confessional contexts. One aspect of Church and Peace that I particularly
appreciate is its ecumenical nature. I had the chance to observe this ecumenism
during the symposium at Bienenberg which took place during the war in Kosovo,
and Baptists, Orthodox, Catholics, Protestants, Mennonites and others met to
talk about this crisis situation.
Since Church and Peace does not have concrete projects as does
Eirene or MCC for example, the network has to work “behind the
scenes” so to speak, something that is not always easy. Despite this, I am
happy that Church and Peace continues to move forward in its work for peace. So
let us work together and move forward together towards Christ who is the only
one who can bring us love, peace and justice.
Trans: TRM
*****
In Memory of Ernest Dawe
Paul Gentner
Ernest Dawe died on Saturday, 12 Feb 2000 in Ludwigshafen,
Germany. He was 76.
English theologian Ernest Dawe will be remembered as a
messenger of reconciliation by many - in the Lutheran Church in the Palatine
where he was a pastor; in the “Blue Cross” association of which he
was honorary president; and in various peace organizations such as Church and
Peace and the German branch of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation
(IFOR).
I met Ernest for the first time 30 years ago at an annual
general meeting of the German branch of Eirene, of which he was a member. This
initial meeting was followed by many committee meetings and other Eirene
International events in which he took part at times as an IFOR delegate; for
many years he attended Eirene board meetings as a representative of the founding
organizations.
Ernest was involved in the development of Eirene’s
voluntary service programs in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. He
located appropriate projects and then visited project partners, volunteers and
German conscientious objectors doing their alternative service abroad. He freely
offered his far-reaching experience to the English-speaking North Committee,
which helped to run the volunteer program.
Along with other friends, Ernest helped to found Church and
Peace and was active in the Administrative Committee for many years; he also
carried out careful audits of the financial reports.
In my work together with Ernest that which particularly
impressed me was his unconditional respect for principles and rules, for
agreements, for committees and tasks of peace organizations. When Ernest agreed
to a task, then it was certain that this would be accomplished over a period of
years. He did not speak much but his presence had a positive influence on an
entire meeting. He made certain that hasty decisions were avoided. As such he
quietly but yet significantly helped to shape the structures and actions of
peace organizations and movements. In Ernest, word and deed formed an integrated
whole.
We thank Ernest for his loyal involvement. May God’s
blessing accompany him to his true home.
Trans: TRM
*****
Resources
For the Peace from Above
An Orthodox Resource Book on War, Peace and
Nationalism
editors: Hildo Bos and Jim Forest; Syndesmos: Bialystok 1999,
208 p. hardcover
Are Christians allowed to kill during war? May weapons and
armies be blessed? What about prayer for governments that persecute the Church?
What is the role of the Orthodox Church in situations of civil war like Bosnia
and Kosovo? What is the Orthodox position on racism and nationalism?
"For the Peace from Above" is a unique resource tool for
anyone wishing to know more about these and other questions, the Syndesmos
Resource Book on War, Peace and Nationalism offers a wealth of information. Over
200 pages of reference texts from Scripture, Church canons, the Fathers,
Liturgical texts and contemporary authors. Official Orthodox Church statements
on racism and on conflicts in Nagorno-Karabach, Russia, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Kosovo. Essays by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholemeos I, Metropolitan George of
Mount Lebanon, Archbishop Anastasios of Albania, Bishop Irenaeus of Backa,
Olivier Clement, Fr. Sergi Tchetverikoff. Clear and challenging definitions from
dictionaries, Fathers of the Church and contemporary authors.
The Resource Book offers also suggests ways to range of study
tools for workshops and group activities. The variety of the material used makes
it accessible and useful for all.
From Judson Press, PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482, USA. +1
800 458 3766:
Reconciliation: Our Greatest Challenge-Our Only Hope
Curtiss Paul DeYoung, $14.
DeYoung considers biblical reconciliation in its broadest
sdense with periodic asides to illusrtate parctical approaches to separation
based on race, gender, culture, class, nationalism etc. He examines numerous
ways in which reconciliation is inhibited and undermined by the complexity and
depth of the fragmentation of society.
Christian Peacemaking: From Heritage to Hope
Daniel L. Buttry, $15
In this thorough and definitive work on the peace movement,
author Daniel Buttry offers historical and biblical background as well as a
report of recent and conmtinuing community, naitonal and international
happenings.
Peace Ministry: A Handbook for Local Churches
Daniel L. Buttry, $15
Whether the congregation is just beginning to try peace
ministry or has been active for peace for decades, Buttry’s handbook will
prove valuable in sparking creativity in peace program development for a local
church.
******
Summer Peacebuilding Institute
The Summer Peacebuilding Institute (SPI) is a program of the
Conflict Transformation Program at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg,
Virginia. SPI is designed to provide specialized, intensive training in
peacebuilding, conflict transformation, and restorative justice to practitioners
from around the world. SPI 2000 runs from May 8 to June 30 and will offer five
sessions, each with three 7-day intensive courses running concurrently. The
courses are sequenced for practitioners at various experience and skill levels.
For more information contact the Conflict Transformation Program at EMU, tel: +1
540 432 4490, fax: +1 540 432 4449, email:
CTProgram@emu.edu
*****
C&P events
Church & Peace Annual General Meeting in 2000
7-8 April 2000
Ingolstadt, Germany
English-speaking regional conference
“Reconciling Divided Communities”
9-11 June 2000
The Ammerdown Centre, UK
Germanic regional conference
“Possibilities and Limits of Military and Civilian
Conflict Resolution - Ensuring peace through a
partnership of dissimilar parties?”
20-22 October 2000
Homberg/HŸlsa, Germany
Francophone regional conference
“Church, power and nation” - Christian
perspectives on nationalism
27-29 October 2000
Grandchamp Community, Switzerland
Church & Peace International Conference
Focus on the WCC Decade to Overcome Violence
26-29 April 2001
Elspeet, NL
Calendar
Shalom – God’s Generous Space
Mennonite European Regional Conference
1-4 June 2000, Luwigshafen, Germany
Program includes Bible studies – “Standing in
God’s Creation” (Psalm 104) and “Living in God’s
Justice” (Amos) -, worship services, cultural activities and workshops on
a variety of topics: environment, liturgy, relationships, baptism, the media,
justice, decision making,leadership etc.
For information and English-language registration forms,
contact Winfried Schmutz +49 621 8799155.
“Don’t let the Dream Die”
3-9 June 2000, Iona
This course is being run by the Iona Community to celebrate
the World Council of Churches Programme to Overcome Violence and the UN Decade
for a Culture of Nojviolence.
Program details from Helen Steven at the Scottish Centre for
Nonviolence (+44) 01786 824730. For booking forms contact the Booking Office at
the Iona Community: (+44) 01681 400460.
“Preparing for the Decade of Peace for the World’s
Children”
Anglican Pacifist Fellowship Annual Conference
21-23 July 2000 at Sneaton Castle Centre, Whitby, North
Yorkshire
The conference theme will address those issue relating to
children and peace - child soldiers, peace education, work of NGOs - and include
tpoical speakers and related workshops, musical entertainment, Bible study and
much good fellowship!
Contact Christine Hall, 21 Welwyn Close, Redesdale Park,
Wallsend NE28 8TE
"Blessed are the Peacemakers"
Orthodox Peace Fellowship North American Conference
27-30 July 2000, St. Joseph's Orthodox Church, Wheaton, IL
(USA)
The theme, "Blessed Are the Peacemakers," draws us to core of
the Gospel. Every baptized person is called to be a peacemaker. But how to we
live Christ's peace in a world of war, injustice, abortion, crime, racism, and
widespread destruc-tion of the environment? Speakers include Fr. Irinej
Dobrijevic, Fr. Pat Reardon, Alice Carter and Jim Forest. There will be
workshops on a wide range of topics. Contact: John Oliver +1 330-453-3012,
e-mail:
joliver@malone.edu