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07500 August 14, 2007
Peacemaking Offering resources available on CD
'Healing of nations' is theme of fall offering
by Jerry Van Marter Presbyterian News Service
LOUISVILLE - The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program has recently produced a downloadable CD that includes four resources to help congregations interpret and promote the 2007 Peacemaking Offering.
The theme of this year's offering is taken from Revelation 22:2 - "And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations" - centered around John's image of "the tree of life."
The Rev. Susan Barnes, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Baker City, OR, created the quilt that is used as the Peacemaking Offering's art this year.
She writes: "Lei Garcia, a peacemaker from the Philippines, came to our church two years ago. She observed that we all have a concrete image of violence, but usually have abstract ideas about peace. She challenged us to have concrete images of peace. Her's is a child playing outside.
"That means the land is safe to play in. There are no land mines around, no pollution, no fighting nearby, no wild or feral animals to harm the child. It means there is an adult nearby, making sure the child is safe. The child has enough food and water to have energy to play, has not been conscripted into the army, is not a child laborer, and does not need to be the primary caregiver for the younger children in the household."
A complete packet of resources was mailed to all Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregations in June for the offering, which is customarily received on World Communion Sunday, which this year is Oct. 7.
That packet includes posters, bulletin inserts, brochures in three languages, offering envelopes and coin boxes, placemats and bookmarks, Bible studies and information sheets, bulletin covers and "minutes for mission," children's activity sheets and special information about the PC(USA)'s AIDS ministries and their role in peacemaking. The new CD includes:
an automatic 3-minute Power Point presentation that can serve as a minute for mission; a manual version that lets presenters add their own comments to a suggested script; worship and announcement template slides; and a brief history of the offering. The annual Peacemaking Offering was created by action of the 1980 General Assembly. Last year, more than $2.2 million was received.
The offering supports a variety of peacemaking efforts at local, regional and global levels - from peace camp scholarships to youth programs that combat drug use and gang activity, from relief efforts in war-torn countries to campaigns for debt relief in developing countries, from support for families of prisoners to national and international conferences on an array of peacemaking and non-violence issues.
Twenty-five percent of each congregation's offering remains in the congregation for its peacemaking activities. Another 25 percent is used by synods and presbyteries and 50 percent is allocated to General Assembly peacemaking ministries.
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