wfn.org | Newsline: What if Jesus met Gandhi at a youth group in Pennsylvania?

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl Brumbau gh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

WHAT IF JESUS MET GANDHI AT A YOUTH GROUP IN PENNSYLVANIA?

(Aug. 17, 2009) Elgin, IL -- What if Jesus met Gandhi? At a youth group? In  Pennsylvania? It would be Agape-Satyagraha!

Young people do not need to read the "Wall Street Journal" to know that soc iety is dealing with a deepening economic depression. They get the news at  home by reading the anxiety of their parents. And it trickles down! Interna lizing this, some kids begin to lash out in anger or turn to bullying at sc hool. Others seek a sense of belonging and safety by joining gangs.

Where do kids go to be safe? How can they feel safe amid this stress? When  do they learn to deal with anger?

In Harrisburg, Pa., it is at the Agape-Satyagraha program initiated by Bret hren Community Ministries, a program of First Church of the Brethren with l eadership from Gerald Rhoades, who serves on the church's pastoral team.

On Earth Peace recently began partnering with the ministry, and hopes to he lp other congregations across the denomination replicate it in their own co mmunities. On Earth Peace is a Church of the Brethren agency working in pea cemaking and peace education.

What is Agape-Satyagraha? The word agape is a Greek word used in the New Te stament to describe the love Jesus commanded that his followers have for on e another. Satyagraha is a Sanskrit word popularized by Mahatma Gandhi to d escribe nonviolent resistance that supports justice without eliminating the  oppressor.

The program in Harrisburg teaches youth how to recognize and respond to the ir own feelings, how to respond to others in positive ways other than viole nce, and how to turn the other cheek. Agape-Satyagraha offers a five-level  peace training equipping youth with skills for daily life and long-term dev elopment as community leaders.

Adults call this conflict resolution and transformation skills. But Agape-S atyagraha sounds way cooler! It is making peace hip (and hop) for a new gen eration, offering hope for youth during this economic downturn.

The Shumaker Family Foundation has made a challenge grant of $12,500 to On  Earth Peace to support the Agape-Satyagraha program.

For more information go to www.onearthpeace.org or contact Marie Rhoades at  peace-ed@onearthpeace.org or 717-867-1902.

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continu ing the work of Jesus peacefully and simply, and to living out its faith in  community. The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith t raditions and is one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated it s 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 125,000 members across the Unit ed States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria,  Brazil, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and India.

(This release was provided by Gimbiya Kettering, communications staff for O n Earth Peace.)

># # #

>For more information contact:

>Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford
>Director of News Services
>Church of the Brethren
>1451 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
>800-323-8039 ext. 260
>cobnews@brethren.org