Newsline: For the Peace of the City, International Day of Prayer for Peace 2011

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

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

FOR THE PEACE OF THE CITY: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE SEPT. 21, 2011 
  

(June 3, 2011) New Windsor, Maryland -- On Earth Peace is kicking off its fifth 
annual campaign organizing community groups and church congregations to 
participate in the International Day of Prayer for Peace (IDPP), September 21. 
The scripture theme for the 2011 campaign is "Seek the peace of the city--for 
in its peace, you will find peace" (Jeremiah 29).

In 2011, On Earth Peace is seeking 200 faith and community groups around the 
world to plan public events on or near September 21. While anyone is invited to 
sign up, On Earth Peace is especially seeking youth and young adults to 
organize gatherings, events, services, or vigils as part of IDPP. 

Registration means committing to organize a public prayer event focused on 
violence, during the week of September 21, 2011. An introductory video, 
organizing resources, and online registration for the International Day of 
Prayer for Peace are available online at www.onearthpeace.org/idpp.

"While nations around the world stagger under economic devastation, endless 
war, and corrupt politics, and while rural and urban communities alike fail to 
thrive, the International Day of Prayer for Peace can be a doorway into 
eliminating violence and bringing reconciliation in your community and our 
world," said On Earth Peace Program Director Matt Guynn. 

"On Earth Peace partner groups from previous IDPP events have gone on to 
develop community leadership initiatives around issues of race, poverty, 
militarism, corruption, and religious violence. September 21 is only one day, 
but as you bring together new partners and community groups to pray, it can 
awaken imagination and open a gateway to God's vision of abundant life, revived 
hope, and deep peace."  

An initiative of the World Council of Churches, the International Day of Prayer 
for Peace is connected with the United Nations' International Day of Peace, a 
time when the guns, armies and militias are called to go silent and 24-hour 
ceasefires are encouraged around the world. It is an opportunity for people and 
grassroots groups to join in celebration, prayer, and sharing together about 
their hopes for a more peaceful world.

Committed to stopping violence and building reconciliation, On Earth Peace is 
an agency rooted in the Church of the Brethren. On Earth Peace extends this 
300-year faith legacy by equipping new generations of Christian peacemakers and 
partnering with grassroots groups to build peace with justice. 

The Church of the Brethren is a Christian denomination committed to continuing 
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 traditions and is one of the three Historic 
Peace Churches. It
celebrated its 300th anniversary in 2008. It counts some 123,000 members across 
the United
States and Puerto Rico, and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, 
Brazil, the Dominican
Republic, Haiti, and India.

>###

>For more information contact:

>Samuel Sarpiya
>On Earth Peace
>815-314-0438
>idpp@onearthpeace.org