wfn.org | Newsline: On Earth Peace campaign for Int'al Day of Prayer for Peace 2010

[CoBNews <CoBNews@brethren.org>]

Newsline: Church of the Brethren News Service, News Director Cheryl

Brumbaugh-Cayford, 800-323-8039 ext. 260, cobnews@brethren.org

ON EARTH PEACE ANNOUNCES 2010 CAMPAIGN FOR INTERNATIONAL

DAY OF PRAYER FOR PEACE ON THEME, 'A FUTURE AND A HOPE'

(May 26, 2010) Elgin, IL -- In 2010, On Earth Peace invites individuals,

families, and faith and community groups to participate in the Internationa l 
Day

of Prayer for Peace, Sept. 21. Together with ecumenical partners including  the

Lutheran Peace Fellowship and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program of the

Presbyterian Church (USA), On Earth Peace calls all people of goodwill to

consider observing the International Day of Prayer for Peace.

An initiative of the United Nations and the World Council of Churches, the

International Day of Prayer for Peace (IDPP) is also a time for guns, armie s, 
and

militias to go silent as 24-hour ceasefires are observed around the world.

As it is written in Jeremiah 29, "For I know the thoughts that I think towa rd 
you,

says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and  a

hope." On Earth Peace believes that God offers a future and a hope to each

person, each family, each community--a future of dignity, well being, justi ce,

hope, and nonviolence. This campaign is an invitation to pray and act in th e

>service of that future and hope.

This year 2010 marks On Earth Peace's fourth annual campaign for the IDPP.

Hundreds of participating groups in previous years have prepared public pra yer

vigils, prayerful community walks, vespers services, rallies, public art di 
splays,

and events ranging from a few minutes to 24 hours of coordinated prayer for

>peace.

>Highlights of On Earth Peace's 2010 campaign:

-- Online registration for individuals, families, and faith and community g 
roups

>at http://prayforpeaceday.org.

-- A call for 10 faith and community groups who will commit to do a listeni ng

initiative as part of the preparation for a Sept. 21 prayer vigil. Listenin g

initiatives are a focused time of gathering up stories and information, and  can

lead to deeper relationships and opportunities for real community change.

-- An invitation to participate in Change for Peace, a few moments of daily

reflection and prayer when participants deposit their daily pocket change a nd

pray for strength, inspiration and courage to engage of the many faces of

violence. Some congregations plan to do this as a group activity.

-- A website offering activity ideas, links to partner organizations, and a

community organizing handbook for participants--with more resources to be

developed and posted regularly through the summer.

-- Nonviolence Leadership Seminars via conference call for campaign

participants, on topics including listening initiatives, planning an effect ive

vigil, and attracting publicity for your event.

-- Follow-up trainings including "You Can't Stop the River: Nonviolent

Community Leadership" on Oct. 28-31 in Harrisburg, Pa., and Salt and Light,

a seven-month extended learning program focused on nonviolent community

>mobilization from October 2010-May 2011.

Since 1974, On Earth Peace's education, reconciliation and organizing progr ams

have touched thousands of people in hundreds of congregations and groups.

Rooted in the Church of the Brethren, On Earth Peace grows from a 300-year

faith legacy of opposing war and seeking reconciliation. Through the 2010 I DPP

campaign, On Earth Peace hopes to connect with many individuals and emergin g

leaders for peace and nonviolence, so we can walk and work together to buil d

more peaceful communities and organize alternatives to violence, oppression ,

>and poverty.

For more information go to www.prayforpeaceday.org and www.onearthpeace.org .

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 com 
munity.

The denomination is based in the Anabaptist and Pietist faith traditions an d is

one of the three Historic Peace Churches. It celebrated its 300th anniversa ry 
in

2008. It counts some 125,000 members across the United States and Puerto Ri co,

and has missions and sister churches in Nigeria, Brazil, the Dominican Repu 
blic,

>Haiti, and India.

(Matt Guynn of the On Earth Peace staff provided this release.)

># # #

>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