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A Circle of Prayer for peace |
| An invitation to a "circle of
prayer for the Middle East"
[4-3-02]
This call for a "circle of prayer for the
Middle East" was forwarded to an EcuNet meeting, THE HOLY LAND
TODAY, by Franklin Ishida of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in
America.
He writes:
I received the following out of the blue by fax. I
called the person and he just wanted to figure out how to spread the
word about prayer. In my conversation, I realized he was no
"naive" person, but well-versed in history and the
tradition of the church speaking out for peace. He also is well-read
in what the media is doing to paint only a certain picture of the
violence in the Middle East. More than anything, he is very
confident in the power of prayer.
Here is what he sent me and he asks that it be
passed around.
Franklin Ishida ELCA/DGM
Prayer for Peace in the Middle East
A Worldwide Prayer Circle for Peace in the Middle
East, for Israel and Palestine, and for all of the Rest of Us who have a
Stake in Peace
It was acknowledged by many people that a peaceful end
to apartheid in South Africa seemed impossible. Many people of many
different religious and spiritual traditions created prayer chains
around the world to pray for a peaceful end to apartheid. Nelson Mandela
emerged to lead a peaceful transition that ended apartheid. Many people
of faith believe that those prayers made a difference.
Today there is an opportunity to connect the many
people who are already praying for peace in the Middle East and to add
to their numbers. You and I can invite all faiths, especially Jewish
people and Muslim people. You and I can surround their prayers with the
support of prayers of Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, and others.
Terrorists, armies and politicians are demonstrating
what violence, force and killings can do.
What will praying for love, compassion and
reconciliation do?
What will including millions and millions of people in
a payer chain for peace do?
What will the conversations of people about their
prayers across faiths do?
What can our religious leaders do to publicize and
encourage interfaith cooperation in prayer?
What other benefits can interfaith cooperation create?
If terrorists can show the commitment to level the
World Trade Towers in New York in a single day and armies and
politicians can show the commitment to spend a billion dollars each day
on trying to bomb terrorists, what can millions of people of all
religious faiths with the help of God do in prayer for love, compassion,
and peace?
Thomas Coleman, Hinsdale, Illinois |
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Visit
our lively
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GA actions
ratified (or not) by the presbyteries
A number of the most important actions of the 219th
General Assembly have now been acted upon by the presbyteries,
confirming most of them as amendments to the PC(USA) Book of Order.
We provided resources to help inform the
reflection and debate, along with updates on the voting.
Our three areas of primary interest have been:
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Amendment 10-A,
which removes the current ban on
lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender persons being considered as
possible candidates for ordination as elder or ministers.
Approved! |
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Amendment 10-2,
which would add the Belhar Confession to our Book of
Confessions. Disapproved, because as an amendment
to the Book of Confessions it needed a 2/3 vote, and did not
receive that. |
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Amendment
10-1, which adopts the new Form of Government
that was approved by the Assembly. Approved. |
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If you like what
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Some blogs worth visiting |
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PVJ's
Facebook page
Mitch Trigger, PVJ's
Secretary/Communicator, has created a Facebook page where
Witherspoon members and others can gather to exchange news and
views. Mitch and a few others have posted bits of news, both
personal and organizational. But there’s room for more!
You can post your own news and views,
or initiate a conversation about a topic of interest to you. |
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Voices of Sophia blog
Heather Reichgott, who has created
this new blog for Voices of Sophia, introduces it:
After fifteen years of scholarship
and activism, Voices of Sophia presents a blog. Here, we present the
voices of feminist theologians of all stripes: scholars, clergy,
students, exiles, missionaries, workers, thinkers, artists, lovers
and devotees, from many parts of the world, all children of the God
in whose image women are made. .... This blog seeks to glorify God
through prayer, work, art, and intellectual reflection. Through
articles and ensuing discussion we hope to become an active and
thoughtful community. |
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John Harris’ Summit to
Shore blogspot
Theological and philosophical
reflections on everything between summit to shore, including
kayaking, climbing, religion, spirituality, philosophy, theology,
politics, culture, travel, The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), New
York City and the Queens neighborhood of Ridgewood by a progressive
New York City Presbyterian Pastor. John is a former member of the
Witherspoon board, and is designated pastor of North Presbyterian
Church in Flushing, NY. |
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John Shuck’s Shuck and Jive
A Presbyterian minister, currently
serving as pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton,
Tenn., blogs about spirituality, culture, religion (both organized
and disorganized), life, evolution, literature, Jesus, and
lightening up. |
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Got more blogs to recommend?
Please
send a note, and we'll see what we can do! |
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