Peace memos - February 19, 1999

With this month’s mailing, I have included a form inviting your response. I have been including more and more information in these memos, and I want to ensure that what is provided is relevant, concise and useful. Any feedback is much appreciated.

1. Mennonite Peace Gathering

In conjunction with the upcoming summer conference in St. Louis, the Mennonite Church Canada, GC, and MC are sponsoring a peace gathering, July 20-22, in St. Louis. (The main conference is July 23-27.) The gathering will focus on strengthening the passion for peace and justice in the new Mennonite Church. Keynote speakers will present their hopes and visions for future peacemaking, and participants will have a chance to shape a new vision. Seminars and bible study will focus on the basis for peacemaking, teaching peace in the congregation, economic justice, public witness, creation care, and anti-racism.

All are encouraged to attend, especially pastors, parents (there will be children’s activities), peace committee members, Christian educators, and service workers. Cost: $150 CAN

Congregations will receive a detailed information package with registration information in late February, in either Leadership (GC) or MEMO (MC). If you do not receive one, or would like more copies, or have further questions, please contact me at the number or address above.

This will be an excellent event – a chance to inspire and invigourate our congregations’ peace work, to fellowship with others, to worship God, to dream of new possibilities. I encourage you to attend, or to suggest it to someone in your congregation.

2. Colombia prayer requests

The EARTHQUAKE - there is a Mennonite church in Armenia, the centre hardest hit by the earthquake. The Mennonite church in Colombia is actively working to respond to the disaster. They ask you to please pray that Colombians may react in solidarity towards the victims, that the churches may unite and that the response may be adequate.

DEATH THREATS – the leader of the paramilitary group has declared that organizations and agencies engaging in human rights education and activities in Colombia, as "targets of war." Pray for all who are affected by this threat, including Justapaz, the Mennonite centre for peace education and reconciliation.

PEACE TALKS – Ricardo Esquivia, a Mennonite lawyer, is the Protestant church’s representative at peace talks between the President and the main guerrilla groups. Pray for these talks, that they may be fruitful, and take steps towards ending the violence. The Colombian Mennonite Church also encourages congregations to send notes of encouragement to the peace talk participants.

Dear Sir,

Greetings from Canada.

I am very happy to know that a process to bring peace to Colombia has been set in motion. As an evangelical Christian, I want to assure you that I will cover these negotiations with my prayers. Due to the participation of the Evangelical Council of Colombia and its official representative, Dr. Ricardo Esquivia, I will follow the progress of these talks with keen interest. May God bless these negotiations to bring about the good of all Colombians.

Sincerely,


Send to:

[government] [main rebel group]
Dr. Andres Pastrana Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias
Presidente de la Republica de Colombia-Ejercito Popular
Dr. Victor G. Ricardo Secretariado General
Alto Comisionado para la Paz Manuel Marulanda Velez
Palacio de Nariño San Vicente de Caguan, META
Santa Fe de Bogota, COLOMBIA COLOMBIA


[second rebel group]
Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional
Francisco Galan, Vocero
Carcel de Alta Seguridad
Itagui, ANTIOQUIA
COLOMBIA

3. Nuclear issues

A parliamentary committee has just released Canada and the Nuclear Challenge, a report and list of recommendations to the Government regarding Canada’s policy on nuclear non-proliferation, arms control and disarmament. The first recommendation is that "Canada work consistently to reduce the political legitimacy and value of nuclear weapons in order to contribute to the goal of their progressive reduction and eventual elimination." The subsequent recommendations urge specific policies to work for that objective, including "arguing forcefully" in NATO that NATO reexamine its nuclear policy, and "de-alerting" existing weapons.

The recommendations could have gone farther, but they are positive steps in the right direction. I encourage congregations to examine these recommendations (available in my office, or from Project Ploughshares, ph: 519-888-6541, fax: 519-885-0806, email: plough@ploughshares.ca ) and write a brief note to the Prime Minister, urging the Government to accept and act on these recommendations. Letters to the PM can be sent, postage free, to:

Rt. Hon. Jean Chrétien, Prime Minister, House of Commons, Ottawa, K1A 0A6.

4. Landmines

March 1, 1999 is day on which the so-called Ottawa Treaty, the treaty banning landmines, become international law. Churches are invited to celebrate this on February 28. While there is more to be done, (the U.S. is not part of the treaty,) it is important to celebrate victories, and to give thanks.

5. Tents for Lent

Christian Peacemaker Teams, a Mennonite Church Canada related organization, has included information on their peacemaking efforts in Hebron, and invites Christians to spend to some in a tent over Lent, in order to get a glimpse of what Palestinian refugees feel. Included is a sheet which may be helpful in sermon preparation, public witness, or as a bulletin insert.