Let me bring joy
What are we waiting for? The church needs to take Jesus and his teachings of peace seriously. Mennonite Mission Network invites you to wear the "I choose peace" pin to be reminded of God’s call to peace and justice, and to spark conversation with others about peacemaking and the Prince of Peace. Request your pin by clicking […]
Episode 26: Bystander Intervention with Melissa Florer-Bixler and Joy Shaver
Melissa Florer-Bixler and Joy Shaver of Raleigh Mennonite Church stop by the PeaceLab to discuss Bystander Intervention. You can find the Bystander Intervention Sunday School curriculum at www.pjsn.org/bystander.
Episode 25: Melody Pannell on diversity and inclusion in the Mennonite Church
Melody Pannell, Professor of Social Work at Eastern Mennonite University, discusses her work on diversity and inclusion in a variety of settings, including the founding of her nonprofit organization, Destiny’s Daughters LLC, which works to celebrate and empower African-American girls.
Peacemaking transforms conflict in South Africa
"All nations will stream toward the mountain of God’s house, saying, ‘Come, let’s learn the way God works, so we can live in God’s ways.’ God will make things right between many peoples. They’ll turn their swords into shovels, their spears into hoes. No more will nation fight nation." —Isaiah 2:3-4, adapted from The […]
Episode 24: Horace McMillon on gun violence in the U.S.
Horace McMillon, Pastor of Open Door Mennonite Church in Jackson, Mississippi, talks about gun violence in the United States and what it would take to change things.
Episode 23: Columbus Mennonite Church and the Journey of Sanctuary
Joel Miller and Austin Junhke come to the PeaceLab to discuss how Columbus Mennonite Church became a place of sanctuary and hope for a community member targeted by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement).
Active pacifism
I heard it again last week. A friend who belongs to another Christian denomination said he believed in nonviolence, but could never call himself a pacifist. "Pacifism is too disengaged, not active enough in the face of evil." We had a lively discussion about this. You’ve likely heard this same complaint and had similar discussions. […]
Episode 22: Titus Peachey on the legacies of war
Titus Peachey discusses the effects of war in Laos and how peacebuilding can be a long-term project.
Week 1: Seeing where harassment happens in our community
"’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’" —Mark 12:28-34 "Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to care for orphans and widows in their distress." —James 1:27 We have all been taught to love our neighbor as ourselves. We bring food to sick people, give money to worthy causes, and […]
Week 2: Responding to harassment
There is no perfect response when you or someone else is experiencing harassment. Your reaction will depend on the situation, the type of harassment, the location, and your own personality. What matters is that you act. There are five types of response that you as a bystander can utilize. These can be used in conjunction […]
Week 3: Distract—Providing a distraction to de-escalate a situation
"Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground." —John 8:1-11 Jesus’ actions here are peculiar and unsettling. He has been asked a direct question, but refuses to answer. We know from the rest of the Gospels that it isn’t because of his ignorance on questions of the law. It isn’t because he […]
Week 4: Delegate—Bringing others into the situation
"They need not go away; you give them something to eat." —Matthew 14:13-21 In the Bible, we discover that Jesus has the power to do miracles. Christ will feed 4,000 later in Matthew’s Gospel. He intervenes to make sure that people do not go hungry, but here, Jesus asks his disciples to take part in […]