Your role in creating change through nonviolent direct action
Episode 7: Your role Study guide Focus statement/synopsis: Jesus mobilized poor people to challenge the religious and economic establishment. And he did this as a teacher without material possessions. At the time, many viewed him as powerless. Sometimes we feel powerless too. But with God we are powerful. And, if we are honest with ourselves, […]
Tactics for nonviolent direct action
Episode 6: Tactics for nonviolent direct action Study guide Focus statement/synopsis: Groups interested in peace and justice may rush to set up a street protest or a boycott before thinking through the rationale for choosing that tactic. Choosing the right nonviolent direct action tactics for each phase of a campaign is critical for meeting the […]
Audiences to reach through nonviolent direct action
Episode 5: Audiences Study guide Focus statement/synopsis: Reconciliation is possible at every level of society — between people, between people and God, and between people and our planet. Nonviolent direct action can be a powerful part of a campaign pursuing reconciliation. And actions are especially meaningful when they are geared toward specific groups of people, […]
Points of intervention to create change with nonviolent direct action
Episode 4: Points of intervention Study guide Focus statement/synopsis: Nonviolent direct action is about actively engaging the world. It intervenes when and where there is violence. The place and the moment that engagement happens with an issue is called the point of intervention. There are several points of intervention that a nonviolent direct action campaign […]
Listening and analysis for making change through nonviolent direct action
Episode 3: Listening and analysis Study guide Focus statement/synopsis: Historically, people with power have excluded, killed or harshly treated those who looked different, lived differently, prayed differently or organized their societies in different ways. Today in the United States, we live with governmental policies and corporate practices that reflect these biased power imbalances. This affects […]
Building broad campaigns to create change with nonviolent direct action
Episode 2: Building broad campaigns Study guide Focus statement/synopsis: Nonviolent direct action is a way to bring about positive social change without hurting or destroy other people. You might think of protests or marches as nonviolent direct action. You’d be right, but nonviolent direct action includes a lot more than just protests. It covers a […]
Seeking God’s Kingdom through nonviolent direct action
Episode 1: Seeking God’s Kingdom Study guide This guide is intended to help facilitate a fruitful conversation between viewers of the Stir Up Peace videos in a group setting. While you can watch these videos by yourself, there are advantages to watching them with others (e.g., in a Sunday School class or a small group). […]
Thank you
Gratitude is the overwhelming feeling I experience as I write this. Gratitude for God’s love for us, through Jesus. Gratitude to you all for allowing me to serve the church through my role with PJSN. Gratitude for the glimmers of hope that refuse to be dimmed, even as the horizon seems to darken. This is […]
Episode 02: Mistakes Were Made
Coming to terms with pain caused though mission: Katerina Friesen speaks on harm done to indigenous peoples by the Doctrine of Discovery, and its connection to mission. Resources and additional material mentioned in this episode: Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition: https://dofdmenno.org/Land Acknowledgement: https://dofdmenno.org/land-acknowledgement/Paths for Peacemaking with Host Peoples: https://www.commonword.ca/ResourceView/82/16613 ‘MissionWary?’ is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or […]
Episode 01: Where Do We Start?
Guests Lynda Hollinger-Janzen and Joe Sawatzky set the ground rules of why people might be wary or excited about the word, "mission." ‘MissionWary?’ is available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Called amid crisis — Missional Meditations
Looking at the scriptures with an eye toward mission. Joe Sawatzky shares a Missional Meditation entitled, "Called amid crisis," based on the Revised Common Lectionary for January 17. Amid leadership crises, God raises up new leaders who will speak God’s truth. Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17 John 1:43-51 1 Samuel 3:1-20 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Thank you for joining us! This […]
Proclaiming liberty
1 The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me;he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the brokenhearted,to proclaim liberty to the captives, and release to the prisoners;2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn;3 to provide for those who […]