Living the Believers’ Calling – no child soldiers!

Here's a way congregations can celebrate 30 years of peacemaking:

Hold a Red Hand Sunday to call for an end to the use of children as soldiers. Create red hand prints on paper or cloth (using finger paint, drawing an outline, using red paper, or in some other way). Add names, hometowns, and a message. Send the red hands to: Office of Child Advocacy, 100 Witherspoon Street, Room 3224, Louisville, KY 40202-1396. The Presbyterian United Nations Office will deliver the red hands to country missions at the UN.

May 25, 2010 marks the tenth anniversary of the Optional Protocol on the involvement of children in armed conflict – a great day to affirm that God creates children to be children, not soldiers.

Thirty years ago the 192nd General Assembly (1980) of the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. adopted Peacemaking: The Believers' Calling. This statement affirmed that peacemaking is central to the gospel message and to living as disciples of Jesus. It affirmed past and ongoing Presbyterian peacemaking efforts and called for a renewed emphasis on peacemaking. Since 1980, individual Presbyterians, congregations, middle governing bodies, and General Assembly programs have engaged in amazing peacemaking ministries in the name of Jesus Christ. In this 30th anniversary year the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program suggests 30 ways congregations can celebrate ministries past and present and look forward to new adventures following Christ, who is our peace.

Tell the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program how you are celebrating the anniversary.

Your gifts to the Peacemaking Offering help the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program support Presbyterians in ministries seeking peace and pursuing justice.

The photo is by Ricky Velez-Negron of the Presbyterian United Nations Office.