Guest post by John Odom A “peace movement” is taking place throughout Mid-Kentucky Presbytery. Its origins are found in Scripture for sure, but the movement has gained momentum largely in response to COVID-19. To keep people safely distanced, a number of Mid-Kentucky Presbytery congregations have learned and practice American Sign Language (ASL) as they pass… Read more »
September 21, 2021
Learning to Sign ‘Peace’
Guest post by John Odom A “peace movement” is taking place throughout Mid-Kentucky Presbytery. Its origins are found in Scripture for sure, but the movement has gained momentum largely in response to COVID-19. To keep people safely distanced, a number of Mid-Kentucky Presbytery congregations have learned and practice American Sign Language (ASL) as they pass… Read more »
Beirut’s 2020 port explosions shattered Nada Raphael’s world. The devastating blast that tore through the port area of Beirut — one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history — left hundreds dead, thousands injured, an estimated 300,000 people homeless and artists like Raphael psychically wounded. “Beirut is my city,” said the Lebanese-born photographer, videographer and… 
When the prophet Elijah, deep in the throes of an existential crisis, fled to Mount Horeb in search of God, he was met instead with the sound of sheer silence. Natalie Pisarcik knows just how he felt. “There was a time in my life where I was on the bottom,” Natalie testified during Sunday worship… 
It was a daring prayer, all things considered, to ask the Thessalonians to pray — and it is also a daring one for us. The second letter to the Thessalonians arrived at a time of turmoil, strife and confusion. The Christian community was experiencing persecutions so severe that some believed the time of judgment had… 
Engaging the children of your congregation with the four churchwide Special Offerings has never been easier or more important, whether you are engaging them in-person or virtually. And the Peace & Global Witness Offering is especially important as we learn that no one is too young to be a peacemaker! First and foremost, the Peace… 
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Radical and fearless discipleship Let’s stop for a moment to think about that which perhaps we cannot see. Let’s look beyond the walls of our church, beyond the boundaries of our community — even beyond the borders of our nation. There is much to see, much to talk about and think about … but for… 
Separated from the world, but not separated from God’s love The Washington Correctional Center for Women is both the largest and the only maximum and medium security prison for women in the state. It’s surrounded by barbed wire, and you have to go through five locked gates to get to the main population. But while… 
“In a war zone, everyone is a target.” During this Season of Peace, we are reminded that peacemaking is active not passive, doing not waiting. Jaff Bamenjo (BA-MEN-JO), the coordinator of the Network for the Fight Against Hunger in Cameroon (RELUFA) and an International Peacemaker, has a very clear understanding of why this is important…. 
The peace of Christ be with you Congregations of many denominations extend the peace of Christ with a blessing during their service. “The peace of Christ be with you (and also with you).” It is a blessing offered and a blessing returned in kind. The peace of Christ is part of what our faith offers…