Tag Archives: Presbyterian Peacemaking Program

November 29, 2011 · 6:51 am

Begin again

The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program has created a daily Advent devotion – Proclaiming the Good News of God’s Peace. I had the privilege of writing the devotion for today. You can order the booklet or read each day’s devotion.

Tuesday, November 29
Matthew 21:12-17

We think of Advent as a time to prepare to celebrate again the birth of Jesus. In today’s reading, we find not a baby but a  grown-up Jesus. Jesus entered the temple and saw people selling animals to the pilgrims for their obligatory sacrifices. They exchanged Roman currency into Jewish money so the temple tax could be paid in appropriate coinage. Jesus disrupted the scene, overturning tables and chairs.

This striking story seems more appropriate at the end of Jesus’ life than at its beginning. But here it is. We wonder: Did Jesus object to all commercial activity in the temple? Or just to the exploitation of the people by those who controlled the means of ritual purity and access to God? In either case, in both cases, his actions invite the people to change, to begin again.

Its placement here, in Advent, invites us to begin again as well. Begin again in our hearts, in our relationships with God, in our relationships with those we love and in our relationships with those we do not know. Begin again to live lives walking humbly with God, seeking peace, doing justice, and loving one another. Begin again with confidence because we know who was present at the beginning . . . who awaits us at the end . . . and who holds us in the meantime.

PRAYER
God of the ages, may this Advent season be a time of renewal and new beginnings in our lives of faithful discipleship following Jesus, whose birth we celebrate. In his name we pray. Amen.

Rev. W. Mark Koenig, director, Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, New York, New York

See you along the Trail.

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November 19, 2011 · 6:18 pm

Sunset at the ranch

23 August 2010

Some friends have met at
Ghost Ranch
for the last few days
to plan the 2012 Peacemaking Conference,
an event I hope to attend.
While reflecting that they are there
and I am not,
I began to look for pictures
that could transport me
via memory,
via imagination,
to the ranch.

See you along the Trail.

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November 6, 2011 · 6:19 pm

Proclaiming the Good News of God’s Peace

Order now!

Advent is coming. November 27, 2011 brings the First Sunday in Advent in western churches.

Once again, the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program offers a booklet of collected daily devotions for the Season of Advent. Proclaiming the Good News of God’s Peace contains brief devotions and accompanying prayers that follow the daily lectionary readings. Individuals, households, or congregations may use the devotions to prepare for the coming of the Prince of Peace.

Order copies for yourself, your family, and community of faith.  You may also call Presbyterian Distribution Service at (800) 524-2612 to order Item #24358-11-004.

The booklets cost $.40/each.

Note: Eastern Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar and observe 40 days of Advent rather than four weeks, thus Advent begins on November 15.

See you along the Trail.

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September 3, 2011 · 2:09 pm

Children’s books of Huguenot Memorial Church

I have always liked books. English major. Children’s books have held a special appeal to me. Books written for children can be amazing: in words and images they may carry profound truth. The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program makes good use of children’s books. Intergenerational conferences often included a time of bed-time stories in which staff read books of peace and justice.

Why this focus on children’s books?

On Friday, September 2, I visited Huguenot Memorial Church (Presbyterian) in Pelham, New York. We were planning a seminar for the church at the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations.We might not be able to come to you, but we would love to help plan a seminar for your congregation or other group. Contact us.

My visit involved a tour and conversations with Rev. Jacob Bolton, Rev. Stephen Michie, Mr. Floyd Tolliver, and Ms. Teisha Hickman, all of whom told me about the church and its ministry. I learned of children’s programming, mission trips, ministries to people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, efforts to address hunger, support for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, participation in Habitat for Humanity and more. I saw the chapel, the stained glass in the sanctuary, the chapel that can be used in a variety of ways, the columbarium, an incredible triptych proclaiming the birth of Jesus, and the the gymnasium where cabarets, gymnastics, and basketball take place (not necessarily at the same time). All testaments to faithful disciples of Jesus.

Things really clicked when we entered the library. I checked the shelves and suddenly the corner that houses the children’s library caught my eye. Bright colors. New books. Diverse titles. Some I knew; some I recognized; some new to me; some in the pictures; some on a list of books for families living in a multifaith world.

I have already started to look for some of the books in the pictures. I invite you to do the same.

See you along the Trail.

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December 22, 2010 · 4:44 am

Toward the end of an era

It has been almost two months since my last post. Numerous trips between the Shire East and the Shire West have occurred.

I have been at the Shire since December 8. There were meetings – a wonderful celebration (including a fair imitation of lembas) led by my colleagues in the Peacemaking Program (Tricia and I made the run to Costco to buy many of the other supplies) – a great dinner at Havana Rumba with good friends – a football game won and a football game lost.

Mostly there has been transition – pretty relentless transition – working to prepare the Shire to go on the market. Home repair is no where near the top of my list of either things I enjoy or things I do well – even when my primary role (well, pretty much my only role) is writing checks or making runs to Home Depot.

It is made more than a tad bittersweet because this marks the end of an era.

Tonight’s movie – 3 Godfathers – John Wayne does Christmas.

Tomorrow – Cleveland.

See you along the Trail.

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January 13, 2010 · 4:31 am

Fools

Late last night, I learned of the death of Tom Niccolls. Tom had served at Hiram College. He was a gentle, patient, passionate, dedicated peacemaker and justice seeker. He was in Eastminster Presbytery – in the Youngstown area. We often ended up at events together – sometimes unintentionally.

I remember walking across the Ninth Street Bridge in Cleveland. The march was for nuclear disarmament. And there, on the bridge, I met Tom and Betty. Again and again that happened.

Tom was a writer – a number of his skits will appear among the resources offered by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program for the 30th anniversary of Peacemaking: The Believers’ Calling.

He was also a fool. For Christ. In profound ways. Tom engaged in clown ministry – a ministry that he shared around God’s world. A ministry rooted in the gospel which proclaims, in the face of the weary, worn wisdom of the world, that love is stronger than hate; goodness is stronger than evil; resurrection will follow death; and God will have the final word and that will be a word of grace.

I give thanks that God shared Tom Niccolls with us for a time and that I had the privilege of knowing Tom. I give thanks that God who Tom followed in this life has welcomed him home. I give thanks for Tom’s foolishness. May I be such a fool.

****
Got back to the gym today. Did a little over two miles on the treadmill and several weight machines. I made it to 10,093 steps. The goal worked as I did some extra walking to make it.

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