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Mission Focus of July: International Peace Month
Raising Awareness about International Peace Month:
(this information is intended for parents)
August is International Peace Month and a time to reflect on World War I. During the month of August, we are encouraged to learn more about the worldwide devastation from the First World War that led to the declaration of International Peace Month. As memory of the war regresses, it’s increasingly important that we educate new generations about the horrors of the conflict and violence from World War I and learn whatever lessons we can, so that we may not repeat the mistakes that led to this War but instead, promote justice and peace for all. A little bit of history about International Peace Month includes that it was founded on August 16, 1926, at the Democratic Peace Conference in Germany. In remembrance of the month, delegates, mostly of German descent, voted to encamp in tents upon the battlefields of France through August 29.
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Learning more about Peace:
(this information is intended for parents)
In our world today, we witness violence, war, environmental degradation, illness, disease, destruction, racial discrimination, gender inequality, poverty, injustice, and more. This is a LARGE REASON why we, as People of faith, are called to create peace through the work of justice.
Scripture is consistent in the call for followers of Christ to…
o love our enemies (Matthew 5:44-45a)
o forgive others their trespasses (Matthew 6:14-15)
o to overcome evil with good (Romans 12:21)
o to seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:14).
Christ’s resurrection assures us that death and destruction do not have the last word. This reason for this is because we are called to create peace within our world today so that we can further God’s kingdom here on earth. If we want to create peace, we must be committed to disrupting the conditions and systems of our world today that perpetuate (continue) injustice. For Scripture is very clear that God is a God of justice, and that God has always been on the side of the poor, the marginalized and the oppressed. As followers of Jesus, we are called to pursue justice and peace. We see this specifically in Micah 6:8 which says:
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God”
Lastly, the Hebrew word for peace is “Shalom.” The meaning of this word is not just about the absence of something, but also about the fullness of something. Thus, “Shalom” is about flourishing, it’s about wholeness and fullness for all of God’s creation. In the context of the Old Testament, it was used to mean wholeness, well-being, and inclusiveness or unity. Followers of Jesus are called to seek the “Shalom” of the city in which they live. So, I encourage you to think about this question: “what does it look like for us to seek the “Shalom” of Charlotte, NC?” This month’s study will give us the opportunity to explore this question. The purpose of the month of August is to take learners of this lesson from a casual knowledge of the word, “Shalom” (peace) to a point where they can identify themselves as peacemakers and realize that true peace is God’s will for us.
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READ Peace is an Offering (Click HERE to access a re-aloud to this Book)
Summary of Book: This book may help children, youth, and adults find ways to talk to each other about God’s call for justice within our world today and our part in creating a peaceful kind of community where all God’s people are respected, valued, and loved. This book allows us to consider with children and youth the small ways that we can offer peace in our communities and to each other. It depicts life moments that are both joyful and sad with the hope that children, youth, and adults will act in ways that bring peace and reflect God’s love, justice, and hope. This book helps us understand that being a peacemaker consists of many everyday actions and can be as simple as giving someone space or giving them a hug. All the characters in the book are of various races, ethnicities, backgrounds. Therefore, the imagery within the book depicts a vivid neighborhood with lots of diversity. (Citation for summary: link)
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READ Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let it Begin with Me (Click HERE to access a recording of the song included within this book)
Summary of Book: This song or anthem about peace makes its picture-book debut, with simple lyrics celebrating the hope for a better world. It began with a songwriter named Jill Jackson when she awakened with the words “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” These words ran through her head and a song was born! Set to music by her composer husband, Sy Miller, this song was first sung one summer evening in 1955 by a group of 180 teenagers of different races and religions who had gathered for a workshop high in the California mountains. As the teens locked arms and sang this song of peace, they believed that singing the song with its simple, basic sentiment would help to create a climate for world peace and understanding. Since that time, this song has been sung by groups, and recorded by many great musicians around the world. It has even been used as a theme by the United Nations and by UNICEF. So, try singing this song with other siblings or your parents or even your friends!
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Discuss the following:
1. What does the word “peace” mean to you?
a. How have you heard it used?
b. How have you used it yourself?
2. In the book titled, Peace is an Offering, we read these words:
“Peace is a joining, not a pulling apart. It’s the courage to bear a wounded heart. It’s a safe place to live. It’s the freedom from fear. It’s a kiss or a hug when you’ve lost someone dear… May peace walk beside you wherever you are.”
a. What do these words mean to you? What stands out to you from this quote?
b. This quote above shows us that God’s peace has the power to transcend or go beyond all situations in life that threaten to destroy our unity with one another. So, imagine what it would look like for each of us to live in peace with God, with ourselves, and with each other and journal your thoughts down using words or even art.
3. The song included in the book titled, Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let it Begin with Me, suggests that peace on earth needs to begin with a single individual. So, how can you individually make a difference in your family, community, and world that brings about God’s peace?
4. What would our world today look like if it was full of God’s peace? Draw your vision of this…
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Activities to do at Home:
1. Google the word, “Shalom,” which is the Hebrew word for ‘peace.’ Do a word study on it. See what you can find out about this word online and listen to a YouTube recording of how this word is pronounced (here is one)
2. As part of Jesus’ final words to his disciples, recorded in John 14:15-31, he said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.” These words, accompanied by the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit, served as a call for us as faithful disciples to go out into the world and share the Good News of the Gospel in such a way that it would bring peace, love, and justice to God’s world. However, we know that being peacemakers in the world is not an easy task, which is why we need a constant reminder that God calls us to create peace through our words and our actions and empowers us to do so through the help of the Holy Spirit.
a. So, get an 8.5x11 piece of white paper and write down John 14:27, which says ““Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you” and decorate it and hang it up on your wall.
3. As you go to school this week and/or play with friends, look for ways you can make peace and share the peace you experience in and through Christ. Some examples of ways you could do this might include seeking to foster unity and forgiveness in your own life and with others, making your voice heard within important conversations, seeking to resolve conflict when you see it, practicing gratitude and thanks, caring for the environment, or finding a spot in God’s creation that is peaceful for you.
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Prayer:
God of love, we pray for peace in our world, and an end to war, destruction, hatred, and violence. Instead of hatred, let there be love. Shelter all your people, O’ God and protect us. Guide us and keep us from harm, so we can build a world of love and live our lives in peace. Amen. (prayer is adapted from this website)
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