The Commitment to Peacemaking helps Presbyterians respond to the call of God through Jesus Christ to be peacemakers by engaging individually and collectively in peacemaking ministries. The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program offers these suggestions of ways to implement the Commitment to Peacemaking during this time of war.

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Worship

Pray for those involved in Iraq in each worship service. Pray for

• the leaders of the United States, Iraq, the United Nations, NATO and the nations of the world; that they might have the wisdom, courage, grace, and strength to do justice in Iraq;
• the people of Iraq who endure violence and uncertainty as the seek to build a new nation;
• those who serve in the armed forces and their families and for those serving as chaplains;
• the military personnel and their families of other countries who are serving in Iraq;
• those who resort to acts of violence;
• others who are touched by the war.

Light a candle for peace in each worship service.

Use liturgical resources from around the world such as those found in Gifts of Many Cultures, by the United Church of Christ. This resource costs $19.95 and is available at United Church Press.

Hold prayer vigils with other Presbyterian congregations and with ecumenical and interfaith partners.

Plan an interfaith worship service. Invite all who will take part in the worship to take part in the planning. The resource Respectful Presence provides guidance. Order PDS #74-292-97-002; $2.00.

Prayer and Bible Study

Pray with Iraqi Christians each day at noon E.T. as part of a covenant made by the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

Open a part of the church daily as a place of prayer and meditation.

Offer a Bible study on service in the public arena using Rebuilding: Peacemaking in Nehemiah. Order PDS #70-350-96-287; $0.75.

Create a prayer board in the sanctuary. Bring a white board or an easel with newsprint into the sanctuary and invite people to write the names of those for whom they wish to pray. Bring a corkboard into the sanctuary and encourage people to put pictures of those for whom they wish to pray on it. Visit the PC(USA) Iraq photo gallery and print out David Young's pictures from Iraq to include on board.

Write the names of people serving in the armed forces, friends living in Iraq, and others at risk from the war on pieces of paper. Fold the paper into paper cranes. Make a chain of the cranes in the sanctuary or other part of the church.

Instructions

Items marked with are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. For best results, right-click the link (or click and hold for Macintosh), select "save target as" and save the document to your desktop for viewing and printing.

Peacemaking in Families and Congregations

Care for those who are serving in the military and their families. [Read more]

Provide resources to help families talk about issues related to war. [Read more]

Create an "Images of Peace" board. Invite people to post images of peace - these may include works of art, lyrics to songs, brief writings, pictures from magazines, pictures people create, whatever speaks to someone of peace. Allow the board to grow as people add to it.

Hold monthly potlucks where people can share their feelings, concerns, and insights about events in Iraq.

Join or create an interfaith dialogue group with Jewish or Muslim neighbors. The resource, Guidelines for Interfaith Dialogue provides assistance. Order PDS #74-292-02-005; free.

Community Ministries

Stand with Iraqis, Iraqi-Americans, Arabs, Arab-Americans, Moslems and others in your community who might be targets of hate. Visit their places of worship. Patronize their businesses. Create opportunities to be together. [Read more]

Become involved with prisons and the criminal justice system in your community. Study Restorative Justice: PDS #7263096705; free.

Hold a community study of Living the Gospel of Peace: Tools for Building Multicultural Community. Order PDS #70-270-04-014; $3.00.

Register to vote. Vote. Encourage others to vote. Learn about the voting processes in your community and become involved in efforts to ensure that every vote is counted. The MTV-sponsored Web site, rockthevote.com, provides information on an initiative to register young voters. Online voter registration is available through the Federal Election Commission.

Write letters to the editor of newspapers and magazines expressing your opinion about events in Iraq.

Study and Response to Global Issues

Educate yourselves on the realities in Iraq. [Read more]

Offer a study of Iraq and Beyond, a resolution adopted by the 215th General Assembly (2003). Order PDS #68-600-03-005; $3.00.

Offer a study of Iraq: Our Responsibility and the Future, a resolution adopted by the 216th General Assembly (2004). Iraq: Our Responsibility and the Future plus study guide

Call the White House Comment Line at (202) 456-1111 to share your opinion about events in Iraq.

Call your Senators and Congressperson and share your opinion about events in Iraq. Use the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or (800) 839-5276. Use the telephone directory or U.S. House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, or Congress.org to learn the telephone numbers for their offices in the state or in the district.

Visit the Web site of the Presbyterian Washington Office at regularly to find advocacy suggestions. The phone number of the Washington Office is (202) 543-1126.

Global Security

Learn about issues related to nuclear weapons. [Read more]

Support the efforts of the Nonviolent Peaceforce to create a trained, international civilian nonviolent peaceforce that will be sent to conflict areas to prevent death and destruction and protect human rights. To purchase Peace Bonds to underwrite this work or for other ideas about how to become involved, visit the Nonviolent Peaceforce Web site.

Support efforts to curb the small arms trade around the world. Visit the Control Arms Web site for details.

Offer a study on Facing Terrorism: Responding as Christians by Edward LeRoy Long Jr. It is available at the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation; $12.95.

Offer a study of Just Peacemaking, a resource based on "Just Peacemaking and the Call for International Intervention for Humanitarian Rescue," adopted by the 210th General Assembly (1998). Order PDS #70-270-02-024; $4.95.

Study the Resolution on Violence, Religion, and Terrorism and Iraq: Our Responsibility and Future, adopted by the 216th General Assembly (2004).

Study The Shalom of God in the Midst of Empire: A Peacemaking Bible Study on Isaiah. Order PDS #70-270-06-001; $5.00.

Making Peace with the Earth

Offer a study of God's World, Our Home for youth or an intergenerational group. This study looks at environmental issues in the global neighborhood. Order PDS #70-270-04-011; $3.00.

Learn about the environmental consequences of war and preparing for war. [Read more]

Support land mine de-mining efforts. Learn more about working to rid the world of landmines. Contribute to Presbyterian Disaster Assistance's designated account for land mine removal. Please reference #9-2000132 "Land Mine Removal" on your check. Checks can be given through your local Presbyterian Church, or mailed directly to: Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Individual Remittance Processing, P.O. Box 643700, Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700.

Receiving the Peacemaking Offering

Contribute to Iraq - The Peace Fund for Solidarity with the Churches.

Use the congregational portion of the offering to support ministries related to implementing the Commitment to Peacemaking in a time of war.