Everything has become new! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. (Paul to the Corinthians)

Older peacemakers can choose to

• -- envy younger peacemakers their strength and energy
• -- succomb to burn-out and apathy
• -- turn toward other interests
• -- or seek creative ways to sustain the ministry of reconciliation

SENIORS FOR PEACE have chosen to work for reconciliation. They gather in small groups to support each other, serving the needs of a violent world through prayer, study and active witness. They invite like-minded persons everywhere to join in this effort.

For instance, they may

• write letters on issues such as land mines, nuclear disarmament or immigration
• organize peace forums
• protest the violence directed at Iraq
• advocate relief for besieged West Bank families
• work to reduce third-world debt
• support rebuilding the former Yugoslavia
• monitor the defense budget
• network with other groups

THE FIGHT FOR PEACE, an article by SFP member, Professor Atlee Beechey, was published originally by the CHRISTIAN MONITOR in 1933. The historical details of the article speak to us today with relevance to peace in our time as well.

SFP learns what others are thinking and doing from Web sites such as

• Alternatives for Simple Living
• American Friends Service Committee
• Amnesty International
• Fellowship of Reconciliation
• Mennolink Peace Links
• National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
• Parenting for Peace and Justice
• Pax Christi
• Peace Action

We find useful such books as

• Roland Bainton. Christian Attitudes toward War and Peace. 1960.
• Ronice Branding. Peacemaking: The Journey from Fear to Love. 1992.
• Jimmy Carter. Talking Peace. 1993.
• James Douglass. The Nonviolent Coming of God. 1992.
• Duane Friesen. Christian Peacemaking and International Conflict: A Realistic Pacifist Perspective. 1986.
• David A. Grossman. On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society. 1996.
• Robert Kreider and Rachel Waltner Goosen. When Good People Quarrel: Studies of Conflict Resolution. 1989.
• John Paul Lederach. Preparing for Peace: Conflict Transformation Across Culture. 1995.
• Richard McSorley. New Testament Basis of Peacemaking. 1979.
• Art and Jocele Meyer. Earth-Keepers: Environmental Perspectives on Hunger, Poverty and Injustice. 1991.
• Walter Wink. The Powers that Be: Theology for a New Millenium. 1998.
• John Howard Yoder. The Politics of Jesus. 1972.
• Howard Zehr. Changing Lenses: A New Focus for Crime and Justice. 1990.

Comments about this site or requests for more information about SFP may be e-mailed to: John Fisher, peacecenter@tln.net

HTML editing by Lon Sherer, lonhs@goshen.edu

Published: 7/99
Updated: 1/00