Local church celebrates June as Peace Month
In an effort to spread the message that it is a historical peace church, Uniontown Church of the Brethren is celebrating Peace Month throughout June. “It’s part of our mission and part of our denominational beliefs that sets us apart,’ said Amy DeFazio, witness chairwoman.
The church, located at 20 Robinson St., is also offering its Peace Month as part of its participation in the organization called Decade to Overcome Violence, which DeFazio said is affiliated with the World Council of Churches.
According to a press release, “The Decade is not organized around set programs, but rather is an invitation for all Christian bodies to offer their own gifts for peacemaking, according to their own particular calling. Within the Church of the Brethren, this same thinking prevails: even though denominational staff will offer resources and propose common emphases, each congregation will be free to choose the manner of its participation.’
In its Peace Month, Uniontown Church of the Brethren has been incorporating a hymn of peace into its Sunday worship services, offering reading material on peace for adults and children, offering Sunday school lessons for children that emphasize peace, and having the children make peace buttons as well as planning special events.
Those special events included a skit during the June 2 worship service about a Brethren man’s experience during the Vietnam War. DeFazio said the man was a conscientious objector who went to Vietnam, but worked in a community to help people in an agricultural environment. The North Vietnamese killed him when they raided the Christian compound.
And on June 23, the church welcomes the Kids For Peace Choir from the Spring Valley Bruderhof in Farmington to perform at the 10:30 a.m. worship service.
Among the study material, the church is encouraging people to read the book “Hebron Journal,’ by Art Gish, who spent five years in the Middle East as part of the Christian Peacemakers Teams.
“We also have a basket of adult reading material at the church for the month about international conflict, conflict in the community and in the family and conflict resolution,’ said DeFazio. “We also have a reading list for children about these issues.’
She said the children’s books include “Hands Are Not For Hitting’ and “Nobody Wants a Nuclear War.’
A hand out called “What Can I Do for Peace?’ offers suggestions, such as: Pray regularly for our world. Spend one night each week having a simple meal, remembering those who do not have the basic needs of food, shelter and security. Speak up when people talk derogatorily about people from other cultures, races and religions. Examine the movies and television that you and your family view. Do they have violent themes? Evaluate the video games, books and music to which your children are exposed for themes of violence.
Asked how the congregation is responding to a Peace Month when the nation is at war, DeFazio said, “There’s some mixed feelings in this environment with Sept. 11 and the current situation in Afghanistan. But this is our denominational view and so I think everyone is open to listening and taking it into consideration. There isn’t any negative feeling.’
While the church supports the nation, DeFazio said it is important to celebrate Peace Month because there is a war going on.
“In a climate when there isn’t a war, it’s easy to feel you believe in peace,’ DeFazio said. “But I think it becomes more difficult when people in our country are being killed. It makes it more difficult to follow Christ’s walk.’
For more information about Peace Month, stop by the Uniontown Church of the Brethren, attend Sunday worship at 10:30 a.m. or call the church at 724-438-8372.