–Ben White– Pastor, Circle of Hope, Pennsauken, NJ — Member of the Peace and Justice Project Leadership Team It is Martin Luther King’s Birthday today, January, 15th. So last night was Martin Luther King’s Birthday Eve! We got together to celebrate by sharing stories about our dreams of the Beloved Community King described. Some pastors […]
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Shine Bright January 14th, MLK’s Birthday Eve
Zoom link https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8919923065 Our next Shine Bright Storytelling Zoom Call will be on Martin Luther King’s Birthday Eve! Let’s share stories about our dreams of the Beloved Community. Some pastors from across the BIC US have some stories to get us started. What was your dream? Why was it important to you? What happened when your […]
Transformation over Punishment: Story Share with Elizabeth Malone Alteet
On August 20th, members of the Brethren in Christ Church from across the country gathered on Zoom to tell stories of the peace and justice work to which we are being called to do and what we have seen done. I (Ben White) shared this quote from Henri Nouwen to begin our time. I really […]
Letter Writing in Support of Tracie Hunter
At our last Peace and Justice Project Shine Bright Storytelling Event, we heard Tracie Hunter’s story of racism and corruption in the court system in Hamilton County, Ohio (where she was the first black Juvenile Court Judge and still is a pastor at Western Hills Brethren in Christ Church, Cincinnati) Much more about her case […]
Tell us your stories of confronting racism
How have you, or your community, or anyone you’ve seen responded to racism and worked to embrace your anti-racist identity as God ordained ministers of reconciliation? Pastor Tracie Hunter touched on so many systems where racism is so clearly entrenched. We are so grateful for her courage and we praise our God who strengthens her […]
Shine Bright Story Share Peace and Justice Zoom Call 8:30 pm (EST) Thursday, June 25th
We need to talk. We believe that dialogue will give us the courage and motivation to keep at the hard work we are given to do. We must shine bright — for each other and for the watching world. This conversation will get kicked off with a story from Tracie Hunter, pastor at Western Hills […]
“You Got Booked” and Conversations with People Who Really Got Booked
On Saturday, February 15, 2020, a couple dozen people gathered at Mechanicsburg Brethren in Christ Church to learn about the injustice of the criminal justice system in the United States and listen to stories of formerly incarcerated individuals. The event was sponsored by the BIC Peace and Justice Project and Mennonite Central Committee. This is […]
Handling Our Fears
by Jan Engle Lewis *Reprinted from the Spring 2016 edition of Shalom! A MISSIONARY COUPLE I came to know while living in Ecuador recently posted a Facebook link to a short clip by pastor/author Francis Chan: “Parents, Don’t Teach Your Kids to Be Safe, Teach Them to Be Dangerous for the Gospel.” The couple’s comment on the […]
Speaking the Truth in Love
by Ben White *Reprinted from the Summer 2015 edition of Shalom! I’M A PASTOR in South Jersey so, naturally, I go to Taco Bell a lot. It’s an “all things to all people sort of thing” – and a serious love of cheesy bean and rice burritos. Not long ago I was hanging out atco Bell in Mt. […]
Choosing to Love Our Enemies
by Kurt Willems *reprinted from the Summer 2015 edition of Shalom! THERE ONCE WAS a boy who lived in the tension between joy and pain; happiness and hurt; light and darkness. At an early age, his parents who loved him dearly got a divorce. He would go on to live primarily with his mom and visit his dad […]