Suggestions for writing statements from your congregation or conference

Susan Mark Landis, peace advocate
March 26, 2003

Congregations, conferences, schools, and other institutions choose to write statements to remind constituents of beliefs and/or to speak prophetically, both to constituents and to the community beyond. Statements communicate the core values and beliefs upon which a corporate body stands and acts. They serve as counter statements to messages being communicated within the public arena, especially related to important issues of faith and practice. Statements remind us that God has a different view of world events than we commonly hear through media, and that God calls us to offer healing and hope to a world torn apart by violence and self-interest.

Sections of a statement might include:

	A biblical basis and theological rationale for beliefs and practices,
	Reference to past statements the group has passed (A Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, Mennonite Statement on Violence, etc),
	The intent, purpose, or context of the statement,
	Parts of the truth mainstream media ignores (God's worldview transcends that of any single ideology, political view, or national agenda),
	A call to respond: the prayers and actions constituents are requested to do. Lists should include actions all the constituents will feel comfortable doing and some that prophetically encourage people to take a risky step on the path of trusting God and increasing commitments to Christ's ways in the world.
	Resources for more information and helps in answering the call.

Preparing to write a statement:

	Bible study: what does God say about the issue? Try a concordance and a Bible scholar. If you know of passages, plug them into the PJSN web site search engine. http://peace.MennoLink.org
	Statements: research what Mennonite Church USA has said in the past through our statements: http://peace.mennolink.org/resources_a_statements.html
	Network: contact the people who have an interest in the issue, so it's a cooperative effort, and no one feels left out.
	Additional information: plug the issue or current event into the PJSN web site search engine.
	Use these web sites for additional ideas: - Christian Peacemaker Teams - http://www.prairienet.org/cpt - Mennonite Central Committee - http://www.mcc.org - Every Church a Peace Church - http://www.ecapc.org/mainframe.asp - American Friends Service Committee - http://www.afsc.org - Common Dreams News Center - http://www.commondreams.org - The Nonviolence Web - http://www.nonviolence.org - Fourth Freedom Forum - http://www.fourthfreedom.org - Fellowship of Reconciliation - http://www.forusa.org - The Other Side magazine - http://www.theotherside.org - Sojourners magazine - http://www.sojo.net

Statements from leadership during times of crisis remind members of the group of their beliefs and give guidance for responses. Christians often feel alone and this support from their leaders gives them courage and a foundation for remaining true to Christ.