Best worship and sermon preparation resources

for Christian Citizenship Sunday 2003

Life in the Superpower: Then and Now materials
July 6, 2003 (or whenever is convenient for your congregation)
Compiled by Susan Mark Landis, peace advocate, Mennonite Church USA Executive Board

Action

"Send Coloured Tape to U.S. Congress" by CPT Iraq Media Team, May 1, 2003

Advocacy

	"Advocacy" (Why talk to government?)
	"Biblical Basis for Advocacy" Martin Shupack, MCC Washington Office
	"Faith and Politics" Reprinted with permission from the Mennonite Central Committee Washington Office handbook
	"Talking your faith with others"

Children

What Do We Say to the Kids? Talking about Violence and War By Anne Meyer Byler "How do we share our beliefs about following Jesus, the nonviolent reconciler, in times like these? Some of us may even wonder what we do believe, when it comes down to specifics."

Clipart

	"Signs for the Times" by Cynthia Friesen and Merrill Miller
	"Christian Citizenship Sunday Logo" (150K .GIF)

Litanies

	"Affirmation of Faith, Confession of Faith in a Mennonite perspective article 22" by Tym Elias A responsive reading based on article 22 of the "Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective" regarding peace and justice
	"Litany of Resistance" (15k PDF) by Jim Looney, Christian Peacemaker Teams
	"Litany for Many Voices: Statement of Faith Following September 11, 2001" (95k PDF) (still relevant), by Malinda Berry and Susan Mark Landis
	"Reading for a Nation on the Brink of War" (still relevant), by Susan Mark Lands
	"Prayer Service for the Work of the United Nations" John Rempel, MCC Liaison to the United Nations

Posters

We choose to be peacemakers (33k PDF)

Prayers

"Closing prayer used in the May 29, 2003 Phone-in Conversation" by Susan Mark Lands

Sermons

	"Aliens and Exiles Seeking A Homeland", by Kurt Horst Horst proclaims that we are members of the nation of God, and that in this world, we must adopt an alien mentality.
	"What if every church had been a peace church" by Dick Davis "Let's review the last 1700 years of Christianity through the honest and uncensored lens of an academic historian. If you are a Christian you will not like what you are about to hear. The history of the Christian church reads like a litany of horror and cruelty that has been perpetrated, with the blessings of the church, upon the peoples of the world."
	"The Lost Temptation of Christ" by Leo Hartshorn "This temptation of Jesus has to do with the use of violent power to fulfill his messianic mission."
	"The Politics of Prayer " by Leo Hartshorn "If we truly believe in the power of prayer, then let us wed together our prayers and our social concerns."
	"What do pacifists say to their neighbors in the face of war?" by James M. Lapp "Is pacifism for everyone or only for those who were raised pacifist?"
	"But what about Hitler? (Hussein)" by Susan Mark Landis Often even strongly nonresistant Mennonites quiver when presented with the assumption that peaceful responses sometimes work, but someone like Hitler demands a violent response.
	"Why do we fear" by Susan Mark Landis Fear is a primary roadblock to peacemaking. Until our faith in God helps us hurdle the fear of being different from our communities, suffering for our viewpoints, or appearing irrelevant, we will be stymied in our Christian peacemaking.
	"Paul Was Patriotic" by Vic Stoltzfus "Paul's patriotism was practical but more than that. It also came out of his godly faith."

Worship Ideas

	"Peace, Salaam, Shalom" Two part round by Pat Humphries and Sandy Opatow, popular for public witness
	"Christian Citizenship Sunday, July 7, 2002" A Sunday's worth of worship weaving together salvation and peacemaking
	"Peace Sunday, November 10, 2002" A call to prayer and fasting

Writings

	"A Mouse Among Elephants: The Mennonite Central Committee Office at the United Nations " by John Rempel, MCC liaison to the United Nations May 3, 2003 Can – and should – the UN continue to provide the framework for developing alternatives to war? How do Biblically grounded pacifist Christians respond to the present world crisis in which non-state actors, like terrorists, as well as states, are willing to break all the rules? To address this theme, I want to outline three issues. I’ll start with a summary of the purpose of the UN. Then I will talk about a theology of witness to institutions of power, like the UN. Finally, I’ll proceed to describe MCC’s role at the UN and the conflicts and opportunities it faces in its work.
	"Does war ever end?" Phone-in conversation follow-up for May 29, 2003 call. Purpose: To inform and equip Mennonites and others to answer nagging post-war questions as we re-examine our faith. Hear the streaming audio. Listed resources are also helpful.
	"Mennonites and the Flag post September 11, 2001" by Susan Mark Landis "Mennonites have different ideas about the flag. Perhaps there are several issues involved."
	"Peacemaking for the long haul" (from Peace Advisory #2 February 24, 2002 A Pastoral Word) by Susan Mark Landis "Let's admit it and plan ahead--the world is not going to be a comfy home for peacemakers these next months and possibly years."
	"Statement from Gatherings to discern a Mennonite response to September 11 and Pax Americana" "As members of Mennonite churches across the United States, we gathered to hear the voice of God's Spirit in the wake of the horrific acts of violence on September 11 and the continuing violence of our own country in response. We were moved to confession, to a reaffirmation of our faith and identity as followers of Christ, and to action."
	"The War Prayer Mark Twain" "...Then came the "long" prayer. ... Father of us all watch over our noble young soldiers, and... encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them... make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory."
	"What Do Pacifists Believe?" by Anne Meyer Byler "Sometimes people explicitly criticize pacifism, but misrepresent it. I hope to contribute to an informed and respectful dialog."

the Mennonite

	"Choose humility or face humiliation" Ted Lewis, The Mennonite, May 6, 2003
	"The Table is set: will we follow Daniel's example? Jane Yoder-Short, April 1, 2003
	"Daniel and the wisdom prophet: Heroes for a post-9-11 world", David Alleman, April 1, 2003
	"Fools in a foreign land" editorial by Everett Thomas April 1, 2003

Thanks to Titus Peachey, MCC US, for his help in compiling this list and refining the theme.