Sharing Peace as Lambs among Wolves

Focal Text (lectionary text): Luke 10:1-11, 16-20

Christian Citizenship Sunday July 4, 2004

Purpose of Christian Citizenship Sunday
As Christians living in the United States, we have religious and civic freedoms that are not enjoyed by many other people in the world. As a particular kind of Christian, Mennonites, we also have a faith heritage that has challenged us for centuries to be wary of the pressure of friends and neighbors to offer the government allegiance that is reserved for God alone. Many of us believe that the U.S. government has an important role in God's world ("There is no authority except from God, and those authorities that exist have been instituted by God" Romans 13:1b), and we know that Jesus teaches us to think carefully about what that might mean for us as his disciples ("Give to Caesar."). In observing Christian Citizenship Sunday, we urge Mennonite Church USA worship committees and pastors to grapple with Article 23 of Confession of Faith in a Mennonite Perspective, particularly the portion based on Colossians 2:15: "We understand that Christ, by his death and resurrection, has won victory over the powers, including all governments."

"If anyone is there who shares in peace, your peace will rest on that person. But if not, it will return to you."----Luke 10:6

Jesus sent out 70 disciples to the surrounding towns and villages as his representatives on a mission of healing, confronting the powers of evil, sharing in peace (shalom) and hospitality, and proclaiming God's reign. Jesus pronounced judgment upon those cities who did not welcome his messengers nor his message. What is the church's mission within the United States, the sole remaining superpower during a reign of terror, where our rulers proclaim "you are either with us or against us"? Today, within this ravenous context , we are being sent, as representatives of Christ, to offering healing to all those wounded by the fears, insecurities, economic priorities, cruelties, and casualties of a war in Iraq. We are sent to confront the principalities and powers of evil. We are sent to share God's shalom with anyone who will welcome it and mutual hospitality to those who welcome our peace. We are sent to proclaim allegiance to another ruler and another reign.

Worship Ideas

Extensive worship ideas for Christian Citizenship Sunday by Leo Hartshorn

Litany for Christian Citizens, and other Resident Aliens, in America by Leo Hartshorn

Activities for Children

Childrens Time: Sharing Peace as Lambs among Wolves by Malinda Berry

Word find and coloring sheets

Logo

Logo for use in bulletins and publicity materials. Also available in PDF version (38k PDF)

Offering ideas

Please consider having your congregation collect an offering for PJSN so we have adequate finances for our work in these uncertain times. At the end of April 2004, we don't have enough money to cover even our spring bills.

Bibliography

Select Bibliography on Christianity, Society and the State, Politics and the Public Square

Additional Resources

How to Preach Peace (Without Being Tuned Out) Written by the Rev. Richard G. Watts

Worship and action ideas for war on Iraq

Worshipping with the Psalms in a Time of War

"This is my song" Finlandia by Jean Sibelius, 1899

Christian Citizenship Sunday 2003 resources: Life in the Superpower: Then and Now

Christian Citizenship Sunday 2002 resources (154k PDF)

Peace Sunday 2003: The Peaceable Mission: The interconnection between mission, evangelism, peace and justice

Peace Sunday 2002: Resisting the Powers: A Call to Prayer and Fasting