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Peace Sunday 2009

Sermon seeds

Focusing on peace at this difficult time of economic hardship can be both a challenge and a hopeful spell check for the church. How do our current priorities align with Jesus’ way of nonviolence, justice and peace?

A number of sermon themes can be drawn from the lectionary text of James 3-4. While you may use examples of individual peacemakers, be sure to emphasize that the intent of James’ letter was to call the whole church to peaceful, righteous relationships and life. Additional commentary is available at http://www.preachingpeace.org/yearb/proper20.htm

The Harvest of Peacemaking: James 3:13-18

Few things are more satisfying than a “harvest of righteousness” sown in peace! September is a harvest season in many agricultural communities. Draw the parallels of a healthy, full crop harvest (and all that leads up to it) with the harvest of righteousness that awaits God’s peacemakers. Tell the story of Ted Studebaker, a young farmer who planted a harvest of righteousness during the Vietnam War. See http://www.mcc.org/us/co/profiles/studebaker.html or Ted Studebaker: A Man Who Loved Peace (see ideas for children). What does, or should, a harvest of righteousness, sown in peace, look like in your church? In your community?

Building Community…Building Peace (2009 International Day of Prayer for Peace theme)

James 3:13- 4:8a gives the church some very helpful insights for building peace together. These involve living in God’s way of wisdom, getting to the root causes of our conflicts, humbling ourselves, and drawing near to God who wants to draw near to us.

Chicken Sunday is a good children’s story to accompany this sermon emphasis. What does and what could your congregation do to build community in peaceful ways, within the congregation and beyond?

Friends of God

James 4:4-6 is not included in the lectionary text, and this emphasis requires a flip of the script in verse 4: “friend of the world” and “enemy of God.” What does it mean to be a community of peacemakers who are God’s friends? Tie it together with James 3:13-18. Ask a good reader to present a dramatic reading of the poem by Edna St. Vincent Millay, Conscientious Objector.

You can find this poem online at http://www.caterina.net/paw/archives/000145.html.

Worship and the arts

What does a “harvest of peacemaking” look like? Create a visual for worship that depicts this kind of harvest. Use the cornucopia idea, but substitute symbols of righteousness, peace and justice for the usual fruits and vegetables. You can also create a similar display in PowerPoint, looped in a slide show before the service begins.

Sample worship outline

Gathering songs

Study war no more – traditional African-American spiritual. Include “Gonna talk with the Peace of Peace, down by the riverside…”
Here in this place, #6, Hymnal: A Worship Book
Hamba nathi (Come, walk with us) #2, Sing the Journey

Call to worship

#671 HWB, #120 or #122 SJ

Immortal, invisible, God only wise, #70 HWB
Praise to God, immortal praise and Lord, should rising whirlwinds, #90 and #91 HWB
We plow the fields and scatter, #396 HWB
Friend of God (Israel Houghton, Vertical Worship Songs/Integrity's Praise! Music)

Prayers of the people

Oyenos, mi Dios, #358 HWB; verses found in the HWB accompaniment edition
Lead us, O Father, vs. 1-3, #359 HWB
Refiner’s fire (Brian Doerksen,ION Publishing/Vineyard Songs Canada)
Draw me close (KellyCarpenter, Mercy/Vineyard Publishing)

Prayer

Ask one or two lay persons to lead the congregation in prayer for peace and other aspects of the congregation’s life.

Song of assurance

We are people of God’s peace, #407 HWB
O day of peace, #408 HWB, see HWB accompaniment edition; alternate tune – In Christ alone (Keith Getty & Stuart Towns?end, Kingsway Thankyou Music)
Blessed are the persecuted, #230 HWB

Passing the peace

“May the peace of Christ be with you.”

Children’s story

Choose a story that fits the sermon theme (see sermon seeds).

Hearing God’s word

The word of God is solid ground, #314 HWB

Scripture reading: James 3:13-4:8a

Sermon (see sermon seeds)

Song of response

You are salt for the earth, #226 HWB
Take my life (Scott Underwood, Mercy/Vineyard Publishing)
We are people of God’s peace, #407 HWB
Let justice flow like streams, #65 SFJ

Presenting our tithes and offerings

Prayer of dedication

Our life together – announcements

Sending forth

Pray a prayer of blessing or sing

The Lord lift you up (The Benediction), #73 SJ – see SJ accompaniment edition for piano score.
The Lord bless you and keep you, #76 SJ

Action ideas

Ask your church librarians to display and promote peace resources for all ages.
Give each household a "Blessed are the Peacemakers – Jesus” bumper sticker. Available at thirdway.com, $3.95 each.
As a congregation, join the campaign for the International Day of Prayer for Peace, sponsored by On Earth Peace (Church of the Brethren). Ask your congregation’s peace committee, youth group or a Sunday school class to organize a peace observance, vigil and/or listening initiatives (see resources at www.onearthpeace.org). Invite your neighboring churches to participate in planning and promoting the effort.

Ideas for children, youth, and young adults

Ideas for children

Use one of these books for a children’s story before or during the sermon, or as a part of children’s church. Scan the pages into PowerPoint slides so everyone can enjoy the illustrations as the story is told.

Hess, Ingrid. Walk in Peace. Herald Press, 2009.
Moore, Joy Hofacker. Ted Studebaker: A Man Who Loved Peace. Herald Press, 1987. (Out of print; look for it in your church library.)
Polacco, Patricia. Chicken Sunday. Putnam Juvenile, 1998.
Walker, Alice. Why War Is Never a Good Idea. HarperCollins Publishers, 2007.

You might also consider using mission bank teaching tools from Mennonite Mission Network for an offering project – “Ecuador: Building relationships with Quito Mennonite Church” is available at www.mennonitemission.net/MissionBank.

Consider participating in an offering project for a peacemaking effort in your local community.

Ideas for youth and young adults

Send an e-mail about the call to Christian discipleship and peacemaking to all the youth and young adults (and copy their parents) associated with your congregation. Include links to these Web sites:

Peace DVD – peacedvd.com. What can one person do? A plethora of stories and ideas for everyday peacemakers.
Resources and connections for people thinking about conscientious objection to war, such as mcc.org/us/co/.

Resources

On Earth Peace – www.onearthpeace.org
MennoLink – Peace.mennolink.org/resources.html
Preaching Peace – www.preachingpeace.org
Thirdway.com
Menonitas.net – Spanish edition of thirdway.com

Past Peace Sunday materials

	2002		A call to prayer and fasting
	2003		The Peaceable Mission: the interconnection between mission, evangelism, peace, and justice.
	2004		Terrorism of the Righteous: Disarming the Violent Heart
	2005		The Gate and the Gulf: What does our faith say to the widening gulf between the rich and the poor?
	2006		Loving God and Neighbor: A Spirituality of Justice
	2007		Salvation has come to the house: radical economics and the marginalized
	2008		No Justice No Peace
	2009		Suggestions for 2009
	2010		Fear not, for I am with you.
	2011		Destroying the Barrier, the dividing wall of hostility