International Women's Day Pledge

International Women's Day Pledge - March 8, 2012

Sign the International Women's Day Pledge!

March 8 is International Women’s Day, a day to celebrate and honor women across the globe.  NP works every day to protect women in conflict zones, a task that would be impossible without our own extraordinary women peacekeepers.  So, on March 8, we would like you to commend our women peacekeepers with a message, and pledge to advocate for women in peacekeeping roles! Please sign our International Women’s Day Pledge, and encourage the remarkable women in your own life to get involved with peacekeeping!

Click here to add your message and advocate for equal gender representation in peacekeeping.  Our goal is 1000 signatures!

Nonviolent Peaceforce’s women peacekeepers are now more necessary than ever. In contemporary conflicts, it is estimated that as many as 90% of deaths are civilian; many of these deaths are women and children.  However, death is not the only consequence of war for women – sexual violence is widespread and unchecked, and rape is often employed as a tool of war. Women who have been victims of war violence are often uncomfortable seeking help from male officials; for that reason, we want to emphasize the importance of women in peacekeeping roles, and urge women everywhere to get involved in creating peace!
Because women are especially at-risk of violence during wartime, we want to thank our women peacekeepers for helping civilians, communities, and refugees in times of need.  We hope that you will thank them too, and use International Women’s Day to honor all the women heroes that have made a difference to you.

In honor of International Women’s Day, add your name to our letter and send a personal message to peacemaking women around the world.

On March 9, we will submit your name and/or message to our women peacekeepers in the field.

Thank you for supporting these remarkable women.  From the Nonviolent Peaceforce.

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To see my other work or to receive regular bulletins concerning justice and peace in Palestine and Israel, sign up at my other blog - A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace: http://www.voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/

Pastoral message to the churches in Syria extends solidarity

WCC Executive Committee sends message to Syrian churches

For immediate release: 20 February 2012

The members of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Executive Committee have sent a pastoral message to the churches in Syria extending solidarity as they face enormous challenges due to the ongoing violence in the country.

The message comes at a time when the situation in Syria continues to deteriorate. The situation was discussed in a meeting at the WCC headquarters in Geneva in late December 2011, in which some twenty Syrian church leaders from various Christian traditions in Syria participated.

The message was crafted by the Executive Committee during their meetings last week from 14 to 18 February in Bossey, Switzerland. In the message they expressed hope for an end to violence and a national dialogue to emerge from the conflict, based on peace with justice, recognition of human rights and human dignity and the need to live together in mutual respect.

The message also strongly supported a joint letter from the three heads of churches in Syria sent out to congregations in the country in December. In the letter they condemned "the use of any type of violence" while encouraging their members "not to fear and not to lose hope".

It also called on WCC member churches to "engage in concrete actions of solidarity" during this time of difficulties. Quoting the WCC constitution the message read "as a fellowship of churches we are to express the common concern of the churches in the service of human need, the breaking down of barriers between people and the promotion of one human family in justice and peace".

Read full text of the WCC Executive Committee message to the Syrian churches

WCC leader calls for an end to Syrian violence (WCC press release of 9 August 2011)

WCC member churches in Syria

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To see my other work or to receive regular bulletins concerning justice and peace in Palestine and Israel, sign up at my other blog - A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace: http://www.voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/

 

USA's worldview? I hope it's not true.

Sorry, I don't know who should be attributed for this cartoon.

To see my other work or to receive regular bulletins concerning justice and peace in Palestine and Israel, sign up at my other blog - A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace: http://www.voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/



Luther on the Holy Spirit

"In the middle of trials and conflicts, it's difficult to call out to God, and it takes a lot of effort to cling to God's Word. At those times, we cannot perceive Christ. We do not see him. Our hearts don't feel his presence and his help during the attack. However, in the middle of [this], the Holy Spirit in our hearts begins to call out, "Abba! Father!" And his cry is much stronger and drowns out the powerful and horrible shouts of the law, sin, death, and the devil. It penetrates through the clouds and heaven and reaches up to the ears of God." Luther on Galatians 4:6



To see my other work or to receive regular bulletins concerning justice and peace in Palestine and Israel, sign up at my other blog - A Texas Lutheran's Voice for Peace: http://www.voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/