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Mennonite Church USA’s Peace and Justice ministry is set to begin the latest Learn, Pray, Join initiative this week, with a focus on conflict transformation. The initiative will run from late-September through mid-November and feature the voices of experts in conflict resolution and restorative justice. This campaign will also draw attention to Mennonite Central Committee’s new adult Sunday school curriculum, “Peaceful Practices,” which encourages participants to work through divisive issues through healthy dialogue.
“Conflict transformation is a relevant topic for the church because it aligns with our mission to promote peace and justice,” said Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, MC USA’s denominational minister for peace and justice. “Conflict is a normal part of living life together, and while we’re very good at avoiding it, we’re not so great at transforming conflict in our own lives. I will personally never be able to say, ’I’ve arrived,’ on this journey. Each conflict that is part of our lives is an area for growth, if we choose it and find ways to work at it.”
Throughout this campaign, MC USA will share blogs, resources and host a webinar to encourage members to actively think about and practice conflict transformation and restorative justice.
Some of these opportunities to learn include:
- An upcoming conflict transformation webinar featuring Michelle Armster, executive director of MCC Central States, the Rev. Dr. Jacob Cook, Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics at Eastern Mennonite Seminary, and Hyacinth Stevens on Tuesday, Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. ET/ 11 a.m. PT. Register here.
- Blogs by various conflict transformation experts, such as Paul Choi, Paula Holtzinger, Sheryl Wilson, among others.
- MCC’s Peaceful Practices adult Sunday school curriculum, which is available in both English and Spanish.
- “A Genealogy of Ideas, Journal 2: Conflict Analysis: Tools for Asking Better Questions,” which is a resource provided by Eastern Mennonite University’s Center for Justice & Peacebuilding.
- MCC’s “Conflict Transformation and Restorative Justice Manua, Fifth Edition,” which was co-edited by Stutzman Amstutz and Armster, and features contributions from MC USA’s associate executive director of operations, Iris de León-Hartshorn.
- More resources will be available through the “Learn, Pray, Join: Conflict Transformation” webpage.
For the next two months, and beyond, MC USA invites individuals and congregations to pray for peace, healing and hope in the face of violence, conflict and discord. Stanley Green, executive conference minister for Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference, will provide a prayer for the initiative.
Anyone interested in joining in and putting what they have learned and prayed about into practice is encouraged to participate in a “Peaceful Practices” Sunday school or Christian Education class and join the Oct. 22 webinar on conflict transformation. Additionally, in January 2025, MC USA, in collaboration with Eastern Mennonite Seminary and MCC Central States, will offer a training course in conflict transformation with the goal of equipping participants with the skills and knowledge to effectively manage and resolve conflicts within their congregations.
“I remain grateful to members of our denomination who continue to ask for training in conflict transformation because of their understanding of what it means to follow Jesus,” said Stutzman Amstutz. “By transforming conflict into healthy ways of being in community with one another, we follow Jesus’ example of promoting the well-being of all, as we seek to follow his example to love one another.”
For more information on “Learn, Pray, Join: Conflict Transformation,” visit the online resource page throughout the campaign.
Subscribe to PeaceMail, MC USA’s weekly email newsletter, and follow MC USA on social media — Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) and YouTube — to view resources, blogs and more throughout April and May.
MC USA’s “Learn, Pray, Join” initiatives seek to create opportunities across the church to deepen understanding around a common topic and to come together in prayer and support.
Mennonite Church USA is an Anabaptist Christian denomination, founded in 2002, and a recognized peace church. Members seek to follow Jesus by rejecting violence and resisting injustice. MC USA’s Renewed Commitments state the following shared commitments among its diverse body of believers: to follow Jesus, witness to God’s peace and experience the transformation of the Holy Spirit. MC USA is comprised of 15 area conferences and more than 460 congregations across the United States. MC USA is part of Mennonite World Conference, a global faith family that includes churches in 60 countries.
Written by Jessica Griggs, for MC USA