The FBC of Granville is excited to announce the launch of an innovative, magnet-style Sunday school program called PeaceJam (
www.peacejam.org).
PeaceJam teaches values through the lens of peacemaking and conflict resolution in a service-learning style. Lessons explore the ten root causes of conflict in our world, and invite students to develop resolutions for conflict through developing local, national, and international projects. A vital part of the PeaceJam studies includes the opportunity to work closely with one of the living Nobel Peace Prize Laureates such as Desmond Tutu or the Dalai Lama, and to meet those laureates at regional and national conferences. The PeaceJam program at FBC is uniquely modeled by our church to include scripture studies about peace, as we seek to respond to the call of Jesus to be peacemakers. Along with the Sunday lessons and conference trips, we will be enriching our peace studies with evening lectures and Saturday workshops for adults featuring noted experts in the fields of nonviolent communication, peace and justice studies, and peaceful parenting.
FBC invites all youth to participate in our new Sunday School program beginning January 25, 2009. Regardless of whether you currently attend our church or not, regardless of whether you participate in another local church or not, your children are welcome to participate in PeaceJam—for peacemaking is not the responsibility of any single faith or church, but the responsibility of all who seek a peaceful world for ourselves and our children. PeaceJam is an opportunity for you and your children to put your faith into action: join us whenever possible on Sunday mornings at 9:45am in the Christian Education building!
“Peace has to be created in order to be maintained. It is the product of Faith, Strength, Energy, Will, Sympathy, Justice, Imagination, and the triumph of principle. It will never be achieved by passivity and quietism.”
- Dorothy Thompson
Here's a photo of our kids with Jody Williams at the Kalamazoo PeaceJam retreat.
Our recent trip to Kalamazoo to meet Betty Williams
IN MID-OCTOBER THREE OF OUR TEENS TRAVELED TO MICHIGAN FOR THE ANNUAL PEACEJAM ‘SLAM’
PeaceJam is our Sunday School curriculum, and the Slam is a day long conference for youth all over the Great Lakes region who participate in a PeaceJam program at their school or youth center.
Bobbie Jaquish, Clare Jaquish and Anna Burkett spent their Saturday getting a deeper understanding of complex topics related to "Breaking the Cycle of Violence," then all participated in a neighborhood rally near downtown Kalamazoo, offering free food and asking residents to make a commitment to peacemaking in their own community.
This year we’ll be studying Betty Williams who was awarded the Nobel prize in 1976 for her efforts to build peace in Northern Ireland. Next spring we’ll have the opportunity to travel back to Kalamazoo to meet her in person!
A reaction to the weekend from one of our attendees: "Peace is not idealistic. It starts in one’s inner self, the home, communities, and branches out from there." Amen to that!
