ELKHART, Ind. (Mennonite Mission Network/Mennonite Church USA)—Sept. 22 has been designated as Peace Sunday by Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite World Conference. It is the Sunday closest to the United Nations’ International Day of Peace on Sept. 21.
Together with Mennonite Central Committee U.S., the Peace and Justice Support Network (PJSN) of Mennonite Church USA has created worship materials that congregations may use on this or any Sunday throughout the year. The theme of this year’s Peace Sunday resources is “Do not conform,” taken from Romans 12. The online resources include prayers, sermon seeds, children’s stories, song suggestions, litanies and advocacy ideas.
Jason Boone, PJSN’s coordinating minister, notes that Peace Sunday is an annual opportunity to acknowledge and respond to the violence that continues to be our culture’s frequent response to conflict.
“The Peace Sunday materials reflect contributions from a number of Mennonite Church USA congregations and partners,” he adds. “We need the strength of community to live out the radical call of ‘Do not conform.’ Together, we can follow Jesus’ path of peace.”
Peace Sunday resources are available online at www.pjsn.org. The PJSN is a partnership of Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Mission Network.
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—Mennonite Mission Network staff