Are we a People of Peace?

This month will mark the 90^th anniversary of the founding of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) that was formed when several Mennonite conferences met in Elkhart, Indiana. MCC began by delivering aid in Russia, Ukraine and Turkey. Since then, thousands have served with MCC in more than 50 countries, working alongside local churches and communities to carry out disaster relief, sustainable community development and justice and peace-building work in the name of Christ. MCC workers attempt to build bridges to connect people and ideas across cultural, political and economic divides. From the beginning, MCC has been grounded in the Mennonite Church that at its core, values peacemaking.

Peacemaking is when Colombian communities, divided and devastated by civil war, are able to tell their stories through a peace quilt. Peacemaking is when the Honduran Mennonite Church works together to understand what it means to be a peace church so that as one body, it can be a witness in a politically divided country. Peacemaking is advocating for communities impacted by the mining companies in Guatemala. Peace is political, BUT….

Have we forgotten that peacemaking is building relationships with our neighbors? Peacemaking is sharing a meal with those of different faiths and cultures. Peacemaking is helping to create viable economic markets for small farmers. Peacemaking is supporting education opportunities for children without access. Peacemaking is encouraging reforestation efforts.

MCC is an organization that seeks peace through the work of churches and partners around the world. All of the work is fundamentally based in peacemaking. Please join MCC’s efforts to be a people of peace both locally and globally.