Peace with Justice

Overview

The Peace with Justice Program aims to make shalom visible and active in people's lives and communities. The General Conference assigned the General Board of Church and Society to implement the program and called the church to "strengthen its capacity to act as a public policy advocate" in communities and nations throughout the world.

The Old Testament speaks of God's sovereignty in terms of covenant, more particularly the "covenant of peace" with Israel, which binds that people of God's shalom (Isaiah 54:10; Ezekiel 37:20). In the covenant of shalom, there is no contradiction between justice and peace or between peace and security or between love and justice (Jeremiah 29:7). In Isaiah's prophecy, when "the spirit is poured upon us from on high," we will know that these laws of God are one and indivisible: "Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places" (Isaiah 32:16-18, NRSV).

Peace with Justice Sunday is one of the official churchwide Special Sundays when the Peace with Justice Special Offering is collected. Annual Conferences keep half of the offering to fund local projects while a portion goes to the GBCS Peace with Justice Program to fund U.S. and global work in social action and public policy education and advocacy. For more information on Peace with Justice Sunday, visit: www.umcgiving.org.

The 2004 Book of Discipline calls for a Peace with Justice coordinator to be assigned by every Annual Conference and act as primary coordinator of Peace with Justice resources, interpretation and advocacy.The coordinator links the local churches in the annual conference with the GBCS Peace with Justice Program. Peace with Justice Coordinators meet annually for spiritual growth, empowerment and program resourcing.

Issues

Social Principles

Networks

Peace with Justice Coordinators

Peace with Justice Conference Coordinator – Position Description

The conference board of church and society or equivalent shall also name a conference Peace with Justice Coordinator who will be responsible for administering the conference Peace with Justice Special Sunday Offering receipts and for coordinating peace with justice ministries. (2000 Discipline par. 627.2)

Desired Outcomes:

• To help people understand the covenant God has with us in bringing about shalom.
• To encourage the spiritual growth of United Methodists and the understanding of the Biblical and theological foundations for peace and justice ministries.
• To encourage people to become Peace Advocates in their local churches, and encourage local churches to become Peace with Justice Covenant Congregations.

Primary responsibilities:

• Promote the annual Peace with Justice Special Sunday offering and related programs.
• Administer your Annual Conference’s portion (50%) of the funds received from the Peace With Justice Offering
• Serve as your Annual Conference’s liaison/contact with the Peace with Justice Program of the General Board of Church & Society.
• Serve as a member of your Annual Conference’s Board of Church & Society – if one exists.
• Chair your Annual Conference’s Peace with Justice Task Force – if one exists.
  • Include people of color, women, men, and different ages groups in your Task Force.
  • Convene regular Peace with Justice Task Force meetings, if such a group exists.
• Participate in the annual national Peace with Justice Coordinator’s meeting in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the General Board of Church & Society.
• Provide programs, resources, events, and training on peace and justice ministries and issues for clergy and laity in your Annual Conference.
• Communicate with, and regularly involve, your Annual Conference and District staff persons in peace and justice related ministries (including your Bishop and District Superintendents).

Secondary responsibilities:

• Organize District Peace with Justice Coordinators (if such persons exist) and contact/meet with them regularly.
• Participate in the quadrennial Jurisdictional Training Event for Peace with Justice Conference Coordinators sponsored by the General Council on Ministries.
• Participate in/coordinate Conference programs related to the ecumenical Peace with Justice Week in October.
• Work on your priority areas with ecumenical and issue-related coalitions in your state(s).

You will receive mailings from our office including a newsletter along with new resources, updates, and action alerts.If you are able to publish a Conference Peace with Justice newsletter, please include us on your mailing (or email) list!If not, we would appreciate regular updates on your ministry.Please let us know what we can do to enable you as Coordinator.Working together, we hope to have a mutually supportive network of United Methodists actively engaged in peace and justice related ministries.

View list of Peace with Justice Coordinators.