APC remembered

a weekend of exploring
active nonviolence, peacemaking
and reconciliation

five years after 9/11. . . .

Giving Witness to Nonviolence

September 29, 30, October 1, 2006

The call to peace - as old as humankind - is the message of all the prophets, including the

September Eleventh Families for Peaceful Tomorrows.

Last year they wrote:

Four years after September 11th, it is still time to continue the process of healing and to make America, and the rest of the world, a safer place. But safety cannot come at the cost of our own freedom and our democratic way of life. As we felt four years ago, and continue to feel today, we must not become the evil we deplore.

"A Peace Conference" commemorated the fifth year since 9/11 by seeking the wisdom of the prophets as well as contemporary peace practitioners.

A Peace Conference attracted close to 300 participants from the Midwest and beyond. In the aftermath, committee members, presenters and guests spoke highly of their experience . . .

"Never before have we had such an event right here in 'River City'," said program committee member Bob Miller who also chaired the student book cover design project. "The Conference pulled the people of this community together."

"This is the best conference I have ever attended," wrote keynote speaker Ched Myers. "The presence of the Spirit was palpable. I felt wrapped with your warm hospitality from the moment I arrived until I left."

The choral group "HERSONG" said they had never performed for an audience with such energy.

Mohammad Asaadi of the liturgy committee said that he felt "lifted up" as he recited his Muslim prayer for peace during the closing service.

"Our community and our world are ready for this and for more," said liturgy committee member, Sue Peters. "This is only a beginning."

Publicity committee member Lois Seger wrote, "There was a great feeling of camaraderie and community. We could feel the energy as soon as we entered the room."

Francie Hill, publicity committee, added, "By the time of the closing prayer service, I knew I was with all the people in Clinton I ever cared to be with. We have to build on the momentum of this Conference."

"Acting to break the cycle of violence and engaging in peace and praying releases an energy that builds community. At A Peace Conference, that energy flowed among the presenters and witnesses, the participants and the musicians" said co-chair Hilary Mullany OSF.

"This was one event," said co-chair Maria Zeimen OSF, "but it is not over. May the momentum and energy flow ever outward."

CHED MYERS of Bartimaeus Cooperative Ministries is a fifth generation Californian who lives in Los Angeles. . For the last twenty-five years, he has responded to his call to discipleship as an activist, writer, community builder and popular educator.

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"Imagine World Peace" sparks student creativity

As a special feature of A Peace Conference, we sought book cover designs from area middle school students. Six of the 60-plus designs submitted were selected for use on book covers that were printed and given to the students in the participating schools. They were also available at A Peace Conference.
The designs chosen by a panel that included Jenny Paukner, chair of the Ashford University Art Department, Dave Stedwell of the Ashford Graphic Design faculty, and Diane Cornilsen of Ashford's Computer Technology faculty, were created by three students from Andrew Community School and three students from Clinton's Prince of Peace Academy.

The Andrew students are, left to right : Kerissa Bormann, an 8th grader; Ashley Beckley, a 7th grader; and Vanessa Carlson, a 7th grader. Photo by Kim Hansen, art instructor.

The Prince of Peace students are, left to right: Angie Pretz, a freshman at Prince of Peace College Prep; Allyson Naeve, a 7th grader at Prince of Peace Academy and Jessalyn Small, an 8th grader at Prince of Peace Academy. All students are instructed in art by Karen Cossman. Photo by Ann Dorpinghaus.

Angela Pretz, Clinton, was in 8th grade at Prince of Peace when she submitted her design that she entitled "Promote World Peace." "I decided to draw an image promoting feeding the hungry, because it is a constant problem in society," wrote Pretz in describing how she arrived at her design.	Kerissa Bormann, Andrew C.S., wrote, "I arrived at my design because peace to me is no war, everyone will be unified, and we will all walk hand in hand together." Bormann was in 7th grade when she submitted her design entitled "Imagine World Peace."	Jessalyn Taylor Small was in 7th grade at Prince of Peace when she submitted her design," World Peace." "I thought of hands of different colors working together and not fighting," explained Small, "so I traced my hand several times and colored them different colors."
Allyson Naeve was a sixth grader at Prince of Peace when she created her design, "Peace in the World." She explained that she "wanted to incorporate words with the world, so I did this design (in) the shape of the world encircled with words to describe world peace."	"I picture clouds as peace," wrote Ashley Beckley who was in sixth grade at Andrew C.S. when she submitted her design, "Imagine World Peace." "I think clouds and suns look peaceful, so I drew clouds and suns."	Vanessa Carlson, Andrew C.S., also entitled her design "Imagine World Peace." "It has the Solar system (Earth, Sun, Pluto, Jupiter and Saturn). The earth has all of the people in the world around it. This is showing world peace," she stated in her description. Carlson was in sixth grade when she created her design.

All of the 60 designs submitted were displayed at the Conference, and all of the students who submitted designs and their parents were invited to attend the opening session as guests of the Conference. They and their art teachers, Kim Hansen of Andrew Community and Karen Cossman of Prince of Peace, were introduced that evening.

"We are very encouraged by the enthusiasm of the young artists," said Bob Miller who co-chaired the project. "It is a fun and very effective way to allow young people to express their feelings about a topic as important to all our lives as world peace. Our future is in their hands."

HERSONG: the Quad-Cities Women's Chorus celebrates women's strength through their joy of singing by showcasing women's music and singing on the themes of acceptance, inclusivity of all peoples, social justice, peace, care for the earth, and women's experience. Hersong has developed a rich and powerful multicultural performance repertoire representative of many types of music, peoples and experiences.