Friday, August 31, 2007

Idea for Children’s Story

Peace&Justice Sunday
September 30, 2007

Characters: Choir director — Jan Buerge
Men in Choir — Mike Peters, Bob Carlson, Jim Martin
Inmate in Choir — Victor Torreros (wearing mask)
Sunday School Teacher — Phyllis Carlson
Kids in Class — Emma Campbell, Joel Campbell, Hannah Schrag, Jason Leuenberg, Marina Kaufman, Andrew Moore, Jacob Kaufman, etc.
Police Officer — Phil Rhoads

Preparation: Children to make wadded-up paper balls, put equally into 2 buckets. One bucket will be for the Police Officer and one for the Inmate in the Choir.

Introduction: Phil will ask the Children if they know any of the sayings of Jesus. If no one can think of any, Phil will give examples, like “I was hungry and you gave me (food), I thirsty and you gave me (something to drink), I was a stranger and you (welcomed me), I was naked and gave me (clothing), I was sick and you (took care of me), I was in prison and you (visited me).” Phil will ask the Children if they know who Paul was and if they know any of Paul’s sayings. Phil will suggest, “if your enemies are hungry, (feed them), if they are thirsty, give them (something to drink).” Phil will explain to Children that today we are going to try to imagine what Jesus meant when he said to “Love Your Neighbor” and “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy,’ but I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.”

Scene 1: Children sit on floor of sanctuary facing the altar. Choir lines up on the podium facing the congregation. Choir director and choir pantomime directing and singing. Recorded music from East Hill Singers (“Holy, Holy, Holy”) plays from sound system.

Scene 2: Children sit on podium around their Sunday School Teacher who is on a chair. Inmate enters from off-stage with his bucket of paper balls. He throws paper balls at children and the teacher. Anyone hit with a paper ball pretends to be wounded. Choir director enters from off-stage and observes with horror what is happening and runs for help. Police Officer enteres from off-stage with his bucket of paper balls. He holds up one ball and yells menacingly (in pantomime). Choir director and choir members enter from off-stage. Director and one member calmly surround the Police Officer to block him from Inmate. The other two choir members surround the Inmate and block him from the Police Officer and from the Sunday School Class. The Inmate kicks over his bucket and throws down his remaining paper balls on the floor. Everyone stares at the Police Officer and after a pause, he quietly lays down his bucket and his remaining paper balls on the floor. Then everyone except the Police Officer and the Inmate kneel and pray. The Police Officer motions to the Inmate, and they walk together slowly off-stage.

Ending: Jan gives each child and each adult in the skit a set of Peace Stickers to pass among all the members of the Congregation. The Police Officer and Inmate (with mask removed) join in passing out the Peace Stickers.
Posted by at No comments:

Issues Poll for Rainbow Peace & Justice

Peace & Justice Sunday
September 30, 2007

A. Please look over the following list of issue areas (the list is from the MCC web site: http://mcc.org/us/washington/issues/

B. Think of an imaginary budget of time and/or money. Your unit of measure may be hours or dollars.

C. Allocate your budget units among the various choices listed or fill in the blanks with headings you prefer. (Don't worry if the individual budgeted units don't add up to the total indicated in step B.)

D. Add any comments you may like and turn in your completed form to a member of the Rainbow Peace & Justice Committee AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Thank you!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Imaginary Budget: ____________ (hours or dollars), allotted as follows:

1 * Civil Rights & Civil Liberties __________
Reforming the USA Patriot Act __________
Hospitality __________
Accompaniment __________
____________________________________________________ __________

2 * Criminal Justice __________
Restorative Justice __________
Victim-Offender Reconciliation __________
Death Penalty __________
Gun Violence Prevention __________
Juvenile Justice __________
Prison reform __________
____________________________________________________ __________

3 * Environment __________
Climate Change __________
Renewable Energy __________
Air & Water Pollution __________
Eco-Justice __________
Water Privatization __________
____________________________________________________ __________

4 * Global Economic Justice __________
Economic Globalization __________
____________________________________________________ __________

5 * HIV/AIDS __________
Global AIDS __________
____________________________________________________ __________

6 * Immigration __________
New Sanctuary Movement __________
____________________________________________________ __________

7 * Militarism __________
Nuclear Weapons Control __________
Depleted Uranium Weapons __________
National Missile Shield __________
Military Recruitment __________
Veterans Affairs __________
____________________________________________________ __________

8 * Peace Issues __________
Iraq War __________
Threats Against Iran __________
____________________________________________________ __________

9 * U.S. Economic Justice __________
Nutrition/Hunger Relief __________
Housing __________
Accesss to Healthcare __________
____________________________________________________ __________

10 * Africa __________
HIV/AIDS __________
Uganda __________
Congo __________
Sudan __________
____________________________________________________ __________

11 * Asia __________
HIV/AIDS __________
Land Mines __________
North Korea __________
Vietnam __________
Laos __________
Burma __________
____________________________________________________ __________

12 * Latin America __________
Colombia __________
Haiti __________
____________________________________________________ __________

13 * Middle East __________
Israeli-Palestinian Conflict __________
Iraq War __________
Threats Against Syria __________
Lebanon __________
Jordan __________
Egypt __________
Sabeel __________
____________________________________________________ __________

14 * Rainbow High School Essay Contest __________
Similar rules to the MCC H.S. Essay Contest (see attached)

15 * Other ______________________________________________ __________
____________________________________________________ __________
____________________________________________________ __________

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Comments______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Posted by at No comments:

2007 MCC H.S. Essay Contest

http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2007/

Purpose

  • To promote church-wide awareness of significant public policy issues by highlighting Mennonite and Brethren in Christ (BIC) youth perspectives
  • To promote youth understanding of the relationship of faith to public policy
  • To promote greater awareness of the work of MCC’s Washington Office and expand the base of Mennonite/BIC policy advocates

Guidelines

  • Contest is open to all Mennonite and Brethren in Christ youth of high school age in private or public schools, and to all youth who attend Mennonite high schools.
  • Immediate family members of current MCC staff or board members are not eligible for the contest.
  • Essays should be 1,500 - 2,000 words in length, typewritten and double-spaced. Essays must be on one of the four listed topics.
  • Each student may submit only one essay. Please keep an electronic copy of your essay.
  • A list of resources is provided with each essay topic.
  • Essays must be postmarked by November 30, 2007 and submitted to the nearest MCC U.S. regional office.
  • Each region will submit the top three essays to the MCC Washington Office for selection of the winners.
  • Prizes will be awarded as follows: 1st place essay $500; 2nd place $250 and 3rd place $100
  • The MCC Washington Office will announce winners by February 8, 2008.
  • Entries will be judged on content (demonstrated understanding of the issues), clarity (writing style) and creativity (imaginative and thoughtful policy positions).
  • Portions of the winning essays will be published in the Washington Memo.

2007 Topics

  • Sudan: How Should Christians Respond to Violent Conflict?
  • Crime & Justice: Restorative Justice v. Retributive Justice: Should Christians Take a Side?
  • Economic Justice & Immigration: How should Christians respond to U.S. trade policy in light of its direct connection with immigration to the United States?
  • Faith & Politics: Faith, Values and Voting: Christians and the 2008 Elections

MCC Regional Offices
Entries must be postmarked by November 30, 2007 and submitted to nearest MCC office:

MCC Central States
121 East 30th Street
PO Box 235
North Newton, KS, 67117
(316) 283-2720
~ ~ ~

2006 Essay Contest Winners

First Place
“Have Dominion Over the Earth”
http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2006/first.html

Matt Thomas, Bethany Christian High School (Goshen, IN)

“God gave us these things to use. After the last tree is felled, Christ will come back.” James Watt made this famous statement regarding the use of natural resources. This Christian belief is erroneous and . . .
~ ~ ~
Second Place

The Heavens Declare the Glory of God
http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2006/second.html

Meg Kennell, Bethany Christian High School (Goshen, IN)

In the beginning, there was an endless void -- a ceaseless expanse of emptiness, a vacuum devoid of any living creature. And then God spoke. . . . But God took the risk of untying the puppet strings . . .
~ ~ ~
Third Place (Tie)

A Poverty Draft vs. Reinstatement of the Draft: Solving the Issue of Unjust Military Recruiting
http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2006/thirda.html

Rachel Lanctot, Bethany Christian High School (Goshen, IN)

It is a common practice for Mennonites to view certain issues dealing with war or violence from a strictly pacifist mindset. . . . However, when it comes to specific issues . . .
~ ~ ~

Immigration and the American Border Policy: A Christian Response
http://mcc.org/us/washington/programs/essays/2006/thirdb.html

Hannah Roth, Bethany Christian High School (Goshen, IN)

In an age when millions of people celebrate Diversity Day as a national holiday and recognize the March on Washington as an honorable moment in history, it seems incongruous that the growing number of immigrants to the United States continue to face animosity. Today, immigration is near the top . . .
~ ~ ~
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)