Peacemaking in the Parish

In Communion / issue 42 / Summer 2006

July 2006

Dear In Communion reader,

Peacemaking begins where we live, work, and worship. This issue is devoted to peacemaking in the parish.

The Liturgy begins with the exclamation: "Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." We get a glimpse of that blessedness in this photo of a child kissing an icon, but all too often the Christ-revealing peace of the Kingdom of God seems far from parish life. Factions thrive. Group is set against group. We kiss the icons, but there are some in the parish whom we prefer not to kiss and whose departure might cause us to quietly rejoice. "What a fine parish this would be if it weren't for certain people." Love and forgiveness, even respect, all too often seem to elude us.

We hope this issue will reach a wide readership and that the essays by its three authors may be of some assistance in helping us overcome barriers within our parishes that lock us out of the Kingdom of God. (You can order extra copies or reprint any of the essays in this issue in your parish or diocesan publication. In the coming days all of them will be on the OPF web site and can be easily downloaded.)

Would you take a moment to help keep OPF going? We need your support. Subscription payments and annual dues fall far short of our needs. We have two part-time staff members, myself and Sheri San Chico. We are paid very little for our many hours of work, but OPF's income doesn't justify more adequate payment. We also have a part-time web master. In addition there are all the usual expenses: office and publication costs, postage, telephone, travel, etc.

If you are one of those who makes regular donations or donate volunteer time, thank you! You are a God-send. If you aren't, please consider becoming part of our community of committed donors. If you can't manage a monthly or quarterly donation but can make an occasional special donation, please do so. Thank you!

We depend on our supporters to make at least one donation annually, but without those who give more than once a year, and give more than the minimum, we would have to call it a day.

Donations can be made on line. Just click the button on the right.

In Christ's peace,

Jim Forest, OPF co-secretary