Pursue Peace in Arizona
You are called to create pathways in the world for peace in Christ to be relationally and culturally incarnate. The hope of Zion is realized when the vision of Christ is embodied in communities of generosity, justice, and peacefulness.
Above all else, strive to be faithful to Christ's vision of the peaceable Kingdom of God on earth. Courageously challenge cultural, political, and religious trends that are contrary to the reconciling and restoring purposes of God. Pursue peace.
Doctrine and Covenants 163:3a-b
Above all else, strive to be faithful to Christ's vision of the peaceable Kingdom of God on earth. Courageously challenge cultural, political, and religious trends that are contrary to the reconciling and restoring purposes of God. Pursue peace.
Doctrine and Covenants 163:3a-b
Based on the call to "create pathways in the world for peace," in Doctrine and Covenants 163:3a-b, and the mission of Jesus Christ as found in Luke 4:18-19, we are creating a list of links, events, and resources to help individuals, families, and congregations work for justice and create peace in Arizona. Please submit ideas for individuals, families, and congregations to John Vanderwalker or Sherrie Sims.
Pathways to Peace
Place a Little Free Library in Your Neighborhood
The Little Free Library movement has rapidly grown. Many Libraries have been installed and thousands of books shared around the country as well as around the world. Little Free Library’s mission is to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide and to build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations. You stock the LFL with a variety of books that you hope will interest your neighbors. Neighbors stop by and take whatever catches their fancy. They take it home. It’s now their book! They can return and bring other books to the library when and if they want to. They can keep the book they take, or bring it back... Or … pass it on to a friend, give to a child, leave on a plane, gift to a neighbor. Enjoy sharing the world through reading! LFL books are always a gift – never for sale! Check out the LFL story at www.littlefreelibrary.org.
Learn More About Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
The Community of Christ Earth Stewardship Team is looking into the relationship of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and its impact and relationship to the Enduring Principle Sacredness of Creation. The team has listed a number of websites related to fracking on Facebook.
Human Rights for People with Mental Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System
David's Hope seeks to divert those with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders away from the criminal justice system and into comprehensive community-based treatment and support services. David's Hope teaches people how to advocate for themselves and others by empowering them with information, training, resources, and mentoring. Through education and mentoring we hope to create understanding in the community of the issues facing those living with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. Email: info@davidshopeaz.org. Phone: 602-774-4382. Visit their website.
Join the Arizona Foundation for Women, Read about Justice for Women in Arizona
The Arizona Foundation for Women creates a better life for Arizona's women and children. AFW is a catalyst for helping women and children live free from fear and violence in a just society. We accomplish this through research to assess women’s unmet needs, advocacy to influence public policy, and funding model programs to promote women and their families’ economic self-sufficiency. We fund our work through the Luncheon, held each spring in Phoenix, Arizona. The Foundation has created a better life for more than 1 million women and children in Arizona. Visit the organization's website.
Abolishing the Death Penalty in Arizona
Participate with the National Coalition to Abolish the Death. While Arizona does not have any pending executions at this time, there have been 36 executions since 1976. Eight innocent people have been freed from Arizona's death row--with 126 remaining on death row. (Information as of 2-28-2014). Visit the organization's website or join the conversation on Facebook.
Helping Immigrant Families in Phoenix and Tucson
Contact Sara Richter, AmeriCorps VISTA working for the Department of Economic Security. Phone 520-881-9049. email: srichter@azdes.gov. Sara works in both Tucson and Phoenix. She can help provide education and assistance for congregations who would like to help immigrants transitioning into the US.
Interfaith Forums
Monthly, Arizona Interfaith Movement hosts forums inviting interfaith panelists to discuss a specific topics with a question and answer session following. Upcoming topics include Faith Hopping: Finding God Again (February 18); An Eye for an Eye: The Death Penalty (April 15); Parenting (May 20). They are held 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesdays, at the Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, 122 East Culver Street, Phoenix. Participants are invited to bring a lunch to eat during the forums.
Raise Funds with Organic, Fair Trade Goods
Spark conversations about how behavior and practices in our own communities impact communities across the globe. They handle organic and fair trade food (coffee and chocolate included) and gifts. Next time you need a fundraising idea, contact Equal Exchange. Phone 774-776-7371 or email: fundraising@equalexchange.coop.
Help Someone Get Out of Poverty
In direct response to the second Mission Initiative of Community of Christ, "Abolish Poverty, End Suffering," get involved with The Open Table. Their mission is to train congregations and their members, through the Open Table Model, to partner their vocational and life experiences with people in poverty to develop and implement plans that create sustainability and wholeness.
Responding to Global Climate Change
Community of Christ's Enduring Principles include the Sacredness of Creation. One of our Mission Initiatives is to Pursue Peace on (and for) the Earth. Arizona Interfaith Power and Light mobilizes people of faith in Arizona to reduce the causes of global climate change through education, advocacy, action and prayer. They are active in Phoenix, Tucson, and northern Arizona.
Peace Pathways Offers New Website
PeacePathways brings together partner organizations and individual peacemakers to develop relationships and share mutual ideas and programs supporting and advocating peace and justice.Their mission: Create pathways for justice and peace by connecting people, ideas, and actions. Check out their website.
The Little Free Library movement has rapidly grown. Many Libraries have been installed and thousands of books shared around the country as well as around the world. Little Free Library’s mission is to promote literacy and the love of reading by building free book exchanges worldwide and to build a sense of community as we share skills, creativity and wisdom across generations. You stock the LFL with a variety of books that you hope will interest your neighbors. Neighbors stop by and take whatever catches their fancy. They take it home. It’s now their book! They can return and bring other books to the library when and if they want to. They can keep the book they take, or bring it back... Or … pass it on to a friend, give to a child, leave on a plane, gift to a neighbor. Enjoy sharing the world through reading! LFL books are always a gift – never for sale! Check out the LFL story at www.littlefreelibrary.org.
Learn More About Hydraulic Fracturing (Fracking)
The Community of Christ Earth Stewardship Team is looking into the relationship of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and its impact and relationship to the Enduring Principle Sacredness of Creation. The team has listed a number of websites related to fracking on Facebook.
Human Rights for People with Mental Disabilities in the Criminal Justice System
David's Hope seeks to divert those with mental illnesses or co-occurring mental illness and substance use disorders away from the criminal justice system and into comprehensive community-based treatment and support services. David's Hope teaches people how to advocate for themselves and others by empowering them with information, training, resources, and mentoring. Through education and mentoring we hope to create understanding in the community of the issues facing those living with mental illness involved in the criminal justice system. Email: info@davidshopeaz.org. Phone: 602-774-4382. Visit their website.
Join the Arizona Foundation for Women, Read about Justice for Women in Arizona
The Arizona Foundation for Women creates a better life for Arizona's women and children. AFW is a catalyst for helping women and children live free from fear and violence in a just society. We accomplish this through research to assess women’s unmet needs, advocacy to influence public policy, and funding model programs to promote women and their families’ economic self-sufficiency. We fund our work through the Luncheon, held each spring in Phoenix, Arizona. The Foundation has created a better life for more than 1 million women and children in Arizona. Visit the organization's website.
Abolishing the Death Penalty in Arizona
Participate with the National Coalition to Abolish the Death. While Arizona does not have any pending executions at this time, there have been 36 executions since 1976. Eight innocent people have been freed from Arizona's death row--with 126 remaining on death row. (Information as of 2-28-2014). Visit the organization's website or join the conversation on Facebook.
Helping Immigrant Families in Phoenix and Tucson
Contact Sara Richter, AmeriCorps VISTA working for the Department of Economic Security. Phone 520-881-9049. email: srichter@azdes.gov. Sara works in both Tucson and Phoenix. She can help provide education and assistance for congregations who would like to help immigrants transitioning into the US.
Interfaith Forums
Monthly, Arizona Interfaith Movement hosts forums inviting interfaith panelists to discuss a specific topics with a question and answer session following. Upcoming topics include Faith Hopping: Finding God Again (February 18); An Eye for an Eye: The Death Penalty (April 15); Parenting (May 20). They are held 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., Tuesdays, at the Cutler Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, 122 East Culver Street, Phoenix. Participants are invited to bring a lunch to eat during the forums.
Raise Funds with Organic, Fair Trade Goods
Spark conversations about how behavior and practices in our own communities impact communities across the globe. They handle organic and fair trade food (coffee and chocolate included) and gifts. Next time you need a fundraising idea, contact Equal Exchange. Phone 774-776-7371 or email: fundraising@equalexchange.coop.
Help Someone Get Out of Poverty
In direct response to the second Mission Initiative of Community of Christ, "Abolish Poverty, End Suffering," get involved with The Open Table. Their mission is to train congregations and their members, through the Open Table Model, to partner their vocational and life experiences with people in poverty to develop and implement plans that create sustainability and wholeness.
Responding to Global Climate Change
Community of Christ's Enduring Principles include the Sacredness of Creation. One of our Mission Initiatives is to Pursue Peace on (and for) the Earth. Arizona Interfaith Power and Light mobilizes people of faith in Arizona to reduce the causes of global climate change through education, advocacy, action and prayer. They are active in Phoenix, Tucson, and northern Arizona.
Peace Pathways Offers New Website
PeacePathways brings together partner organizations and individual peacemakers to develop relationships and share mutual ideas and programs supporting and advocating peace and justice.Their mission: Create pathways for justice and peace by connecting people, ideas, and actions. Check out their website.