Holiness in our Midst: Session 76

SESSION LXXVI: ON PICURING PEACE

If you drew a picture of peace, what would you draw?

This was a question that the late Roger Emmert, longtime Northern Plains District leader, asked during devotions at a board-development workshop, “Weaving Our Stories Together,” for district board members in October of 2010 at the Greene (IA) Church of the Brethren. My role was to model intentional story-telling to help them get better acquainted and to suggest ways to create story-sharing platforms in meetings they would lead. (We passed out small notebooks called story catchers, not only for notetaking during the workshop, but also for capturing the small but significant moments that happen each day.)

As 2019 begins, Roger’s question keeps coming my mind. Perhaps this is because his recent death and his example/legacy as a person of peace is on my heart. But his question also seems particularly relevant in this time of great national political turmoil. Words sometimes fail us these days. My drawing of a peaceful world is a round table with President Trump and Republican and Democratic legislators, all sitting quietly with Jesus. In a grand gallery surrounding them are a sea of faces representing all nations of the world. The drawing is labeled 2019: The Year They Came to The Table.

Story Circle Prompt: What does peace look like to you (in words or artwork)?

FOR PERSONAL/JOURNAL REFLECTION:

1.  Read the above reflection. Write a word description of what peace would look like to you. Or, if you prefer, do a pen and ink drawing depicting peace in a sketchbook.  

FOR GROUP STUDY:

1.   Read aloud Session LXXVI.
2.   Ask each person to answer the Story Circle Prompt.

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Note: Holiness in Our Midst: Sharing Our Stories to Encourage and Heal is a monthly on-line feature created by Janis Pyle to facilitate sharing of our personal experiences, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual practices with one another, especially through stories. Barriers are broken down when we begin to see all persons, even those with whom we disagree ideologically, as sacred and constantly attended to by a loving Creator. Each column is accompanied by a “story circle” prompt and study guides for personal and group reflection. To share your stories, contact Hannah Button-Harrison at communications@nplains.org. Janis Pyle can be reached at janispyle@yahoo.com.