Swords into plowshares
About this blog
Swords into Plowshares is the blog of the Peacemaking Program and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations of the Presbyterian Mission Agency of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
Seeking peace. Striving for justice. Together.
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November 1, 2013Unity is an Action
Unity is an action, not a settled state that we achieve and can rest on. Unity is a participation thing, not something external to us. Unity is waiting to be lived today, not something settled in the past. It is a painful time across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) . . .
- Posted at 10:27 a.m.
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September 26, 2013
Something's Needed--Open Wards?
We all want church to be our own ideal place of spiritual growth where we encounter God. This is what we have in common. Exactly how we can have that while in communion with one another is where the problems begin.
- Posted at 6:58 p.m.
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September 20, 2013
The Church Is a Hospital (Among Other Things)
Abigail Van Buren is said to have given us an oft-repeated quote: "The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum for saints." It’s an image that could help us see some things about the church that we might not grasp as well without its help. Here are four ways hospitals might illuminate elements of the church.
- Posted at 2:08 p.m.
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August 30, 2013
Grateful for Grace
There’s been chatter these days in the blogosphere about why we need the church. In a recent blog post on our Theology and Worship blog where Barry Ensign-George links to these discussions, he also points out that these posts assume that being part of the church is a voluntary decision when, in fact, by virtue of our baptism we already ARE a part of the body of Christ.
This has me thinking about farm wives who tell tales about killing a chicken for Sunday dinner. (I know it’s a graphic leap, but hang with me a minute.) One woman …
- Posted at 3:52 p.m.
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August 28, 2013
Church Chosen and Not-Chosen
It’s a perennial question that has come in for some engaged conversation over the last several weeks: “Why Church”? As in, specifically, why be part of and committed to an actual congregation?
- Posted at 9:56 a.m.
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August 15, 2013
Why Do We Need the Church Anyway?
Church reminds us of who we are and why we’re here. Hopefully, it also connects us with the sense of the holy, transcendent Creator who loves us, as seen mostly clearly in Jesus the Christ.
- Posted at 7:54 p.m.
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August 7, 2013
An Extended Ecclesial Analogy
Don’t stop me if you’ve heard this. It bears repeating.
Once upon a time a group of people gathered concerned about the number of lives lost due to shipwrecks off their coast. Whenever there was a storm, they gathered on the shore watching for any signs of people needing rescue. When they saw someone perishing, they formed a human chain to pull them to safety.
Soon someone suggested they build a small lighthouse to warn sailors of the dangerous rocks. “At the same time,” someone else said, “let’s build a fireplace in the bottom of the lighthouse so that those …
- Posted at 5:16 p.m.
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March 26, 2013
How Millenial Are You?
Pew created quiz - see how you rank as a Millennial.
- Posted at 6:00 a.m.
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October 9, 2012
Unity, Justice, and Witness
These were the questions of earlier generations, and they are also our questions today. In time, ecumenical Christians came to believe that “we belong together,” and that unity, justice, and witness are streams of the same river...- Posted at 11:13 a.m.
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October 1, 2012
Pastors Ministering In the Midst of Poverty
There is great potential for growth in the church in Congo. Training and empowering pastors to minister well to their people in this environment of significant material poverty is a challenge.- Posted at 10:41 a.m.
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September 24, 2012
Great Opportunity in Energy Corps Internship
Here's a wonderful opportunity for a young adult to make an impact in energy conservation and eco-stewardship and learn huge skills in the process!- Posted at 6:00 a.m.
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September 11, 2012
Witness in Reverse - Learning New Church Development from Global Partners
The Presbyterian Church (USA) has adopted a goal of establishing 1001 new worshiping communities over the next few years. Like the “Double the Church Movement” in Korea, this is not a programmatic slogan. Rather it is a call to mobilize the whole church for this task.- Posted at 10:35 a.m.
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August 27, 2012
Rethinking the term "Success"
As the PCUSA focuses its efforts on poverty reduction, a question needs to be asked: What is poverty?- Posted at 9:42 a.m.
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August 14, 2012
One of the Challenges for Missional Church Planting in Urban North America
The following is an excerpt from an article, “Top Challenges for Missional Church Planting in Urban America” by my friend Dan Steigerwald, President of Christian Associates North America – a non-affiliated church planting organization.
- Posted at 2:42 p.m.
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August 13, 2012
Working for Evangelism, Education, & Social Services in Colombia
Rev. Diego Higuita describes the work of the IPC in Colombia, especially as it relates to furthering the realization of the fulfillment of the Kingdom of God described in Isaiah 61, and claimed by Christ in Luke 4.- Posted at 1:26 p.m.
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March 15, 2012
What Does It Mean to Be a Denomination?
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is a denomination in the church. What does that mean?
- Posted at 12:04 a.m.
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December 21, 2011
Eco-Stewards Program 2012
Don't miss out! Sign up or encourage others to sign up today!
- Posted at 12:07 p.m.
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December 5, 2011
Hire Heros - Tax Incentive Bill
The VOW to Hire Heroes Act (included in H.R. 674) was signed into law on November 21, 2011.
- Posted at 12:00 a.m.
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November 14, 2011
Do you know who you are?
Are you here for teaching/sharing peace and justice? Evangelism? Care of Creation? Mission practices? Youth leadership? Or??
If you don’t know they don’t know.
- Posted at 12:00 a.m.
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September 27, 2011
If a Tree Falls in the Woods...
Does being green only matter if someone is there to see it? If ourwater is dripping, we leave the lights on, and throw out recycling and no one sees it, does it matter?
Of course it does.
- Posted at 6:00 a.m.
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August 30, 2011
Not Whole Cloth, Just Ribbons
The church is not the whole cloth of Christ's glory; we're just scraps, bits and pieces.
- Posted at 2:50 p.m.
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June 21, 2011
Who Do THEY Say We Are?
As our sites branch out into being mission support centers, finding and engaging in the work of the greater Church outside, or in concert with the site based resources, they are running into many “ah ha’s” as well as many confused looks as to why camp and conference centers should or can be helpful in many areas of ministry.
- Posted at 6:00 a.m.
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May 17, 2011
"Come on baby light my fire" ....water???
BREAKING NEWS: Fracking (extracting natural gas from underground shale deposits through fracturing) has been scientifically linked to water contamination. Take a moment and listen to the "Here and Now" episode discussing the issue. ‘Fracking’ Scientifically Linked To Water Contamination And...
- Posted at 10:45 a.m.
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July 30, 2010
The Awesome Task of Elders
Parity between Ministers and Elders I was baptized and raised Lutheran. When I joined a Presbyterian church as an adult I gradually became aware of Presbyterian polity and the way we structure our life together. I was especially taken by...
- Posted at 7:27 p.m.
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