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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Posts with tag: syria
May 1, 2013Three prayer concerns - May 1
In addition to the joys and concerns that are on your heart, the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations suggests prayers for:
Libya
Prayers for people of Libya as they struggle to find nonviolent, positive, and constructive ways to express themselves in the midst of armed attacks on their governmental infrastructure.
The situation at Guantanamo Bay prison facility
Prayers for President Barack Obama as he attempts to find a resolution to the hunger strike in the Guantanamo Bay prison facility that has reportedly spread to over 100 inmates; for leaders who make decisions concerning the facility; those who serve at ...
September 26, 2012
A family's story from Syria
This story was provided by our partners in the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon during their visit to New York and our ministry.
Mr. J. is in his sixties, has a wife and three children—one son and two daughters. Mr. J. lost his work and his older daughter did as well. His wife and his younger daughter don’t work. He tells his story:
From the beginning of 2011 we are suffering this crisis and the violence. We were always waiting for this violence comes to its end, but things became worse. Our house got bombed in ...
September 26, 2012
A story from Homs, Syria
This story was provided by our partners in the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon during their visit to New York and our ministry.
The “Evangelical Old People’s Home” in Homs, Syria has a uniqueness all of its own: because of its ecumenical nature for one thing. It is run by both the Evangelical Church and the “Two Most Sacred Hearts” Maronite Order. A joint daily worship is held.
Nowadays, because the church building in Homs was strongly damaged, the congregation meets in the “Home” for its Sunday morning services, and other activities. The “Home” hosts people from ...
September 13, 2012
UN visit from the National Evangelical Synod of Syria & Lebanon
Yesterday, the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations welcomed our partners from the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon to advocate with governments of the United Nations Security Council. Each representative we met received a package including letters from the Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, stories of what is happening to Christians in Syria, the PC(USA)’s history in the region as well as a copy of the PC(USA)’s policy adopted by the 220th General Assembly (2012). Presbyterian Disaster Assistance coordinates the PC(USA) response to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
In each of ...
September 9, 2012
Presbyterian Partners at Work in Syria and Lebanon
In New York on September 17? You are invited to a brown bag lunch:
Presbyterian Partners at Work in Syria and Lebanon:
Followers of Jesus respond to the current crisis
The Rev. Dr. Nuhad Tomeh
The Rev. Fadi Dagher
Monday, September 17, 2012
Brown Bag Lunch (coffee and tea provided)
12:00 PM – 1:30 PM
The Episcopal Church Center
815 Second Avenue, New York
Presbyterians have had partnerships with Christians in Syria and Lebanon since the early 1800s. Two of our partners will speak about how the church is responding to the current crisis in Syria, a crisis that ...
August 8, 2012
State Department Contributes Additional $41 Million to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Below is an announcement from the U.S. Department of State announcing an increase in funding for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
The United States is pleased to announce its third contribution this fiscal year toward the 2012 operations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). With this contribution of more than $41 million, the United States is providing to-date approximately $720 million to the organization, including more than $100 million toward emergency appeals for vulnerable populations from Syria, Sudan, and Mali. These contributions are funded through the State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration ...
June 22, 2012
General Assembly leaders offer a renewed call to prayer and action for the people of Syria
General Assembly Mission Council
by Emily Enders Odom,
Associate, Mission Communications
Communications and Funds Development
LOUISVILLE
June 20, 2012
Our Christian friends continue to endure great suffering — along with all the Syrian people — under the escalating violence between the Assad regime and armed opposition groups. The international community seems unable to agree on ways to bring the violence to a halt or to find a path of engagement that can lead to a peaceable resolution of the conflict. UN observers in Syria recently came under direct attack, resulting in the suspension of the United Nations Supervision Mission in Syria on ...
March 29, 2012
Landmines: a continuing threat
On April 4 the United Nations will observe the 7th annual International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a commendable record in the campaign against landmines, but the crisis is not certainly over.
August 8, 2011
Situation in Syria
Presbyterians, with people around the world, hold the country and people of Syria in prayer during these challenging days. Presbyterians have been involved in Syria from the early 1800s, when early American Presbyterian missionaries came to the Near East. American Presbyterians took the lead in Syria, as they had in Lebanon, in education, health care and church development. However, most mission work has been united in Syria (and Lebanon) under one mission society, which includes Presbyterians from Scotland and Ireland and Lutherans from Denmark. In 1956 the Mission Society of Syria and Lebanon encouraged and helped develop national leadership in ...
May 26, 2011
Update report on Syria
Security Council Report has published an Update Report on Syria. They note: On 25 May France, Germany, Portugal and the UK circulated to Security Council members a draft resolution condemning the government crackdown in Syria. At press time it was...
May 1, 2011
Syria
Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect - Open Statement on the Situation in Syria Remarks by U.S. Ambassador Rice Presbyterians in ministry with the people of Syria UN Human Rights Council calls for investigation into alleged abuses in Syria
November 9, 2010
Peace Starts Here
UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, has launched Peace Starts Here, a Web site that will provide glimpses into the lives of Palestinian refugees. Fifteen short video clips will look at...