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Peace, Mission and Justice in the Middle East: Interfaith
Conference
A panel of Iraqis addressed the topic of options for peace in Iraq. Photo courtesy
of First Presbyterian Church On March 30 – April 1, First Presbyterian Church of
Birmingham, Mich., hosted 120 people from all over the metro Detroit area for
an interfaith conference entitled “Reaching Out 2007: Peace, Mission and
Justice in the Middle East.” Keynote
speaker, Fahed Abu-Akel, Moderator of the 214th General Assembly (2002),
encouraged participants to support efforts for peace and justice in the Middle
East. He called participants to remember the Christians in the Middle East whose
ancestors were the earliest followers of Jesus Christ.
The conference included an interfaith
panel discussion of the question, “What perspective does your faith offer
to the peace process?” and a workshop on Iran by Dr. Ali Moiin, nephew
of Noble Peace Laureate Dr. Shirin Ebadi, as well as a panel of Iraqis exploring “Options
for Iraq.” Fran Hayes and Donna Gray presented a workshop based on their
experiences during the Peacemaking Program’s 2006 travel/study conference
in Israel and Palestine. Mark Koenig of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program
led a workshop using the CD “Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Mission and
Witness in the Middle East.” Almost $800 was received in a free-will offering
for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund and many topical books and Palestinian
fair trade crafts were sold. |
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