Break the Bread of New Creation

Then they told what had happened on the road to Emmaus, and how Jesus had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread. While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (Luke 24:35–36)

“Break the bread of new creation Where the world is still in pain.”
(from “Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna!” by Brian Wren. Copyright © 1986 by Hope Publishing Company, Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)

The first time the risen Christ broke bread, according to the Gospel of Luke, was in Emmaus with two of his followers. Brokenhearted, the two did not recognize him as they walked together from Jerusalem to Emmaus and talked about their master’s death on a cross three days earlier. Here, in the words of the hymn “Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna!” was a place “where the world is still in pain.” The two followers did not know him until he blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to them. He then disappeared, but the joy and peace he gave them did not. Though it was late, they retraced their steps the seven miles to Jerusalem, where they found the disciples and shared their good news of seeing him alive. As they tried to make sense of the latest developments, Christ appeared to them and offered his blessing: “Peace be with you.”

Christ continues to reveal himself and offer us his peace whenever and wherever bread is broken and eaten in his name. Just as he offered bread and peace to those broken by the forces of hatred and destruction, we, Christ’s people, are to carry the reality of peace to the places and people in pain.

The Presbyterian Peacemaking Offering, received by most churches on World Communion Sunday, supports the efforts of Presbyterians through their churches, presbyteries, synods, and the General Assembly to break the bread of new creation and offer Christ’s peace to a suffering world.

Most churches receive the offering on World Communion Sunday, the day we celebrate our unity as Christ’s church, made up of people of every nation around the world. As we receive bread and cup, we also receive the peace that Christ offers, a peace we are to pass to the world.

Here are some of the many ways Presbyterians have used — and will use — Peacemaking Offering funds to work for peace.

Congregations

• help finance housing for refugee families living in the community
• support PC(USA) AIDS work in Africa
• support a free community medical clinic for those unable to pay for medical services
• purchase computer equipment for a Presbyterian school in Ghana
• provide scholarships to local high school seniors who have been involved in peacemaking activities in school
• contribute to local shelters that house and provide services for women and children facing violence in the home
• support local mediation services and programs that teach conflict resolution

Synods and Presbyteries

• support a local HIV/AIDS day-care center that provides meals, showers, phones, and recreation
• supply Spanish-language books to partner groups in Nicaragua
• provide training in conflict management to churches
• provide energy grants to small churches for insulation, replacing windows, and other energy-efficient practices

At the General Assembly Level, the Peacemaking Program

• plans and facilitates travel/study seminars to South Africa and Malawi to look at ministries responding to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and to Ethiopia to learn about interfaith work
• creates the resource To Strengthen Christ’s Body: Tools for Talking about Tough Issues to equip congregations to address disagreement and conflict
• organizes and implements the International Peacemakers Program, which brings persons of faith from other nations to the United States to share stories about their ministry and expertise in addressing poverty
• launches a blog to join its publications, Web page, and electronic listservs that support peacemaking ministries across the church
• supports synod and presbytery peacemaking leaders as they nurture the work of peace in their churches and communities
• participates in the efforts to build inclusive communities within the PC(USA)

In 2007 more than $2.7 million was received through the Peacemaking Offering. Promotional expenses amounted to $265,022, which includes a contribution to shared mission support of $65,804 and $199,218 for producing resources and promoting the Offering. The Offering supports a variety of peacemaking efforts: 25 percent is retained by congregations, 25 percent is used by synods and presbyteries, and 50 percent is allocated to General Assembly ministries.