2009 Annual Plans

Dear friends,

Whether you are new to my updates and newsletter or you have been a subscriber or supporter for a long time, greetings from our new home in Chicago. A big change for Lyn and I this year was our move here in December to a rented apartment from our rural farm home of 27 years at Plow Creek

Fellowship near Tiskilwa, IL.

An important part of my peacemaking efforts has been this an

nual reporting of my activities of the last year and a forward projection, with openness to the Lord’s leading, of my hopes and plans, along with a budget for the coming year. This exercise, I have found, is good for me as it lends perspective to my work and also holds me accountable to all of you who are praying and supporting the work and me financially.

I’ll begin with some recent photos and commentary:


This is one of five presentations to 300 Elkhart high school students in Indiana this April. The teacher noted, “This fueled a half hour of really powerful discussion.” Some of students responses were: “It takes a lot of nerve to ask a complete stranger to put down their gun.” "Violence does not solve anything.” “Peacemakers are very brave.” “What they are doing can really change the world.” “God bless CPT and

what they do." “We should have something like this in Elkhart.”

Here are three persons in a Colombian CPT delegation in March 2008. On the left is Arturo, who with his wife are co-pastors of a Colombian Brethren in Christ Church. I had an especially good visit with them encouraging them in their church’s struggle to be available to Jesus’ call to work for peace, justice, and the poor. We really connected!

Making a Difference for Peace in 2008-2009

I am in the process of creating a new website that will enable better communication with more people, sharing more peace activities and opportunities than are in my email letters. It will be interactive, so that you will be able to respond and comment on-line. Some of the new sections will be What Can One Person Do?, Current Prayer Concerns and Upcoming Activities. Check it out at www.jimspeacemaking.org.

I will do peacemaking in 2009 in similar ways as in 2008. The main change will be my going through training with the Presbyterians in September which, if things go as expected, will lead to my return to Colombia to accompany Colombian Presbyterians who are threatened by the armed groups. I will also visit Colombian Mennonite Brethren Churches and encourage them in Jesus’ call to work for peace, justice and the poor. I really look forward to returning to Colombia.

Here are some of my tentative plans for the rest of 2009:

6/20 to 6/28: Visit El Salvador to reunite with Valle Nuevo, our sister community of 17 years
6/30 to 7/4: Attend and man a booth at Cornerstone Christian Music Festival (15,000 attending)
7/5: Give a presentation at the Methodist Church near Cornerstone Festival
7/23: Speak at a Lion’s Club in Chicago
8/6: Show slides and talk at a church women’s group in Tiskilwa, IL
8/26 to 8/30: Man a booth at the Illinois Bureau County Fair
9/17 to 9/20: Attend Peacemaker Training with Presbyterians in New York in preparation
for working in Colombia

I gave about 40 slide presentations about the work of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) in 2008. These pictures and talks are like planting seeds for peace. Only God can see the final harvest. My part is to continue to be faithful in the planting. My work is showing me that the idea that we are citizens of a global village really does make sense. Policy and legislation here in North America really does affect the lives of the farmers we stood with in Columbia, South America.

I went to Colombia in February and March of 2008 to be part of the CPT team protecting numerous communities from paramilitary and guerrilla groups and the Colombian army.

CPT booths at the Cornerstone Music Festival and Bureau County Fair continue to be an important way to open dialogue with people curious about peacemaking. I had other people that helped with the booths, enabling us to have more personal time with the many interested people. I plan the same for 2009.

I wrote letters so that you can be an informed prayer partner and advocate for peace. Over 2000 people receive these letters. My letters and photos are at:www.jimspeacemaking.org.

I participated in our local Peace Vigil, sharing each week with passengers in the cars that drove by our messages like “Remember suffering US troops and families,” “Who would Jesus bomb?” and "But I say . . . love your enemies. – Jesus." It has also been a place for us to interact personally with people who agree and disagree with us.

Almost every day I spend over two hours praying for others, myself and peace and justice in the world. Not that I am so great at praying, but we do have the Greatest Listener who can discern even our inarticulate groaning and longing when we pray. Praying helps me keep on track, for I inevitably get off the path. Many of you are on my prayer list.

Plow Creek hosted 800 people for the PAPA (People Against Poverty and Apathy) Festival in late June. It was like Woodstock, without the alcohol and drugs. The festival gave me a chance to give three presentations, one about the discipline of quiet time and my own journey, and a slide presentation for both children and adults. Most were youth searching for something the world was not providing.

My mission statement is still challenging and relevant to me: To do peacemaking lovingly, humbly, calmly, joyfully and prayerfully, so that it supports and fosters trust, reconciliation, friendship, understanding and compassion between people locally and internationally.

Oversight of my Peacemaking

I will review my peacemaking activities, go over plans and budget spending with my new advisory board. I will plan to report regularly to supporters during the year. I always welcome your suggestions, questions, or encouragement.

Your Invitation to Invest in this Peacemaking Ministry

I am passionate about peace. Will you join me in making peacemaking a priority in today's world?

If so, please make out checks to “Jim’s Peacemaking” and mail to:

Jim’s Peacemaking
723 Seward
Evanston, IL 60602

Or to contribute online, Click Here.

All contributions are tax deductible.

Thanks to each of you who prayed, shared your money, edited, helped with bookkeeping, assisted me with computer help or set up invitations for me to share with schools, churches, and groups. A special thanks to Dumont, David F, Lyn and Penny.

In regard to my budget, I've tried to keep in mind my commitment to live simply despite rising prices. I am grateful to have giving keep up with expenses. Because of changes in my living situation, I will not be taking living expenses out of my budget as I did in the past years. Instead I will be collecting a Per Diem for times when I am traveling. The budget will have a bottom line of $20,000 as in past years.

Sincerely,

Jim

To maintain one soldier for war, our taxes pay $150,000 a year.

I will be a soldier for peace for $20,000 a year.

PS: Please consider acting on your concern for peace by investing generously in this peacemaking today.