Activity and Discussion Guides

This list includes LPF’s most popular and effective activities and resources. Many are newly revised. The first section lists background and enrichment resources (A-F). Section two presents tested activities and suggestions for peace education programs (1-5). We’ve also developed 2 highly interactive computer activities: Hunger and Development (’03) and Budget Priorities (updated 2014 version).

Background and enrichment resources:

A. Peace Sermons — The Gift, Challenge & Power of Peace by Rev. Gerald Pedersen; “Good Guys / Bad Guys” and the Way of Jesus by Rev. Ann Helmke; Crossing Boundaries by Rev. Stephanie Kopsch…

B. Articles on Christian Peacemaking — It Takes Courage, Four Stories of Peacemaking, The Invisible Option, A Christian Vision of Peacemaking, Glen Gersmehl; Weeping…and Working for Peace by Lily Wu; The Peace of the Whole World by Jean Martensen, Discipleship, Citizenship, Shalom! Toward a More Effective, More Faithful Approach to Conflict and Violence by Glen Gersmehl; Another Path to Peacemaking by Sandy Giles.
Key: Living Lutheran, Gather (magazine of Women of the Evangelical Church in America/WELCA), PeaceNotes

C. Decade for Peace — ELCA Congregation and Synod Resolution on Nonviolence and Nobel Peace Appeal “For the Children of the World” (full text); The Challenge and Promise of the Decade for Peace.

D. Nonviolence Theory and Practice — Jesus Third Way* by Walter Wink; Why We Must Teach Peace by Colman McCarthy; Active Nonviolence * by Richard Deats; Agreeing and Disagreeing in Love, a Mennonite resource; Strength of Love by Hildegard Goss-Mayr; Peacemaking and Nonviolence, LPF’s annotated guide to 400 great books, videos and web sites.

E. Newsletters* — Ask for a recent copy: LPF Youth Program (Fall ’04, ’03, ‘02); The Spirit of Nonviolence (Fall ’04, ’03, ‘01), Alternatives to Violence (Fall ’03, ‘01, Spr. ‘02); The Decade for Peace (Sum. and Fall ’00…); Global Peace Service (Sum. ‘98), Teaching Peace (Win. ‘95)

F. On LPF — Are you concerned… intro; excerpts of articles from the Lutheran and elsewhere; and Letters to Peacemakers from Rev. Ann Helmke, Dr. Marva Dawn, Rev. Dan Erlander, Lily Wu, Rev. Lowell Erdahl…

Tested activities and suggestions for peace education programs:

1. Overview Resources — The Call to Be Peacemakers; Our Congregation as Peacemaker; Building a Culture of Peace activity and resource guide; A Brief Overview of LPF Resources for Leaders – LPF’s most popular and effective activities and resources for leaders, Transforming Our World – The most useful books, manuals, and web sites, selected by PJRC teachers, researchers, parents, and activists; Nonviolence Resources, Peacemaking Resources for Students

2. Peacemaking for Young People — Peace Points: resources for leaders – engaging discussion activities; each includes handouts, agenda, tips for leaders, Peace Points Starters – Resources for creating or strengthening a peace-focused session for youth, Reclaim the Season! – Peace & justice living and giving, What Is Christian Peacemaking?, Conflict Transformation, Just War – A series of activities for youth and adults, Hosting a Hunger Meal, 24 Ways for Students to Work for Peace, 21 Ways for Teens to Work for Peace, Peacemaking Resources for Students, Peace Litany, Path of Hope, Workshops and Activities for Youth Groups; LPF Youth Leadership Resources; Youth and the Military, Pledge of Nonviolence; Media Violence flyers; Using Films to Teach Peace & Justice, Taking action – How to write a letter to your elected official about hunger, Grow in Shalom with the ‘Peace Deck’!, Our Student Group As Peacemaker, Building a Culture of Peace, New Media for Parents, Teachers, and Youth – useful links and insights on new media, computer games, books and more.

3. Worship Materials — Worship and Congregational Life, Peace Sermons from the LPF sermon contest (section one); Decade for Peace bulletin insert; International Day of Prayer for Peace Resource LPF´s annual worship guide (Veterans Day); Peace Worship Resource manual (50 pages, $5; contents and single items are free)

4. Adult Forums, Activities — Bring inspiration and enrichment to your adult forum, bible study: What Is Christian Peacemaking?, Conflict Education workshop resources; teaching stories; and a variety of other effective group activities. From Violence to Wholeness discussion and activity manual on the spirituality and practice of nonviolence (Pace e Bene, 180 pgs, with 50 pg LPF supplement, $18 incl. postage); Using Films in Peace Education; Nonviolence cards (6)

5. Advocacy — LPF Advocacy Resources, LPF Advocacy Update – highlights current issues; Hunger Advocacy Resources, Budget Priorities activity,* Urgent Call on the Nuclear Danger; Middle East issues (e.g. Wall), The Crisis in Iraq* discussion and resource guide (8 pgs); Debt Relief, Landmines, Economic Life, Arms Trade updates; resource guides on these and other issues.

*For resources listed that do not have a link to an online version, contact us and we will send it to you. Permission to copy LPF materials is generally given for nonprofit education purposes. Our peace education program has received support from LPF members, Wheat Ridge Ministries, Thrivent, and sixty congregations, synods, colleges, and churchwide units.