A Report from the Front

Well, from the front of the house … I am one of the few people who had the amazing privilege of experiencing both the “Wage Peace!” conference and the “Voices of Peace” event at the Meyerson from backstage, onstage and in the audience. All I can say is, “WOW!” What an amazing weekend.

More than two dozen people attended Wage Peace!, which we co-sponsored with Every Church a Peace Church. This was a training offered to our first official group of “Peace Practitioners.” Participants came from as far away as Delaware, and we all learned a lot. Sitting in the first session, I was overwhelmed with a sense of how much there was to learn. I suspect we all think that peace and peacemaking are “common sense,” but, throughout the weekend, I kept getting glimpses of why there is nothing common about “common sense.” The next Peace Practitioner training will be September 19-21, 2008. Sister Helen Prejean will be the keynote speaker. Just give us your email address if you would like us to keep you informed as details unfold.

On Saturday, more than 2,000 people streamed into the Meyerson Symphony Center. They probably thought they were just coming to hear Dr. Maya Angelou, and, while that was a truly amazing experience, there were two solid hours of amazing experiences. Under the direction of Dr. Tim Seelig, the music was as incredible as it is possible for music to be. The hall was filled with videos that ensured there would not be a dry eye in the house. Fourth-grade student Dalton Sherman brought the house down with his award-winning oratory about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I can’t wait for you to see the video from the event. If you missed this one, mark your calendar for next year’s event, which will be Saturday, March 7, 2009. If you’d like to be among the first to know who next year’s “Voice of Peace” recipient will be, give us your email address and we’ll keep you posted.

Standing on stage at the end of the event, listening to more than 2,000 voices sing “Dona Nobis Pacem,” I swear I could feel the universe shift toward peace. As Dr. King said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” Those of us privileged to participate in this weekend were sanctified by the voice of peace of a great soul, and, in the process, we all were moved toward lives of peace and justice.

If you have not already joined Hope for Peace & Justice I hope you will do so today! We need you on the front lines of the struggle.

Watch Videos from "Voices of Peace" event!