September 19 - October 24, 2024 - FULL
Thursdays 12:00 noon USA Eastern Time
God's reign is characterized by shalom, a holistic just peace in which all relationships are restored and made right. So if God's mission is to establish the holistic shalom of God's kingdom, then our Christian vocation and calling is to follow Jesus into the sacred, healing work of peacebuilding.
Join this 6-week online small group to introduce peace-oriented theology, conflict transformation, and peacebuilding skills. As peacebuilders, we recognize that conflict unveils ruptured relationships, both interpersonally and between groups, so conflict can become an opportunity to work toward deeper connection, justice, and God's shalom.
This small group is perfect for everyday Christians and Christian leaders who are curious about how their faith and peacebuilding fit together, want to begin learning about how to live as peacebuilders, or hope to lead such conversations in their community. This small group is intended as a launching pad to help participants grasp the scope and beauty of God’s shalom vision as we learn to follow Jesus on his peacebuilding mission and to provide resources and support for you and your friends on the peacebuilding journey.
+ What will this small group include?
- Meet & Greet - Hear the personal stories in your cohort from other Christians around the world
- God’s Vision & Mission - Shalom & Peacebuilding
- The Church’s Peacebuilding Vocation & Call
- Introduction to Conflict Transformation
- Discipleship: Christian Formation for Peacebuilding
- Peacebuilding Postures & Skills
Participants can expect a highly interactive experience, with a lot of discussion accompanying new content. We request that participants intend to be present for the majority of the sessions in order to facilitate their own learning and the learning of the class.
See the small group guide here.
+ Course Dates & Time
FORMAT
The entire event will happen online via Zoom. Each week, participants will receive preliminary resources (readings and videos) to look at before our meeting. The goal for these small groups is to provide a diverse set of introductory materials and some guided reflection questions so that participants might reuse the content to lead exploratory conversations and small groups about peacebuilding in their own communities.
DATES & TIMES
Thursdays
9am Pacific / 11am Central / 12noon Eastern
September 19, 26, October 3, 10, 17, and 24
MEET YOUR FACILITATORS
Peter Digitale Anderson
Peter is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he is equipping community peacemakers and collaborating with others for racial justice and healing. His projects include facilitating a healing and practice space for white men undoing white supremacist and patriarchal cultures; organizing white folk, especially people of faith, to work for racial justice alongside BIPOC partners; providing nonviolent protection for civilians and training others in safety skills; building community and inspiring activists through singing circles; and more. In addition, Peter leads trainings in conflict transformation, nonviolence, trauma awareness and healing, and community-based peacebuilding.
Nicole Gibson
Nicole is Peace Catalyst’s Director of Communications and is based in Phoenix, Arizona. Nicole has over ten years’ experience with Peace Catalyst International and has also spent many years in church leadership and administration. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Biblical and Theological Studies and will be completing her Master’s in Biblical and Theological Studies in the Fall of 2024.
Have more questions? Contact us!
Nicole Gibson: nicole@peacecatalyst.org