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Hello Friends,

This last month I participated in an intense training session for those who are planning to be part of Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT).

This is some sharing from  my experience during the training that might interest you. Training was very intense and full. Much of the info was just introductory because of limited time, just giving us tastes of the subjects. We were encouraged to do more study later.

One topic was racism.  Training was located in a "rough"  neighborhood -- police even stopped and informed us this was not a safe place to be. I  become aware that when I walked down the street and I passed a stranger of color I often had a certain fear that was absent when the stranger was white. After going to church at the First Church of the Brethren, which is 80% black, I often asked for a ride to the training center.  I began to notice how I always asked whites, so the last time I asked a black man.   He gave me the ride and we had an enjoyable conversation, just like with any white couple.

Another time each of us shared something un-CPT like that we enjoyed or did. I shared that I still felt a need to use the word “Father” in praying, because for me it conveyed the personalness and closeness of God that I missed just using the word “God.” Another trainee said she felt the same
way. Another said prayer has not been a part of his life very much, at the end when we shared areas we wanted to grow in he said he wanted to learn to pray. In some ways the Lord has called somewhat secular persons to CPT, and a hunch I have is that it is the 4000 praying churches that is
making up for our lacks, that might be a place where you come in. Sharing deeply such amongst ourselves was a significant part of the training. I’ve never built such a close bond in so fast time with a group, even though each of us came from very different paths to CPT.

We were told that we each needed to feel a call to be part of CPT.  It’s not something you do because it’s fun, or a neat thing to do. CPT is clearly Christian -- it is central to take Jesus, his teachings, his ways and the Bible very seriously.

During training the Lord gave me a number of experiences where he gave me depression and then helped me see unresolved things in relationships I needed to work on. As soon as I worked on them I got relief. This continues to be my experience after the training. Depression is still not fun,
but the Lord seems to be using it for a good purpose in my life now.  I feel real clear though that not all my depression  has been situational; at times it's the chemistry in my brain.

We all shared out life stories.  It was very moving when one of our trainees shared how he had been detained and tortured in South Africa. Through a kind act of one of his torturers he came to forgive them.

Well that’s a little what training is like.

Blessing on you today,
 Jim

P.S. Right after training we had the seminar  "Is War the Answer to Terrorism?" here in Princeton, as mentioned in my 12/26 letter. It went well, Both sides were presented and it was stretching for all of us. We are now planning a follow up meeting on 2/23/03 to facilitate more dialogue by using a Open Space meeting format. I think it will built understanding between the opposing positions.
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Friends #2 2/17/03

 Hello, again. I’ve decided to try to write short updates of my peacemaking work every two-three weeks, as a way of keeping friends like you informed. If at any point you need to use the delete button because you are overwhelmed with e-mail, rest assured I will not be offended; I use it a lot myself.  So, you can expect to receive a letter like this every few weeks. 

 One thing that stands out for me lately is how central the teaching “ to love our enemies” is to peacemaking and the teachings of Jesus. This has led me to put George Bush and each of his cabinet members on my prayer list. Praying for them has been transforming me so that I can see them  more as brothers and sisters and less as the evil opposition, as I previously  have often seen them.

Along with this has come the insight that we really all have the same goal in mind--peace--though we differ on the means. This has led me to think that there might be a space in which we can be in solidarity with each other.    The answer I’ve come up with is in our concern particularly for  US troops and  their kids, moms, and dads. So I now have a sign at the vigil and a name tag that says, “Mourning: Suffering, US Troops & Families .“ This has worked to remind myself and, hopefully, others that we need to love and not to hate persons serving in the military. 

 Taking up this peacemaking calling has felt risky at times.  It's  not a normal vocation. When people ask me what I do, it feels a little strange to answer, " I do peacemaking. "  Sometimes I have  doubts about it.  However, I’ve sensed a real confirmation in the ways in which the  Lord seems to have given me support through so many people and particularly those at Plow Creek. Here are some of the activities friends are doing or have offered to do: website designing, editing my writings, sign making, and giving  financial support.  Many of these services have been offered without my asking.  I've been especially blessed by my long time El Salvadoran friends,  the Sosa’s, raising $300 for my work.

My mentors have given me encouragement and practical help in fostering dialogue to the follow up to the “ Is War the Answer?” seminar. Open Space, which I learned about through a fellow trainee in CPT. It feels like a Godsend in facilitating this dialog. When I explained Open Space format to the committee, all of whom I did not know very well, only one person was skeptical about the idea.  In the end, even that  person really supported the idea. Another shared that although he does not share my pacifist stand,  he was so enthused about the Dialog meeting that he did a lot of extra publicity on his own. It feels so good to me to have the different positions represented on the Committee. Having a way for people of differing positions to have a safe space to express their views with others is peacemaking. We have lived in the same community for a long time  and not talked to each other about these important issues. 

Please pray for the dialog for this Sunday 1:30-5:30. Included is a a copy of the announcement for the dialog.

 Blessings to you, Jim                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

"War? Peace? What do we do now?" Dialog

     The public is invited to come and continue the dialog on the issues of war and peace on the afternoon of February 23 at the Evangelical Covenant Church in
Princeton, IL.  While this topic was opened through presentations on January 24th & 25th, at the "Blessed are the Peacemakers seminar", this meeting will be an open forum.  In this forum, the participants set the agenda by raising topics of concern to be discussed.       The theme for this day will be "War? Peace? What are we to do now?"  After the collection of discussion topics in regard to this theme, participants are invited to enter into discussion groups of their interest. No Groups are
assigned and participants are encouraged to move freely between groups.

     Our hope is that this will create opportunities where people can express and exchange ideas and hopefully will be a time when people of different positions
can speak freely and really listen to each other. We anticipate good dialog and shared learning.

     Key points of the discussions will be recorded and reported to all participants. Those with note-taking or laptop transcription skills are invited to share
their talents, bring what you need for this.  Doors will open at 1:30 pm on the 23rd. There will be a brief explanation of the meeting format.  The public is invited to come and go throughout the afternoon as their schedules and interest allow.  The sessions will end by 5:30 pm.

 Questions? Dialog planning Committee: Rick Fandel  875 2615, Steve Gunning 875 4706,   Jim Fitz 646 4672, Phil Kauffman  646 4889

Could you announce this among friends and in your churches, etc.. and  mark your calenders

Hope to maybe see you there, Jim Fitz
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Hello Friends  #3 2/26/03
 Greetings. I know that this letter is coming to you fairly soon after the last letter.  However, the urgency of the war situation has made me feel I need to get this out to you; it is to encourage us to commit ourselves to pray for peace.  Your honest feed back on these sharings are always appreciated.



The dialog which we held last Sunday, titled “War?  Peace?  What Do We Do Now?”  went really well.  The participants felt so good about it that when a 70-year-old vet suggested having another discussion on Sunday March 2, only positive comments were offered in spite of people’s busy schedules.  The dialog was held in an Open Space format. The results were not quite what I had hoped for, but I understand that Open Space formats usually have the outcomes that the participants had been hoping for and not what the leadership tried to direct.     If you want to find out more about how Open Space works go to  http://www.openspaceworld.com/users_guide.htm   

 Below is a proposal that my discussion group in the dialog came up with, which I would like to invite you to participate in if you are so moved.

Uniting in prayer - Jim Fitz
Proposal: Invite persons to commit themselves to praying for peace.

Is any one interested in working in your churches and organizations or participating personally by:

·Making announcements about Uniting in Prayer for peace

·Talking personally to friends in or out of your congregation

·Talk to people you know in other churches about them organizing in their churches

Simply invite persons to make whatever commitment they want to praying for peace, once a week, month or day, and give the number of minutes they wish to commit themselves to.  I would let participants know the number of participants and the amount of committed time so as to encourage each other. If there are things from this experience you  would like to share with other participants let me know and I will try to see that they are shared with other participants.
Join us by emailing or calling me. [Jim Fitz fitzfamily6@juno.com 815-646-4672].

Let this be your invitation to do this -- either to just participate personally and or do some of the above.  I'll just wait and see if I get any response from you.  I will be the first. I  commit myself to one minute a day to pray for peace.  I started yesterday, and found to my surprise one minute was not enough; I continued to pray for five minutes.

Peacemaking continues in Colombia.  I recently got a letter from a fellow CPT trainee who is in Colombia, saying that things are calm in the Opon.  There are only 4 CPTer's there now because others can't get visas. There has not been much activity by armed groups in the last two weeks, something I praise the Lord for. He also said he would appreciate it when I could come to help; this makes me want to go. As of now I have no specific plans to go to Colombia.

I am planning to go to Valle Nuevo, El Salvador, our sister community, from March 15-March 23.  I have also been encouraged to consider going to Valle Nuevo during the month of June, to help them work on some difficulties.

 My sense is that the war makers have an uphill battle; I think war can be averted and an important part of that is our acting and praying for peace.               
 
3/2/03, just finished the Dialog, only 11 people come,but it still was real worth while, had some good  discussion and made a plan of action to gather together support for putting an ad for peace in the local paper. The participants felt the situation is so serious they decided to gather again next week, for dialog and follow up on the action.

Just a quick note that Gary Dean and Neil Horning have decided to take on managing the farm here.They have ask me to consider running the  Ready Pick part of the Strawberry sales, and I am considering that depending on what develops as far as peacemaking work.

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