Anti-Racism Team Will Lead Youth Peace Retreat on September 24-26 

The weekend of Sept. 24-26, On Earth Peace will host a Senior High Youth Peace Retreat at the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md. "Red and Yellow, Black and White: Learning about Racism," will help youth develop skills to identify and dismantle the sin of racism in their lives. The weekend will include time for worship, discussions, and recreation. All high-school aged youth are invited to attend.

The Church of the Brethren Anti Racism Team members will provide leadership for the weekend. The team has been trained and called by the denomination for this ministry, and has previously led training events for the General Board and district conferences. "While it's critical for everyone to be a part of this kind of training, it is especially important for youth," said Torin Eikler, a member of the team. "They seem to see the struggles and pain that institutional racism causes within the church, in their schools, and in the world more easily, as they look at things with a fresh set of eyes." The team also will lead the On Earth Peace board, meeting in New Windsor at the same time, in an all-day training.

"This retreat is a great way for youth and their advisors to engage in the same questions that were raised this summer about our church fulfilling the scriptures, like in Galatians 3:28," said Kim Stuckey, coordinator of Peacemaker Formation for On Earth Peace. The 2004 Annual Conference grappled with the next steps to becoming a multi-cultural, multi-ethnic church.

The retreat will begin 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, and end at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 26. Cost is $50 including housing and meals. To register or for information about scholarships contact Kim Stuckey at On Earth Peace, 410-635-8706 or e-mail kstuckey_oepa@brethren.org. More information and a complete schedule are available on the On Earth Peace website. On Earth Peace is a peace education and action agency rooted in the Church of the Brethren, dedicated to empowering people to see "the things that make for peace" (Luke 19).

Source: Newsline 7/16/2004