Work for Peace in the World
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8”
Christ called his followers to be peacemakers and justice seekers. At FPC Durham we pursue this call. We seek to build understanding and connection through Interfaith Dialogue, and through our support of the Presbyterian Church’s Peacemaking Offering.
Presbyterian Peace and Global Witness
The PC(USA) Peace & Global Witness Offering is received during the Season of Peace, which ends on World Communion Sunday, the first Sunday in October. Fifty percent of the offering is used by the Presbyterian Mission Agency to advocate for peace and justice in cultures of violence, including our own, through collaborative projects of education and Christian witness. Twenty-five percent is allocated by New Hope Presbytery for ministries of peace and reconciliation. The remaining twenty-five percent is allocated by First Presbyterian.
In 2017, that portion was allocated for RECONCILE International in South Sudan. Created by the New Sudan Council of Churches, RECONCILE seeks to bring peace and healing to communities broken and hurting from decades of war. Shelvis and Nancy Smith-Mather, ordained PC(USA) ministers from the Atlanta area, are mission co-workers in South Sudan. Nancy writes, “Our South Sudanese partners are incredible in their perseverance, faith and courage. With Christ’s power, they are helping people heal, reconcile and become peacemakers”. (Read more about Shelvis and Nancy Smith-Mather)