Serve, Work and Transform: Violence in Afghanistan is not inevitable

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

Violence in Afghanistan is not inevitable

Violence in Afghanistan not inevitable

In recent days we have watched the horrors unfold on the ground in Afghanistan as the United States extricates itself from two decades of imperial occupation and war.

The crisis in Afghanistan right now is only inevitable (as President Biden has said it is) if we think war is inevitable.

Read our full statement on Afghanistan.

Our call to action within the PPF network is two-fold:

To respond to the humanitarian crises unfolding now and
To work to prevent the next war

If you are a pastor with veterans in your congregation, you may find this resource helpful as you care for those who may be experiencing moral injury.

Tribute to Tom Driver

Tomorrow, Wednesday, September 1, 2021 at 8pm ET we will gather virtually for the annual Barstow Driver Award Celebration.

We will honor Cheryl and Doug Hunt for their work on gun violence and with our accompaniment program, and hear from Keynote Speaker, Kathryn Fleisher, Executive Director of Not My Generation. We will also pay a special tribute to Tom Driver as we mourn his passing this year.

This celebration is an important fundraiser for the Presbyterian Peace Fellowship and we will be sharing the proceeds tomorrow night with the gun violence prevention group: Not My Generation.

Even if you are not able to join us, please consider a donation today.

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NRA cancels, faith leaders disarm

Last week the NRA cancelled their plans to meet in Houston for their annual convention to mark 150 years of their existence.

The faith community will still be taking action. Shane Claiborne of Red Letter Christians, Mike Martin of RAWtools, Bishop Mark Beckwith of Episcopal Bishops United Against Gun Violence, and our own Rev. Deanna Hollas will be in Houston Sept 4 and 5 to organize and equip Texans to end gun violence.

This group will be gathering to disarm guns, if you have unwanted guns to surrender or want to learn how to safely and legally disarm guns you can join them on Saturday, Sept 4 at the Houston Mennonite Church at 1231 Wirt Rd, Houston, TX 77055.

Check out the weekend's schedule in Houston. Deanna will broadcast live from Houston on Sept. 4 and 5. Stay tuned to our facebook page to watch!

This moment a crisis point in Colombian peace process

As PPFers return home from Colombia we are reflecting on this particular moment in the peace process as so many identified it as a crisis point.

Rev. Diego Higuita, the Secretary General of the IPC, said to us that this moment feels as though we are either moving into a future of peace or a past of war. Our partners in the Iglesia Presbyteriana de Colombia have said our presence is vital for supporting their peace work.

Join us by registering for a full debrief: Sept 8 at 7:00pm ET.

While in Colombia this time we visited three communities of FARC ex-combatants and it was clear that they remain fully committed to peace, and yet the government is not fulfilling their agreements. You can read more about those visits on our blog.

We are continuing to explore what accompaniment looks like in this era, and we are excited to share more with you as we return home.