Posts in the ‘Pathways Blog’ Category

“I fully believe in my heart and in my head, that one of the best contributions that our Methodist church can do to a culture that is increasingly partisan and polarized is to model what unity of mission and diversity of expression looks like.” – Rev. Jeremy Smith

Watch a full unedited video of a public conversation on September 6th, 2011 moderated by Krista Tippett and featuring New Yorker’s Hendrik Hertzberg, journalist and novelist Pankaj Mishra, and theologian Serene Jones as they remember forward as we enter the 2nd post-9/11 decade.

Howard Zehr shows us a better way, one that seeks to repair and restore victims, offenders, and the people around them. If you can’t come to meet him personally, pick up one of his little books and look through his lens at a very different and I believe a much better world.

Bishop Hope Morgan Ward: On Sunday, let us acknowledge the painful memories of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the continuing grief of families directly affected, the on-going need for healing in our communities, and the clear call of Christ to be peacemakers and thereby children of God.

UMC.org has put together a special website (www.umc.org/911) to provide stories, worship resources, prayers, videos, and other useful links related to the upcoming 10th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the U.S.

The concept of restorative justice means giving back to the community you’ve hurt. Some prisoners have found a way to support children who have even less than they do. And volunteers believe this program will help inmates feel pride and avoid a return to prison.

On the 10th anniversary of 9/11, Link TV is devoted an entire day of special programming showcasing stories of forgiveness, growth and transformation including Beyond Belief and In Our Son’s Name.

We follow the process and go where the parties need to go. This might mean helping a young man save face after he refused to answer a question by creatively finding another way of asking it.

Emily Willie, seminary student at Boston University School of Theology and summer intern with JustPeace, delivered this message at a chapel service in D.C. on August 3rd. She talks about creativity, naming harm, truth-telling, James Brown, and the need to get creative in order to honor ourselves and our relationships.

Rev. Ken Carter, District Superintendent of the Waynesville District in North Carolina, recently led a study of “The Journey: Forgiveness, Reconciliation, and Restorative Justice” at the Western North Carolina United Methodist Women’s School of Christian Mission. He reflected on the experience on his blog.