Dear friends,
One of the Fruit of the Spirit campers learned about this summer was peace. We heard the story of a storm churning up the sea where Jesus and his disciples were in a boat. Jesus was sleeping but the disciples were afraid. They woke Jesus up in fear, and with one word, "Peace," he calmed the sea.
The world right now feels like a storm. The conflict in Israel and Palestine breaks our hearts, the war in Ukraine stretches on, and earthquakes in Afghanistan add devastation to devastation. Closer to home, we are watching the trial of the young man who killed a Muslim family in London, recognizing that hate happens everywhere.
In the midst of the storm, it can be difficult to know what to do and easy to lament the lack of peace. But peace happens when we are peaceful, and we do not let the storm overwhelm us. The world needs us to practice peace so that peace will become a possibility. We are not helpless, we can contribute in tangible ways. Pray for peace, donate when possible (Presbyterian World Service and Development is the place we donate), stand up against Islamophobia and anti-Semitism, and find a way to make your neighbourhood more peaceful.
Peace, Theresa McDonald-Lee & Johnathon Lee