Everyday Peacemaking

The Practice of “Yes, and:” Embracing Resurrection Life Everywhere

In this episode, Osheta and Jer explore hope and its paramount importance in Everyday Peacemaking, inspired by this season of Eastertide. They delve into how hope, seen as both a skill and a practice, is essential in looking for and participating in ‘little resurrections’ amidst life’s challenges and divisions. Through personal stories, they illustrate the power of adopting a ‘Yes, and...’ posture, which acknowledges difficulties while remaining open to the ever-present possibility of resurrection breaking forth in daily life. The conversation culminates with a call to embrace the ‘resurrection impulse’ as Everyday Peacemakers, seeking out and nurturing moments of new life and hope in both the mundane and the monumental.

00:40 Reflecting on Eastertide
08:04 Little resurrections
09:57 Story of counter-protestors
22:04 Community and interior formation
27:03 Moving closer
31:11 Low stakes moments
32:55 Closing Invitation

 

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

[Virtual Immersion] Facing Despair, Fear, and Anger Together - Mercy Aiken and Bruce Fisk

Our next Virtual Immersion conversation into the Israel/Gaza war wrestles with what to do as peacemakers when we drift into despair, give in to fear, or move in our anger from righteous indignation to dehumanizing rage. Jer Swigart is joined by Mercy Aiken and Bruce Fisk from the Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East (NEME), who are navigating these realities while fighting like peacemakers for an end to this suffering.

The discussion is anchored in their personal stories of awakening to the injustices and complexities of the crisis, centered on the transition from being pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian to adopting a pro-human perspective.

The conversation delves into the costs of taking such a stance, highlighting the personal, professional, and emotional tolls and the importance of solidarity and relationship-building in pursuing peace. The dialogue shifts to confronting feelings of despair, the challenges of maintaining hope, and the complexities of managing anger without dehumanizing the other, all towards growing our resilience and deepening our souls for sustained practice.

00:00 Opening Context
06:53 Mercy and Bruce Introductions
09:57 Waking up to a Larger Story
20:29 Pro-human is not neutral
22:39 The high cost of leaving a Pro-Israel Christianity
32:18 Despair, Fear, and Anger
40:58 What to do with despair
46:10 Anger


The Virtual Immersion is a series of conversations to platform and amplify the experiences and insights of our Palestinian and Israeli friends and peacemaking partners. The live conversations first take place on Instagram Live @globalimmerse, and are then made available as podcast episodes. These are vulnerable, challenging conversations with peacemakers embedded within this war's trenches.

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Learn more about NEME's work: neme.network

[Virtual Immersion] Peacemaking with Palestinian Youth - Mahmoud Subuh

This powerful next conversation in our Virtual Immersion series is with Mahmoud Subuh, a Palestinian Muslim Peacemaker waging peace in the midst of the Balata refugee camp in the West Bank, currently under complete siege. Mahmoud shares openly about the immense challenges of both raising his own kids as well as working with Palestinian youth amidst the heightened tensions and trauma caused by living in one of the most densely populated and heavily fortified refugee camps. He discusses his efforts to guide them toward healing, advocating for reconciliation over revenge. This conversation grapples candidly with the question: Is it possible to cultivate the next generation of peacemakers in an environment overshadowed by violence?

The Virtual Immersion is a series of conversations to platform and amplify the experiences and insights of our Palestinian and Israeli friends and peacemaking partners. The live conversations first take place on Instagram Live @globalimmerse, and are then made available as podcast episodes. These are vulnerable, challenging conversations with peacemakers embedded within this war's trenches.

Support our work at globalimmerse.org/donate

From Gumbo to Gratitude: A Peacemaking Journey at the Table

Jer and Osheta discuss the table as a vital tool in mending divides. Osheta sets the stage with a poignant tale of gumbo-making that fostered connection, empathy, and a sense of belonging to one another. The duo unpacks practical strategies, emphasizing the essence of simplicity in hosting, the significance of thoughtful recipe choices, and the role of pacing for restorative conversations. They extend an invitation for listeners to participate in Maundy Thursday by hosting an intentional meal and proposing a meaningful red beans and rice recipe out of solidarity with our global kin.

03:34 Osheta’s Story
10:18 Maundy Thursday
11:33 Jer Responds
14:27 The Pace at the table
20:45 Recipes
22:59 Red beans and rice
24:58 Jer’s comfort food
28:38 Sending guests out into the world
34:39 Closing

 

Osheta's Red Beans and Rice Recipe: https://bit.ly/oshetasredbeansandrice

Listen to the first episode about the power of the table in everyday peacemaking: globalimmerse.org/blog/powerofthetable/

Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage: globalimmerse.org/blog/gazaceasefirepilgrimages/

CCDA Holy Week Devotional: bit.ly/CCDAGIholyweekdevotional

Learn more about us at globalimmerse.org

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

[In Conversation] The Practice of Lament: Drawing Near to God in a Broken World - with Alejandra Ortiz

Theologian and peacemaker Alejandra Ortiz joins Osheta and Jer for a profound discussion on the practice of lament as central to our formation as Everyday Peacemakers. They explore how lament gives space to grieve the brokenness of the world. Alejandra shares a rich theological perspective illustrated with stories from her personal practice of lament. The conversation illuminates how lament fosters honesty before God, cultivates hope, and deepens our participation in community. The trio delves into lament’s biblical roots, its significance in personal and communal healing, and practical ways to integrate it into everyday life, even amid challenges like maintaining mental health.

 

Ultimately, this episode encourages you to embrace lament as a transformational practice that brings you closer to God, deepens your compassion, and equips you for the realities of Everyday Peacemaking. This episode was recorded live on March 6.

05:54 Define Lament
07:43 How to cultivate space for lament
11:53 Lament as a community practice
16:03 Ideas for practices
20:07 Not a quick fix, but a way to sit in the pain
23:21 Lament and mental health
27:11 Having someone walk with you through lament
30:52 How to start
31:31 If you’re exhausted

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

The Power of the Table in Everyday Peacemaking

In this episode of the Everyday Peacemaking Podcast, hosts Osheta Moore and Jer Swigart discuss the centrality of the table as the most important furniture used in the work of peacemaking. Jer shares an incredible story from his recent trip to the front lines of the conflict in Burma, where a shared meal revealed the belovedness of former enemies. Osheta helps apply Jer’s story to the everyday tables we are a part of, encouraging us to use what we have, lower our expectations, embrace a slower pace, and make room for one another. They also reflect on the role of the interpreter at the table, the person helping heart-level communication happen. The conversation culminates with an invitation to consider what our “other” might need to hear that disarms their walls and makes space for our shared humanity to come forward.

Learn more about us at globalimmerse.org

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

 

Moving Beyond 2024 Resolutions to Radical Self-Reflection

As we step into 2024, Osheta and Jer invite us beyond New Year’s resolutions into a journey of intentional self-reflection. In a year already marked by “anti” sentiments, they aim to shift their focus towards what they aspire to be “for”. Embracing the belovedness of each person, they discuss loving their enemies and the necessary shifts in their lives to better love their neighbors. They emphasize the importance of remaining curious about others and acknowledge the challenge of letting go of relationships and spaces that no longer serve their formation as peacemakers. Join us as we embark on making peacemaking a habit in 2024.

Learn more and participate in the Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages this Lent at gazaceasefirepilgrimage.com

Learn more about us at globalimmerse.org

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Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

[In Conversation] Anger or Love as our Peacemaking Fuel for 2024? - with Ben McBride

Peacemaker Ben McBride joins Jer for this soul-stirring conversation about the interior formation of peacemakers in 2024. With the humanity and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. as a springboard, they grapple with the idea that the social transformation we’re dreaming of will not be realized in our lifetime. They wrestle with the stark contrast of peacemaking work fueled by anger versus animated by love and candidly consider who our “enemy” really is. Finally, Ben gives a prophetic invitation to us all in response to the question: What kind of peacemaker do you want to be in 2024?

Ben's website: benmcbride.com
Purchase Troubling the Water: benmcbride.com/the-book
Follow Ben on Facebook: facebook.com/benjmcbride
Follow Ben on Instagram: instagram.com/officialbenmcbride/

Learn more about us at globalimmerse.org

Support our work: globalimmerse.org/donate

 

Turning Over Tables theme music courtesy of The Brilliance www.thebrilliancemusic.com

 

[Virtual Immersion] Christ in the Rubble - Live from Bethlehem - Munther Isaac

This Advent, while global Christians prepare to commemorate the arrival of the Prince of Peace, our Palestinian kin in Gaza suffer unthinkable violence. Their cries for deliverance, echoing those of two millennia ago, seem to be falling unheard in the United States. To see their pain and hear their cries, US Christians must move beyond information to transformation...from webinar to worship.

On December 23, the special worship gathering "Christ in the Rubble" was live-streamed from Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, featuring this sermon by Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac.  Central to this liturgy of lament is the prophetic message that if Jesus was born today, he would be born "under the rubble."

[Co-organized by Red Letter Christians, Christ at the Checkpoint Conference, Bethlehem Bible College and Churches for Middle East Peace; supported and sponsored by kindred organizations]

[Virtual Immersion] Rabbi David Jaffe

In our ongoing Virtual Immersion series, we engage in a thought-provoking conversation with Rabbi David Jaffe from the Kirva Institute.

Delving into the complex landscape of the Gaza-Israel conflict, we navigate through the lenses of antisemitism, Islamophobia, trauma, and power dynamics. Rabbi Jaffe brings a distinctive perspective to the forefront, shedding light on Jewish self-determination and advocating for a theology of power and sharing the land.

We candidly explore the imperative need for theological transformation within Judaism and Christianity, steering away from doctrines of dominance toward embracing our collective mandate of unprecedented hospitality and sacrificial love. The conversation culminates with the importance of maintaining human connections amid the conflict in order to be part of healing our wounded world.

02:30 October 7th
06:46 current war
15:17 anti-semitism
20:53 resisting binaries
24:54 theology
35:03 word to American Christians

The Virtual Immersion is a series of conversations to platform and amplify the experiences and insights of our Palestinian and Israeli friends and peacemaking partners. The live conversations first take place on Instagram Live @globalimmerse, and are then made available as podcast episodes. These are vulnerable, challenging conversations with peacemakers embedded within this war's trenches.

Learn more about us at globalimmerse.org

Support our work: globalimmerse.org/donate

Learn more about the Kirva Institute at rabbidavidjaffe.com/the-kirva-institute