Resources from DHM

Some resources stand out in the minds of DHM staff as being especially appropriate for our uncertain times. We share a few of those with you here.

Peace Sunday materials for use any time

As you continue to focus on issues of peace in your Sunday worship services, the Peace Sunday packet offers helpful resources. While it was written for the 2nd Sunday in Advent, most of the resources can be used any time during the year.

The children's moment, songs and liturgies in the packet can all be adapted to any style of worship service. Get you packet today online here.

DHM's anti-violence packet

Disciples Home Missions has updated its anti-violence packet and now is available to congregations and individuals. The packet, Beyond Violence: Faithful Living, includes resources and references which will be useful to those who are committed to work for justice and peace. Topics in the packet include:

• stopping hate violence;
• family violence;
• the violence of war;
• and helping children and youth deal with their fears.

The packet offers suggestions on how the community, governmental agencies, children and youth, and adults can move toward an end to violence. Hands on projects such as distribution of a poster listing hotline numbers for victims of domestic abuse and a prayer written by Richard Hamm for victims of violence are two items included.

This packet is one tool which connects the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) with the World Council of Churches' 2001-2010 Decade to Overcome Violence. Cost of the packet is $5 each; order online or by sending a check made payable to Disciples Home Missions, your name and address to DHM, P.O. Box 1986, Indianapolis, IN 46206.

Conscientious Objectors

How many of us know young men in our families or church youth groups who are almost old enough to be drafted into military service? As the war against terrorism continues, the routine task of registering for the Selective Service takes on new significance.

For young Disciples men faced with the moral dilema of war, DHM has updated its conscientious objector packet, which will take you step by step through the process. It includes a statement on the denomination's historical stance in support of COs, one Disciple's story of his experience as a CO, how to establish a file through the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Web site references and other helpful information.

The C.O. Packet is for youth, parents, ministers, youth workers and anyone who counsels youth on important decisions about their future and the significance of those decisions. Cost of the packet is free; order online or by calling (888) 346-2631.

You can visit the official Web site of the Selective Service, www4.sss.gov, which has information on CO status. In it you'll find that one can make a case for CO status after being drafted.

Definition of CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS
"Men who would be classified as Conscientious Objectors if they were drafted must also register with Selective Service. If a draft begins and they are called, they would have the opportunity to file a claim for exemption from military service based upon their religious or moral objection to war."

Yet according to a campus minister, making the case could be tricky:

"I am concerned that little if anything is done to advise young men of the option of conscientious objection should they be "called up for service."

The information on conscientious objection is included, but I don't see any encouragement for men to start documenting their beliefs at an early stage. My experience during the Viet Nam War was that many men applying for CO status were pressed to document a long history of objection to serving on moral or religious grounds. Thus, with President Bush "declaring war" on terrorism, it might behoove men, college students and others, to give very serious thought to their personal feelings and beliefs concerning killing another person in war."

Southern Poverty Law Center

How about these resources from Southern Poverty Law Center. They are free to teachers, administrators and counselors. They may be ordered from : Teaching Tolerance, 400 Washington Ave.; Montgomery, Ala., 36104 or www.splcenter.org.

Teaching Tolerance is a magazine produced twice a year. It profiles K-12 educators, schools and programs promoting diversity and equity in inspirational and replicable ways.

Starting Small is a curriculum kit for pre-K through 3rd grades with the film "Starting Small" and a 250 page companion text. In chapters written by educators from around the country, ideas and experiences are shared about ways to help children learn to care about every person's feelings, beliefs and welfare. These resources are adaptable for easy use within the faith community. The ideas can serve as a basis for conduct of those who would lead in your Church School programs with children and youth.

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