Summer Peace Camp Memories

Seekers and Little Friends for Peace held a one day Peace Camp at the church this summer. The simple notion that the way to bring peace to the world is to teach the lessons that Jesus taught us to our children was our starting point.

At the heart of the scattered churches of Church of the Saviour, as it is at Seekers Church, is the commitment to put an end to all violence and war, personal, local and global.  One place within Seekers where this intentionality is held is in the Eyes to See, Ears to Hear mission group. The group’s name derives from a sermon by Pat Conover calling Seekers to open their eyes and ears and not give into the overwhelmingness of God’s call on our lives to be the Body of Christ.   

The simple notion that the way to bring peace to the world is to teach the lessons that Jesus taught us to our children was our starting point. We consulted with and employed Mary Jane and Jerry Parks and their wonderful organization Little Friends for Peace in order to offer a one day Peace Camp to children ages 3-11.  This camp was a wonderful opportunity for the attending children to learn peace through activities that included art projects, cooperative games, storytelling and more, and it served as a training ground for Eyes to See, Ears to Hear to put together a tool box of tools and skills to grow this idea into something more.

Seekers own children participated as well as kids from the Takoma Park neighborhood.  A number of the children from Silver Spring Interfaith Housing Coalition’s transitional housing families came to camp.  The invitation was also extended to The Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington, Christ Congregational Church, St. Camillus Church, Takoma Park Presbyterian Church and others.