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From Steeple Notes, November 19, 2006
 For seven years I had the privilege of serving on the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, one of the international agencies of our church. It was a joy to literally travel the world on behalf of the church (although I did get tired of 125 nights a year in hotels!).
While I was traveling across the country and around the world, I would keep my eyes open for a simple, yet very familiar symbol. Yes, I would look for the United Methodist "cross and flame" and I always looked for the closest Starbucks, but there was another symbol which had great meaning for me. I found one in London and I spotted one on the Mount of Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee. I could take you to see one in Florida, New York or Oregon. I helped place one on the mountain overlooking the campus of Africa University in Zimbabwe. From North Carolina to Texas and back, wherever I went, I watched for them. In Dexter, Michigan we actually got the city to designate a small park for the purpose and planted one there. You can see one up the street at Quarton School and in the Nelson's backyard. Now we have one on our campus, just outside the Pleasant Street entrance. It's the simple witness to the prayer of the world, the "peace pole," with its simple message, "May Peace Prevail on Earth." For those of us who went to Lithuania last year, the peace pole in the midst of the thousands of crosses covering the "Hill of Crosses" was an incredible site.
Our pole has the message in four languages, representing parts of the world where we have mission connections: Czech, representing our sister congregation and mission site in Prague; Spanish, connecting with our work in Costa Rica and Chile; Swahili, from the continent of Africa and our links with missionary Beatrice Gbanga in Liberia, the medical mission in Zambia and the upcoming youth mission trip to Ghana. The fourth language, of course, is English. On Sunday, November 19 we will be dedicating our peace pole between worship services. I hope you will be present to share in this special moment as we witness to our commitment to peace around the world. We give thanks to James (Jake) Craig, who used this as part of his Eagle Scout project, and to the Church and Society Ministry for the planning.
Jack Harnish |
