The Call To Serve

Dear Friends,

What a remarkable week we have just been part of! Participating in Monday’s day of service all over Missoula, standing in Caras Park to commemorate Martin Luther King, jr, hearing the voices of Amy Martin’s Coyote Choir and the words of this year’s young winners in the MLK essay contest, remembering the words of Dr. King, Abraham Lincoln and others, and finally witnessing the hopeful, historic inauguration of Barack Obama, it was easy to believe that the ground beneath us has indeed shifted. Now, we must continue to shift with it. This week is a lesson in faith- a lesson that no matter how discouraged we become or how distant the goal seems, we must hold fast to it and take whatever tiny steps we can to make it real. The ability to shift and transform the world is within each of us – we only have to draw on it. We can all speak truth to power. We can all reach across the aisle and invite our opponents to dinner. We all have valuable perspectives to share in the world. And we can all answer the call to serve. Our work continues – letters, petitions, rallies, important conversations about the issues in our world – but it continues with the faith and knowledge that we will be heard, that change is possible. With that faith, we can open our hearts to hear the perspectives of others. Let’s each make the personal commitment to ensure that something really worthwhile comes out of this week. As always, I want to know your ideas on how JRPC can support you. You can email me at peace@jrpc.org, stop in for a visit, respond on our blog (http://jrpc.org/about_jrpc/blog.html) or join us on Facebook and/or Myspace. Let’s keep this dialogue going! With hope and faith, Betsy

Join the Rankin File!

Dear friends of JRPC,

As the JRPC Coordinating Council reviews 2008 and looks toward 2009, we naturally are concerned about our financial picture in light of the national economic problems.  We again thank all members and donors for your membership and donations and ask you to please commit to continuing to support our local resource for peace, justice and sustainability.  I especially thank my fellow Rankin File members, as these monthly donations provide a steady source of funds we can count on.  Personally, I find automatic monthly donations, whether to JRPC or other worthy organizations, are convenient and rewarding in many ways.  I don’t have to wonder if I gave the last time the “opportunity to give” came in the mail; in fact there are fewer appeals in the mail and I like knowing no time, money, or resources are wasted sending me membership renewal reminders.  Automatic credit card or bank debit happens painlessly every month, and every month when I see it on my credit card bill I have that nice feeling of having given, rather than a guilty feeling of setting an appeal aside for later.

You can become a Rankin File member for any monthly donation of $5 or more.  Please consider it, fill out the envelope that came with your last regular mail newsletter, or give Betsy a call at 543-3955.  We’ll all thank you!

And please do all you can to convince our government to use non-partisan diplomacy to bring about an end to the terrible violence in Gaza that has cost over 300 children their lives.  See numerous opportunities for action in this week’s newsletter.

Ethel MacDonald, JRPC CC member

Coordinating Council Positions

Dear Friends,

Again I am sending this out early this week as I will be out of town.  I have been invited to sit on a panel screening the new film about Jeannette Rankin at the Smithsonian Institute on Saturday, so of course I said yes!  It is part of the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibit “Women of our Time” which features women who have challenged and changed America.  We hope to get the film to Missoula later, but meanwhile, you can find out more about it at www.asinglewomanmovie.com.

The JRPC Coordinating Council is very sad to say goodbye to two of our members, Barbara Berens and Kim Wishcamper.  Both are moving on to pursue other interests in their busy lives.  Barbara stays active in the local, political scene, and you can visit Kim at her new store, Abode Natural Home Furnishings on Main Street. Both have given many hours and much talent to our efforts over the years, and we thank them.  Meanwhile, we are left with some vacancies to fill on the Coordinating Council.  Perhaps those openings are calling to you or someone you know! We are planning a reception to meet and greet potential new Council members and others interested in learning more about JRPC on Wednesday, February 18 at JRPC.  You know, Jeannette Rankin would never have changed America if she didn’t say yes to the opportunity to serve.  So mark your calendars and send us your name or the names of nominees you’d like to see on the council and we’ll issue an invitation.  It might be just the thing you’re looking for to get more involved in this year.

Looking forward to meeting you,

Betsy

The Light of Peace around the World

Dear fellow peace-seekers,

I know you must share my sadness for the people of Gaza and Israel as violence breeds more violence in the Middle-East.  It is ironic to think of celebrating a new year here in Missoula, with much anticipation for a brighter future, when people in many parts of the world have no bright future.  2009 is the last year in the United Nations 2000-2010 Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World.  In so many ways, it seems we are short on time to turn things around, and the task looms large.  How ironic that many recently celebrated the birth of Jesus and yet we cannot find a way to live by his mandate to “love our enemies”.  It seems so logical that the religions quoted above should connect us, but instead we find divisions.  There are many action items [in this week's newsletter], which I hope you will look at.  I also hope you will keep in mind that the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, like all conflicts, has 2 sides and good and bad are often blurred to gray.  I invite you to light a luminaria in Caras Park tonight in hope for the people on both sides in all conflicts to see the light of peace and follow it.  And join us in the peace park tomorrow to recommit yourselves to that work.  Let us hope that 2009 will indeed realize progress toward a brighter future for the children of the world.

In hope and light,

Betsy