Peace, Shalom, Salaam

So, at our church, this seems to be the year of peace...

At the beginning of summer, our children's Sunday School classes began making Peace Cranes - origami birds that we are hanging in our hallway. Apparently, there's a story behind this (http://www.sadako.org/sadakostory.htm). Over the past three months, the children (with some adult help) completed 1,004 cranes:
















Here's the first one Rachel (my 5-year-old) folded:















So - now our United Methodist Women are studying the book Shalom, Salaam, Peace which is about the three religions that come from Abraham...






So - what about peace? Elvis Costello asked:

(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?

Elvis Costello

As I walk through

This wicked world

Searchin' for light in the darkness of insanity.

I ask myself

Is all hope lost?

Is there only pain and hatred, and misery?

And each time I feel like this inside,

There's one thing I wanna know:

What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh

What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

And as I walked on

Through troubled times

My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes

So where are the strongAnd who are the trusted?

And where is the harmony?

Sweet harmony.

'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry.

What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh

What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

So where are the strong?

And who are the trusted?

And where is the harmony?

Sweet harmony.

'Cause each time I feel it slippin' away, just makes me wanna cry.

What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh

What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding? Ohhhh

What's so funny 'bout peace love & understanding?

So - it's the year of peace here... Can we all just get along? Dunno...