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Following Jesus in nonviolent struggle for justice and peace, we love our neighbors and enemies as God loves us all, becoming a peace church to share in Gods work to save the world.

Christian Peacemaker Teams

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    At the fall meeting of the CPT Steering Committee Nov.8-10, action was taken to renew the terms of co-directors Doug Pritchard (Program, Toronto office) and Carol Rose (Operations, Chicago office).   Strong appreciation for their leadership was expressed by the Steering Committee, citing especially their hard work and wisdom during the Iraq hostage crisis in 2005-06 in which four CPTers were held captive nearly 4 months, and Tom Fox ultimately killed.

   I represented ECAPC at the meeting, which was attended by 18 committee members and five staff/support team persons, in Osler, Saskatchewan. ECAPC is one of eight organizations and churches with representatives on the steering committee. There are five members-at-large.

   CPTs mission statement describes the organization:
   "Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) offers an organized, nonviolent alternative to war and other forms of lethal inter-group conflict. ... CPT seeks to enlist the response of the whole church in conscientious objection to war, and in the development of nonviolent institutions, skills and training for intervention in conflict situations.

   The nine-month financial report showed CPT’s income slightly below last year’s but good, and expenses as anticipated. CPT’s fund balances at this time are strong, and the directors were urged to fill support team/staff vacancies and increase staff time for recruiting and training CPTers.

   Currently there are 33 member of the full- time CPT Corps. These persons have signed on for a 3 year term after training. There are 156 Reserve Corps members. They also have graduated from the 4-week training program of CPT, and give 4-6 weeks of time to CPT work each year.   Since it’s start in 1987 CPT has had 1040 short-term (10-14 day) delegates, and 440 corps members.

   CPT currently has teams doing nonviolent work in Colombia, (Northern) Iraq, and Palestine, with continuing connections and supportive relationships in the Arizona/Mexico borderlands and First Nation lands in Ontario.

   Four years ago discussion began on vision for developing an international structure for CPT, with strong regional or national support organizations.   This discussion was carried further at the meeting, with focus on development first of a Canadian structure.

   The challenges of addressing racism and sexism within the total CPT organization was discussed at length.   A new support team person, Sylvia Morrison, Undoing Racism Coordinator, outlined her work plan to the steering committee.

   Other business at the meeting included discussion of new documents signed by volunteers addressing danger and liability issues in situations of conflict, including threat of kidnapping, noting the many individuals making their first CPT contact at the recent Toronto Christian Peacemaker Congress, and information on recent and planned visits to Uganda.

   Members of the ECPAC network are encouraged to learn more about CPT, especially delegations which are planned for the coming year, including missions to Palestine/Israel, Colombia and the Philippines. Trainings are scheduled for July and December 2008. More information is online at http://www.cpt.org.

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