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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Keith Swartzendruber Anabaptist Peace Center Washington DC Home: 1607 S 10th St Arlington, VA 22204 Phone: 202-253-0544 Email: Joe Roos Pastor, Hyattsville Mennonite Church Chair, Board of Directors, APCWDC 4217 East West Highway Hyattsville, MD 20782 Phone: 301-927-7327 Email: New Anabaptist Peace Center Envisioned for Washington, DCHarpers Ferry, WV – April 18, 2004 – 17 peacemakers met April 16-18 at Rolling Ridge Retreat Center in the West Virginia mountains to plant a seed that they hope will grow into a new peace center in Washington, DC. According to Joe Roos, pastor of Hyattsville Mennonite Church and chair of the peace center board: “The mission of the new Anabaptist Peace Center Washington DC (APCWDC) is to engage in education, action, and ecumenical cooperation in order to encourage and assist both church and society to put into practices Jesus’ call to peace and justice.” Other members of the inaugural Board of Directors for APCWDC include Vice Chair Ruth Hoover Zimmerman, Secretary-Treasurer Marty Shupack, J R Burkholder, Lawrence Hart, Susan Mark Landis, Addie Banks, Ed Hall, Pearl Hoover, Sang Jin Choi, David Evans, Marcus Smucker, and Jose Ortiz. APCWDC was born out of a dream first articulated by Mel Schmidt in 1994, while he was pastor at Hyattsville (MD) Mennonite Church. Over the past two years about twenty other people from DC area Mennonite churches have caught hold of Mel’s dream and worked to bring it to fruition. APCWDC ‘s work will be multifaceted, engaging in theological reflection on issues of peace and justice, nonviolent action and advocacy on public policy, local service opportunities, and work to bring understanding, healing and reconciliation where conflict and division exists in church and society. This will help encourage Mennonite and Brethren in Christ churches to strengthen and demonstrate their commitment to an Anabaptist witness of peace and justice. Additionally, APCWDC will strive to work in tandem with other churches, partner organizations, and policymakers in common pursuit of peace and justice. For more information about APCWDC, visit apcwdc.mennonite.net or contact Keith Swartzendruber at or Joe Roos at 301-927-7327. |
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