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Objecting to paying for warCanadian war resisters may not currently face the militarydraft, but most are faced with taxes. Some have chosen to withholdthe portion of their income tax allotted to military spending—about 9 percent of total federal spending. This is a very relevantway that we as Canadians can be involved in this issue.“As a follower of Jesus, I try to live by His commandment to ‘LoveOur Enemies.’ ... I find it highly inconsistent to pray for peace andpay for war. I would gladly pay for actions and activities that leadto peace and encourage the government to provide an alternativefor conscientious objectors to war.” —Benno Barg“...I strongly protest use of any portion of it [my taxes] for militarypurposes. Such use, in effect, conscripts my funds. During the 1939- 1945 war I was granted status as a conscientious objector andallowed to go to China to engage in relief work. In years past Iwithheld the military portion of tax and deposited it withConscience Canada in the confidence that the government wouldrespect my right not to participate in military operations in thisway. Since no provision has yet been made and the withheld portionwas collected with interest, I am simply withholding ten dollars(a token amount) to make you aware that I still object to supportof the military on grounds of conscience.”—Edwin V. AbbottFor more information, including direction on how to write to yourMember of Parliament see www.consciencecanada.caIn July 2006, a new resolution was passed at the MennoniteChurch Canada’s Assembly in Edmonton. The resolution statedthat as Canada’s military was moving from away from peacekeepingtowards direct military interventions, as military spending wasincreasing significantly and as this is paid for by Canadian taxpayers,the General Board should communicate with the federalgovernment to advocate for a way to redirect the military portionof taxes to peaceful purposes.Poppies andpeace buttonsI did not put on my MCC“To Remember is to Workfor Peace” button lastNovember as I usually do instead ofthe Remembrance Day poppy. Why? Ifeared others would misunderstand myreplacing the poppy as a rejection ofthe sacrifice of the soldiers. It could bea barrier rather than an invitation tocommunication. Of course I still rejectviolence and war as means of resolvingconflict or of stopping a raging dictator.I fervently disagree that war was “theonly way,” or “necessary for our freedom,”and also with Christian just-warconstructs. At the same time I don’twant to minimize the sacrifice of thesoldiers nor the pain of their permanentabsence. I don’t want to reject the genuineintentions of society to honourthose who ostensibly gave their lives forothers.I realize that not all who wear thepoppy are warmongers. Wearing it hasdifferent meanings, some of which Ihave little problem with. For example,for over 80 years, The Royal CanadianLegion has been selling the paperflowers to help needy ex-servicemenand their families. Providing for folksin need, it seems to me, is a worthyproject.I have come to see that most of usshare the same goals—a peace-filledlife, society, and world. Dialoguingabout how to move toward that, ismore useful than sloganizing or tryingto shout louder than the other side.This year I may wear both the buttonand the poppy.—Tim Schmucker, MCC OntarioStories and reflections16
Worshipping theGod of PeaceBelow are several elements you canput together in a service that suitsyour congregation’s style of worship.Planting the themeCO’s plantingtrees on VancouverIsland, BC, aftersnags have beencut down. MHCPhoto Collection.Ploughshare. Create a visual display at the front ofthe church, including a branch or live plant (to represent an olive branch), an oil lamp anda hoe or other gardening tool. An alternative would be to have an initial display with asword/gun, a pot with dry soil, an unlit candle and some barbed wire, then as the congregationwatches, or as the theme is introduced, each item could be replaced with thoseabove.Trees have always been used to represent genealogies. Since our spiritual heritage(our roots) as peace churches includes those who have faced the choice of beingconscientious objectors, and since God’s vision of rootedness and righteousness isalso so aptly represented by a tree (see Jeremiah 17, Psalm 1), this could be aninspiring metaphor for a worship service. One option might be to begin the servicewith a poster of a tree with no leaves, then to gradually add leaves as the serviceprogresses and each story is told.Lamp. Another focus might be to stress the image that comes from our call to be lights inthe world (Matthew 5:14). In fact, some churches already light oil lamps to remember topray for peace in a broken world. If there are enough lamps, several could be lit at differentpoints in the service, or as each story is told.Slide show. Sometimes a visual message stays with people for a longer timethan many words. If your church has the capability of using a slide show, MCCCanada Peace Ministries offers a free download of the Powerpoint presentation“Peace is a choice.” (mcc.org/canada/peace/resources/other). The slide show couldbe used as a call to worship, in closing the service, or as a children’s story.Telling Stories. This packet contains some war resistance stories and ideas, but ifyou could glean some from within the congregation that would take on special meaning.You might use Peace Sunday as an opportunity to search out and invite the congregationto share their experiences and to use the gifts of the storytellers among you. The appendixhas some suggested interview questions.Several stories can be used to complement the sermon, or can be told or read at differentpoints in the service.The sample story of the “Hutterites in Alcatraz” in the Appendix is one example of howstories, songs and scripture might be joined in a presentation.17 Resources for worship
Page 1 and 2: Cultivating Peace:Courage, Conscien
Page 5 and 6: Cultivating Peace:Courage, Conscien
Page 8 and 9: FridayA different way of lifePut yo
Page 10 and 11: On becoming a COHow does one learn
Page 12 and 13: swords into ploughshares. Is.2:4Str
Page 14 and 15: Committed even unto death:the story
Page 16 and 17: Public witness for peaceToday there
Page 20 and 21: Our task is not only to keep our so
Page 22 and 23: Litany of ResistanceJim Loney, who
Page 24 and 25: Mennonite Church ManitobaTo listen
Page 26 and 27: Love your enemies. Mt 5:44More Old
Page 28 and 29: Digging deeperThese reflections on
Page 30 and 31: inevitable, the last and often firs
Page 32 and 33: Learning in ActionCO RegistryA numb
Page 34 and 35: Peacemakerswho sow inpeace raise ah
Page 36 and 37: The Powers That Be: Theology for a
Page 38 and 39: AppendixSample sermonBlessed Are th
Page 40 and 41: Readers’ theatreO Bind Us in That
Page 42 and 43: Voice 3: Blessed are those who trus
Page 44 and 45: How did the church/family react to
Page 46 and 47: pious answers, and sitting back to
Page 48 and 49: “Our beards,” Joseph interjects
Page 50: Peacemakerswho sow inpeace raise ah

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