1994
LPF office moves to Central Lutheran Church in Seattle as Glen
Gersmehl becomes national coordinator.
1995
ELCA closes its Peace Education office shortly after approving
the Peace Statement…. LPF expands its peace education efforts,
averaging over 100 workshops per year through the 1990s on
Bible and Peacemaking, Hunger and Conflict, Christian Nonviolence,
Conflict Transformation and other topics….LPF launches the
Ruth Youngdahl Nelson Youth Scholarship Fund, raising $3500 in
its first year.
1996
LPF’s leadership and resources help Lutherans gather more
petition signatures for a global landmines ban than any other
group in the US. LPF develops a landmines worship resource mailed
to every ELCA pastor and leader. The Campaign to Ban Landmines,
of which LPF is part, receives the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize.
1997
Lutheran Peace Fellowship plays a crucial role in gaining passage
of the Chemical Weapons Treaty by the US Senate…. LPF co-leads
the social justice “trek” at the New Orleans ELCA Youth
Gathering, with 12 interactive programs and LPF’s 120-foot
“Wall of Hope” exhibit of peace and justice movements
throughout history.
1998
12 ELCA synods and several churchwide agencies endorse the Nobel
Decade for Peace, committing to teach nonviolence. In November
the United Nations designates the years 2001 to 2010 “The
International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for
the Children of the World.” LPF leads a study trip to Central
America on the effects of a decade of war in Nicaragua and El
Salvador.
1999
Aid Association for Lutherans awards LPF an Innovations grant
to develop nonviolence resources and workshops…. By year’s
end, the Decade for Peace is endorsed by 31 ELCA synods and the
Churchwide Assembly, making Lutherans the largest Decade supporter
in the US, secular or religious. The ELCA establishes an Inter-Unit
Task Force to coordinate Decade work, issuing a brochure, worship
resources, etc. LPF’s coordinator is one of 24 leaders from
around the world invited to India to help plan the Decade….
We launch an Endowment Fund raising $16,000 in its first year,
as well as our own web site.
2000
In two years, LPF leads 16 day-long and weekend leadership trainings
on nonviolence, as well as over 60 workshops. Participants applaud
the program’s insight and empowerment. We distribute over
100,000 print resources including 900 copies of the From Violence
to Wholeness manual with LPF’s 50-page supplement. ….
ELCA’s Dept. of Schools mails LPF material to 2200 Lutheran
schools.
2001
Kate Reuer, an LVC volunteer, is chosen as LPF’s new full-time
Youth Trainer, greatly expanding LPF work with youth leaders,
students, and youth directors.… Requests for information
and workshops expand four-fold in response to the September 11 tragedy
and “war on terrorism.” LPF’s fall newsletter is
a double issue with comments on the crisis from two dozen Lutheran
leaders and activists.
2002
In late 2001, Wheat Ridge Ministries awards LPF a two-year grant
to continue intensive nonviolence trainings and expand LPF’s
youth work…. Kate Reuer leads workshops and builds connections
with youth leaders at events and conferences in eight states.
LPF launches the “Peace Points” resource series for
youth and family leaders.
2002-03
LPF members around the country express opposition to war
with Iraq by leading forums, writing articles, visiting elected
officials, distributing resources, and participating in vigils,
protests, and civil disobedience. Monica Fisk becomes LPF’s
second Youth Trainer and leads 20 workshops. She co-coordinates
peace activities for all ELCA peace ministries – with LPF’s
“Wall of Hope” as a focus – at the 2003 ELCA Youth
Gathering attended by 40,000 young people and their advisors.
2003
LPF publishes an 8-page Iraq resource in January that is
mailed to 800 synod and churchwide leaders, 1200 pastors, and
over 4000 lay leaders. LPF leaders are interviewed on two dozen
radio and TV programs and publish articles in publications from
The Lutheran and The Journal of Lutheran Ethics to secular newspapers
reaching four million people…. Grace Hanson becomes LPF’s
Youth Trainer and leads two dozen workshops and trainings by mid
2004…. LPF’s computer activity on hunger and development
is included in the largest geography curriculum in the US, slated
to be used in 40,000 classrooms by 2010.
2004
LPF is awarded a matching grant for 2004-06 with a special
focus on expanding LPF’s “Training for Trainers.”
The grant builds on five years of experience offering over 200
leadership workshops and producing dozens of new resources on
peacemaking. For example, LPF publishes a seventh “Peace
Points” resource for youth and family leaders; our interactive
Budget Priorities Game earns rave reviews across the US….
Pat Edrey is LPF’s fourth Youth Trainer, beginning work in
Sept. 2004.
2004
The World Council of Churches Decade to Overcome Violence
focuses on the US. LPF leaders Jean Martensen (DOV co-chair) and
Glen Gersmehl coordinate the development and distribution of a
worship insert used in churches around the world on Sept. 19 for
a new International Day of Prayer for Peace. The Day is launched
by Kofi Anan, UN General Secretary and Dr. Sam Kobia, WCC Gen.
Secretary.
2005
….The ELCA Interunit Decade Task Force lays plans for a training
for trainers on nonviolence to be held in April 2005.
