Idlewild's Vision of Peace

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. (Matthew 5.9)

PORTALS OF PEACE — beautiful, symbolic works of art in sheer fabric reflecting themes of peace, unity and communion inspired by the creativity of our children — will line the arches of Idlewild’s sanctuary on World Communion and Peacemaking Sunday this fall, opening our worship space experience in graceful and transforming ways.

 

We're Creating a World of Prayers

Peace in the world depends on peace of mind, and peace of mind depends on an awareness that all human beings are members of a single family…  – His Holiness the Dalai Lama

As part of the participatory and inclusive vision for PORTALS OF PEACE, we are asking other faith communities to pray for peace with us on October 5, 2008.

Portals of Peace Prayer Partners

To extend the PORTALS OF PEACE concept beyond our own congregation, we are inviting faith communities, religious assemblies, and prayer or peacemaking groups from around the world to partner with us in praying for peace on Sunday, October 5, 2008.

Each participating community will have its name inscribed in our Prayer Partners Dedication Book and listed on the Idlewild Web site, as a visible and moving testament to our shared vision for global peace and communion.

Letters of invitation for you to use in contacting prospective Prayer Partners are available in the literature rack at the church to print and give to a friend. Online you can print either a PDF or HTML version of the letter:

Click here for a PDF* version of the letter

Click here for an HTML version of the letter

It is important that we have permission from each partner organization to add their name as Prayer Partners, so be sure to ask those you contact to send their agreement back to Idlewild Presbyterian Church by September 29 (or return it to the church office yourself). If you distribute invitations by e-mail, your contacts may send their permission to portalsofpeace@idlewildchurch.org.

 

Join Us in Communion as God's Beloved Family

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. –Colossians 3:14-15

Help Idlewild create a vision of peace and world of prayers that bind us in communion as God’s beloved family by inviting others to pray with us!

 

Portals of Peace Prayer Partners

We are happy to welcome these Prayer Partners who have committed to joining together in praying for peace on Sunday, October 5, 2008.

Advent Presbyterian Church	Cordova, Tennessee
Aiken Presbyterian Church	Aiken, South Carolina
All Saints Episcopal Church	Mobile, Alabama
Asbury District Office of the United Methodist Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Avery Chapel AME Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Balmoral Presbyterian Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Balmoral Presbyterian Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Bartlett Assembly of God	Bartlett, Tennessee
Bethany Grace Church	Chalneakhel, Nepal
Bethany Grace Church	Thankot, Nepal
Bethany Grace Church	Balazu, Nepal
Bethany Grace Church	Kotheshor, Nepal
Bethany Grace Church	Petku, Nepal
Bethany Grace Church	Gorkha, Nepal
Bethany Presbyterian Church	Clinton, South Carolina
Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church	Baltimore, Maryland
Burke Presbyterian Church	Burke, Virginia
Calvary Episcopal Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Cathedral of Immaculate Conception	Memphis, Tennessee
The Cathedral of St. Philip	Atlanta, Georgia
Central Church in Bagdol	Nepal
Chapel of the Cross	Madison, Mississippi
Christian Community Presbyterian Church	Bowie, Maryland
Church of the Holy Spirit	Memphis, Tennessee
Coleman Chapel C.M.E. Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Collegiate Presbyterian Church	Ames, Iowa
Colonial Cumberland Presbyterian Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Columbia Theological Seminary	Decatur, Georgia
Community of Christ	Bartlett, Tennessee
Covenant Presbyterian Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Emmanuel Presbyterian Church	Bedford, Texas
Evergreen Presbyterian Church	Memphis, Tennessee
First Baptist Church of Memphis	Memphis, Tennessee
First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ	West Memphis, Arkansas
First Congregational United Church of Christ	Memphis, Tennessee
First Presbyterian Church	Laurens, South Carolina
First Presbyterian Church	Greer, South Carolina
First Presbyterian Church	Memphis, Tennessee
First Presbyterian Church	Oxford, Mississippi
First Presbyterian Church	Jasper, Texas
First Presbyterian Church	Stillwater, Oklahoma
First Presbyterian Church	Owensboro, Kentucky
Fourth Presbyterian Church	Chicago, Illinois
Fourth Presbyterian Church	Greenville, South Carolina
Frontera de Cristo	Douglas, Arizona
Gardendale Presbyterian Church	Birmingham, Alabama
Glenwood Presbyterian Church	Greensboro, North Carolina
Gospel for Asia College	Kerala, India
Government Street Presbyterian Church	Mobile, Alabama
Grace United Methodist Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Harvey Browne Memorial Presbyterian Church (Mission, Evangelism, Youth Council)	Louisville, Kentucky
Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion, Wesley Theological Seminary	Washington, D.C.
Holy Trinity United Church of Christ	Memphis, Tennessee
Idlewild Presbyterian Church, Spiritual Formation and Prayer ChristCare Group	Memphis, Tennessee
Immanuel Episcopal Church	LaGrange, Tennessee
The Interdenominational Clergy Women Group	Memphis, Tennessee
Lindenwood Christian Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Lyon Campus Ministries, Lyon College	Batesville, Arkansas
Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery	Grahamstown, South Africa
Memphis Christian Recreation Association	Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis Theological Seminary	Memphis, Tennessee
Mid-South Peace and Justice Center	Memphis, Tennessee
Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church	Atlanta, Georgia
The Muslim Society of Memphis	Memphis, Tennessee
Nassau Presbyterian Church	Princeton, New Jersey
New Beginnings Ministries Church of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ	Memphis, Tennessee
New Bethel United Methodist Church	Rossville, Tennessee
Open Baptist Church	Gaborone, Botswana
Our Lady of Perpetual Help	Germantown, Tennessee
Palms Presbyterian Church	Jacksonville, Beach Florida
Pasupahti Nath Hindu Temple	Nepal
Pax Christi Memphis, International Catholic Peace Movement	Memphis, Tennessee
Pleasant Hill United Methodist Church	Olive Branch, Mississippi
The Presbyterian Church of Okemos	Okemos, Michigan
Presbyterian College	Clinton, South Carolina
Presbytery of New Covenant, Staff	Houston, Texas
St. Andrew’s Church of Scotland	Rome, Italy
St. Augustine Catholic Church	Memphis, Tennessee
St. Charles Avenue Presbyterian Church	New Orleans, Louisiana
St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church	Cordova, Tennessee
St. John’s Episcopal Church	Memphis, Tennessee
St. John’s Presbyterian Church	Houston, Texas
St. Luke the Physician Episcopal Church	Gresham, Oregon
St. Patrick Catholic Church	Memphis, Tennessee
St. Peter Catholic Church	Memphis, Tennessee
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church	St. Louis, Missouri
St. Peter’s Episcopal Church	Oxford, Mississippi
St. Timothy United Methodist Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Santiago Community Church	Santiago, Chile
Second Presbyterian Church	Nashville, Tennessee
Second Presbyterian Church	Knoxville, Tennessee
Second Presbyterian Church	Knoxville, Tennessee
Shady Grove Presbyterian Church	Memphis, Tennessee
Soymubu Nath Buddhist Temple	Nepal
Temple Israel	Memphis, Tennessee
Third Presbyterian Church	Rochester, New York
Trinity Presbyterian Church	Elon, North Carolina
University Presbyterian Church	Buffalo, New York
Westminster United Presbyterian Church	Galena, Illinois
Whitehouse Presbyterian Church	Northern Belfast, Ireland
Zion Lutheran Church	Riverside, New Jersey

Would your faith community like to be a Portals of Peace Prayer Partner? If so, click below for a letter of invitation and agreement form. Permission to publish names of these organizations is requested. Please send the agreement by September 29 to Idlewild Presbyterian Church, 1750 Union Ave., Memphis TN 38104 — or simply e-mail the information to portalsofpeace@idlewildchurch.org.

Click here for a PDF* letter of invitation

Click here for an HTML letter of invitation

 

How Idlewild Church Members can be Involved

Many thanks to all the volunteers who are helping to create the beautiful Portals of Peace hangings. The first phase is almost complete, so no more workers are needed right now.

 

Portals of Peace Photos Albums

See how the beautiful Portals of Peace fabric hangings are being created. Click a photo to open that album.

	Childrens drawings of peace inspired the designs Idlewild’s Portals of Peace hangings began with the children. In April, the Reverend Woong Sik "Timothy" Chon, an artist and theologian from Michigan, visited the children's classes and asked each child to draw their image of peace.
	Work begins on the fabric hangings Chon has assisted other churches in the production and reverent use of visual arts to heighten worshipful experience. He helped Idlewild’s liturgical arts team design and begin the hangings, which are in production through June.
	The first hanging is shown to the church On Sunday, June 15, the congregation got a glimpse of the first Portals of Peace hanging.
	Testing the hangings in the sanctuary

 

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updated 9.5.08

© 2008 Idlewild Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee

Idlewild Presbyterian Church (USA)
1750 Union Avenue
Memphis TN 38104
901.726.4681