One year ago, when a new administration was elected, many had high hopes for the peace movement. On Jan. 20, Church of the Good Shepherd will host the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice discussion on peace, regarding the six issue areas of ICPJ and the community's input.

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One year ago, this new administration was met with enthusiasm. Now, people are really starting to measure how he’s done against his campaign promises,” said Chuck Warpehoski, director of the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice. “We’ll have one representative from each of the ICPJ issue areas (climate change, Latin America, hunger, Israel/Palestine, war and disarmament and racial and economic justice), discussing what the administration is doing, what it isn’t doing and what it needs to do more about. What is the role of the peace movement, going forward?”

Following dessert and coffee at 6:30 - a time for casual discussion - attendees will listen to the discussion of the panel speakers from ICPJ. After the community leaders and peace activists from the ICPJ task forces have spoken, the conversation will be opened to include input from the public and a question-and-answer session.

Among the panelists will be La’Ron Williams, a nationally-recognized, professional storyteller who presents his stories to children in schools, religious institutions and more, on behalf of the Racial and Economic Justice task force; Ron Gregg, a leader in efforts to create a sustainable development program in Nicaragua, on behalf of the Common Ground working group, discussing Israel/Palestine; and Mary Anne Perrone, who will talk of human rights and justice in Latin America. 

Also speaking will be Jesse Worker, a grassroots organizer for Clean Water and the 1Sky campaign, on behalf of Global Warming; Lester Wyborny, a group leader for the Ann Arbor Results Group, an organization that aims to end the most negative consequences of domestic and global poverty, on behalf of hunger; and Erika McNamara, an ICPJ representative on a national anti-torture council, on behalf of War and Disarmament.

Since the six ICPJ issue areas are so vastly different, Warpehoski said the conversation could hold surprises.

“I think there is a wide range of perspectives here, even among the circles of ICPJ and the community,” said Warpehoski. “It will just be a chance to air things out, talk things through and figure out where to go from here.”

The peace discussion is free and open to the public. Church of the Good Shepherd is located at 2145 Independence Blvd. in Ann Arbor. For more information, call 734-663-1870 or e-mail info@icpj.net.

Stephanie Fenton reports on faith for AnnArbor.com. Contact her at Fenton.Stephanie@gmail.com.