Barberton Congregation Shares the Peace Mobile

“No more wars, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts,” was one child’s wish for peace during the Peace Mobile’s visit to Barberton, Ohio, May 14-21. Children wrote their wishes for peace on a paper dove to hang from a tree for all to see. Also appearing were “No guns in school,” and “I wish my mom could have peace.”

Peace rubbings in 50 languages

Nearly 1,200 third, fourth, and fifth graders were bussed to Portage Elementary from Barberton’s six elementary schools to experience this and other hands-on exhibits of the Peace Mobile, originally from Atlanta, Georgia. In addition to expressing their wishes for peace, children played cooperative games such as walking in pairs on wooden ski shoes. They also decorated masks during a discussion about how people sometimes mask their emotions, and many shared how they were feeling that day.

Volunteer Keitha Hamann said, “I was impressed by the variety of activities and the appropriate lessons the children could learn through them.” The principal from visiting Santrock Elementary said, “My staff and students expressed nothing but praise and positive comments upon their return from the Peace Mobile.”

One hundred twenty volunteers were needed to make the project possible. Ruthellen Moore, pastor and peace project coordinator at Barberton Community of Christ, made the necessary contacts with Peace Mobile staff--Andi Melham and her parents, Leota and Ralph Day--and made presentations at several meetings with principals, the superintendent, and the school board to get the Peace Mobile visit approved. “The ministry of peace for Barberton has been building and taking on a life of its own. It has been like putting a puzzle together. So many pieces have come together to make this ministry possible,” said Moore.

She recruited volunteers through local Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs), the community, Barberton Peace Club, and the Eastern Great Lakes Mission Center. During the recruitment effort Moore met Ken Cheatham, a Barberton police officer who is the resource director at Barberton High School. He is in charge of the school’s peer mediation group and was able to bring five new volunteer students from that group each day to serve as peace guides throughout the week of the Peace Mobile’s visit.

These high school students took the opportunity to volunteer while learning about peace and justice, conflict resolution, and mediation. Moore said, “I saw it as an extension of what we were trying to do with the younger students.” The high school students earned classroom credit for their involvement.

Cheatham is excited at the prospect of partnering with the Barberton congregation on additional peace projects involving these high school students. He will likely get the Miracle Tabernacle Church, where he is pastor, involved as well. Also, there are teachers who plan to work with Moore to begin Young Peacemakers Clubs in their elementary schools.

Volunteer peace guide Don Moore said, “This was the most spectacular missionary outreach ministry this congregation has ever undertaken!” The Barberton Community of Christ, with a membership of less than 100 and twenty-five or thirty regularly attending services, reached well over 1,000 people through the Peace Mobile visit. Add the newspaper articles and publicity generated by this event, church-sponsored community dinners, and the adopted students, teachers, and staff at the neighboring elementary school, and Moore estimates that number at around 1,500.

A partnership between the Barberton congregation and Memorial Elementary School (see August 1999 Herald, page 16), began in 1996. Originally, the congregation’s goal was to support the teachers at the school next door. The relationship evolved into an “adoption” of the entire school. Considering the congregation’s regular community fund-raising efforts and the recent Peace Mobile visit, Barberton’s ministry has become a tremendous outreach that is spreading the message of peace further into the community with each passing year.

Throughout this partnership, Barberton Community of Christ has continued to support the Memorial Elementary teachers and staff with an annual luncheon and cards on special occasions. Also, Elder Wyatt Patterson has maintained a monthly reading ministry for the school’s second graders. That project, coupled with Principal Robin Wisard’s interest in conflict resolution, prompted the tradition of giving books with a peace theme to these children at the end of each year.

Moore (left) and Patterson (right) hand out books

On April 12, Memorial’s second graders received Hands Are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi [Free Spirit Publishing, Inc.]. During the book presentation ceremony, the children were asked, “What are good, positive things we can do with our hands?” Responses included waving, writing, washing dishes, and praying. Distribution of the eighty books was made possible by a 2001 World Church model ministries grant and the congregation’s Vision Fund, which is used exclusively for children’s ministry.

The Vision Fund is maintained through donations gathered at Swiss steak dinners hosted by the congregation. Friends throughout the community attend the dinners and contribute to the church’s Vision Fund. The success of these community events purchased the books for Memorial’s second graders, provided $400 in camperships to congregational youth, and made it possible to bring the Peace Mobile to Barberton.

Continuation of these projects as well as additional peace-promoting events, such as poster and essay contests, stand to reach even more people in and beyond the Barberton community. Volunteer Vicky Popp feels great about helping carry out the huge undertakings of the congregation, and the example these projects provide for team building and impacting the community.

“With God…and congregation…all things are possible,” said Pastor Moore. She continued, “We have only just begun to see the vision and possibility. Pay attention to God…listen carefully…he is calling us forward.”

-Kendra Friend reporting