Peace pole sends message to people walking or driving by Kirkland UCC

After worship on April 17, Kirkland Congregational UCC processed outside to plant and dedicate a peace pole 30 feet from the front door.

Passersby can’t miss seeing Kirkland UCC’s peace pole. Photo provided by Kirkland UCC

It’s beside the sidewalk, so people walking or driving by going downtown nearby can’t miss it.

The pole displays the words “May Peace Prevail on Earth” in English, Hebrew and Arabic for the Holy Land; Hindi, Chinese and Russian for many neighbors; Korean and Brazilian Portuguese for churches renting space, and Braille, said Jason Boyd, pastor. 

“We want to be a witness for peace in the community as wars continue around the world,”  he said.  “It’s a visible way to say that there’s another way.”

The peace pole, which also greets everyone who comes to church, said Gale Peterson, of the Christian Education Board, was an idea of the youth who worked with adults to make it.

While peace poles do come pre-made, she said, the church decided to make the pole and attach the language plaques.

“It’s an appropriate metaphor, because peace cannot be purchased.  Peace must be made,” she said.

“The words of the prayer, ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth,’ remind us of what God desires from us and remind us that we must all use our hands, hearts and minds if peace is indeed to prevail on earth,” Peterson pointed out. 

At the peace pole planting and dedication ceremony, Peterson saw the congregation and community coming together:  Members of Evergreen Mennonite Church, Northlake Unitarian Church and Kirkland’s Islamic Center came.

A couple who live two blocks away came with their grandchildren and a local peace activist volunteered his time to film the event.

“All of us together put the soil around the pole so it would stand. That was another metaphor,” Peterson said.

“Even though this Peace Pole is a project of Kirkland Congregational Church, it takes far more than just us to create peace,” she said.

There are now 200,000 peace poles around the globe, Peterson said.

The celebration was also a beginning for the churches new Peace and Social Justice group.

“Our Peace Pole is planted, and now our efforts for peace must grow from it,” she said.

For information, call 425-822-3811 or visit www.kccucc.org.

 

Copyright Pacific Northwest Conference News © October 2011