“Peace Begins with Me”

Wednesdays:  Jan 11,2012 —Feb 8, 2012

Jan. 11: Respect: What is respect? How does respect for others and for ourselves impact the world around us?  How can we show respect?

 Jan. 18: Apologies/Forgiveness:  Why are apologies important?  When is it necessary to forgive?  What steps can we take to help us to forgive?

 Jan. 25: Etiquette:  Are good manners old-fashioned and unnecessary?  Do they help to promote peace?  How?

 Feb. 1: Self-esteem:  What is self-esteem? If everybody had high self-esteem, how would the world be different?  How can we nurture our own self-esteem, and how can we help others do the same?

 Feb. 8: Tolerance/Diversity:  Define tolerance and diversity. Are any two people exactly the same?  Can we learn how to be more tolerant of others’ differences?

“Peace Begins with Me”

Wednesdays:  Oct. 5—Nov. 2, 2011

Oct. 5: “Daily Situations”: Discussion and skits will focus on situations that happen
frequently in children’s lives, causing discomfort. How can kids handle these situations in
a peaceful way?

Oct. 12: “Volunteering for Peace”: Discussion will center on local volunteer organizations,
including their purpose and goals. How do these groups help our local community?
How can kids get involved?

Oct. 19: “Random Acts of Kindness”: Examples of people being kind to others for no
obvious reason will be discussed. How is this a form of peaceful living? What can the
kids do to help or encourage others with random acts of kindness?

Oct. 26: “Sticks and Stones…”: Discussion will focus on the ways that language (both
verbal and non-verbal) affects other people. How can we be careful with our words and
body language so that we don’t hurt others?

Nov. 2: “Anger…Stop and Think!”: Anger often comes straight from fear. We will
explore ways of dealing with anger and expressing it in a healthy way. Some role-playing
will help the kids think it through.

Inspirational People on the Path to Peace

Wednesday April 13th – May 11, 2011.  3:30 – 5:30 PM.

April 13, 2011:  Hinduism. Mohandas Gandhi – A man of non violence and justice, who inspired such leaders as Martin Luther King, Jr.

April 20, 2011:  Buddhism. Dalai Lama – A political and spiritual leader who teaches compassion, service to others, and inner peace.

April 27, 2011 – Judaism. Anne Frank – A Jewish girl whose short life represents those who are persecuted for their religious beliefs.

May 4, 2011 – Christianity. Mother Teresa – A tiny woman who fought for the poorest of the poor and the sickest of the sick.

May 11, 2011 – Islam. Shirin Ebadi – An Iranian lawyer and human rights activist.  She is known for promoting peaceful, democratic solutions to serious problems in society.

World Religions: Knowledge Opens a Path to Peace

~ Feb 16^th – March 16, 2011  3:30 – 5:30 PM

Feb. 16:  Hinduism. Basic elements of the religion. Discussion and art projects will highlight Hindus’ belief in the power of the heart and love.

Feb. 23:  Buddhism. Basic elements of the religion. The Buddhist symbol, the lotus flower which begins growing in the mud before it emerges as an elegant flower, will be featured in discussion and art project to represent an person with a muddy background who becomes an elegant being.

March 2 — Judaism. Basic elements of the religion. Discussion and art project will weave in the Judeo-Christian story of David and Goliath.

March 9 — Christianity. Basic elements of the religion. Charity, the gift of sharing and helping others, will be highlighted in the art project.

March 16 — Islam. Basic elements of the religion. Islamic places of worship and prayer will be highlighted. The art project will be mosaic tiles used in mosque construction.

Making a Difference in the World: Social Justice

~ Jan 20, 2010 to Feb 17, 2010  3:30 – 5:30 PM

Jan. 20:  Pennies for Peace. LouAnne Krantz, Polson Middle School librarian. Greg Mortenson’s dream to build schools in Pakistan. LouAnne is part of a Montana project that built and supports a school in Pakistan.

Jan. 27:  Water Talk.  Janene Lichtenberg, tribal wildlife biologist responsible for educational outreach, will talk about waterways and watersheds and what critters tell us about water quality.

Feb. 3:  Hungry Children in Montana Montana Food Bank. Understanding a hungry child, healthy food and how to help hungry kids.

Feb. 10: Habitat for Humanity. International Global Village Project. Trish and Mike Rodrique. Building homes in third world countries.

Feb. 17: The ONE Campaign. Mark Calhoun, pastor United Methodist Church of Polson. Working toward a solution to Global Poverty and Preventable Diseases

Working Together for Peace

~ April 15 – May 13, 2009  3:30 – 5:30

April 15 —”Why we need a U.S. Peace Department,” Susan Luepke, local peace activist

April 22 —(early out—noon-1:30 p.m.) “The Poetry of Love: A Road to Peace?” Milena Oganesyan, country of Georgia, UM doctoral student

April 29 —Rev. Cathy Whitlatch, recently served as a missionary in Argentina, General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church.

May 6 —”Greg Mortenson’s project to build schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan, Central Asia Institute,” Rev. John Payne,  Journey B (formerly Heritage of Faith Christian Church).

May 13 —”Jeannette Rankin Peace Center,” Rev. Connie Sidebottom, retired United Methodist minister.