2009 Gathering -- Trauma Healing: Preparing Churches to Receive Returning Military Personnel, Nashville, Tennessee, April 1-2, 2009

JUSTPEACE, the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry and the General Board of Discipleship (UMC) will co-sponsor the annual Gathering event April 1-2, 2009 (1:00 p.m. on 1st to 12:00 p.m. on 2nd) at the Upper Room Denman Building of the United Methodist Center, 1908 Grand Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee.

This year's event will focus on Trauma Healing – Preparing Churches to Receive Returning Military Personnel. Our speakers will include Shelly Rambo and Laura Bender. Shelly is Assistant Professor of Theology at Boston University School of Theology. She is the author of Trauma and Redemption: Witnessing Spirit between Death and Life, forthcoming by Westminster John Knox Press. Laura is a chaplain with the US Navy. She is a United Methodist minister, who is currently the command chaplain on the USS New York.

On WEDNESDAY, April 1, Dr. Rambo will help us understand the phenomenon of trauma and its effects on persons and communities. She will also help us explore how our theology informs and is informed by trauma and healing

On THURSDAY, April 2, Chaplain Bender will present ways in which churches can more effectively respond to the needs of returning troops. We will conclude our time together with a panel of military and church leaders.

Participants will receive a draft of materials to be provided to local church leaders to assist them in a healing ministry with returning veterans, with an eye to both their needs and our ability to address these needs. We will also have a chance to add our suggestions for improving these materials. The Gathering is open to all.

This year's Gathering is the ninth annual event for the JUSTPEACE movement - committed practitioners on the journey of the ministry of reconciliation. Practitioners and friends in the JUSTPEACE Network will be with us. Staff colleagues of the Nashville agencies of the United Methodist Church are invited to participate. Leaders within the United Methodist Church and the Presbyterian Church of America will join us. Military chaplains will be invited to attend.

REGISTER TODAY!
You can register online at http://www.justpeaceumc.org/ or send an e-mail to the JUSTPEACE office at
justpeace@justpeaceumc.org. State that you would like to come to the Gathering and provide your complete contact information (name, title, mailing address, phone fax, e-mail, etc.).

The participation fee for this year's Gathering is $100. A meal on April 1st, and snacks during the Gathering time are included in this fee. Participants are responsible for their own travel and lodging arrangements. Please make your check payable to JUSTPEACE and send it to our office at 100 Maryland Ave NE, Washington DC 20002.

JUSTPEACE Center for Mediation and Conflict Transformation is a mission of The United Methodist Church to engage conflict constructively in ways that strive for justice, reconciliation, resource preservation and restoration of community in and through The United Methodist Church and with the Church universal to the world in which we live.

The General Board of Discipleship is an agency of The United Methodist Church committed to Christian discipleship and leadership development.

The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry leads and serves The United Methodist Church in the recruitment, preparation, nurture, education, and support of Christian leaders—lay and clergy— for the work of making disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.