'The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,' says the LORD Almighty. 'And in this place I will grant peace,' declares the LORD Almighty.--Haggai 2:9

 

Since 9/11, our world has changed: wars, ISIS, race riots, mass shootings. Peace feels elusive.

 

St Stephen's has either hosted or participated in an Interfaith Peace Festival. However, the festival is just the culmination of the work of a number of faith and non-profit groups that work for peace throughout the year. Some of that work happened in a very surprising place: the St Stephen's food pantry.

 

The School Administrator from Iqra Academy (the local Muslim primary school) is on the planning committee for the Peace Festival with members of St. Stephen's. Working with St. Stephen's Staff, the committee began to think about what we wanted to teach our children. Quickly, a plan came together. St Catherine's was contacted. A day was chosen.

 

Deb Lawrence welcomed girls from the Muslim Iqra Academy and girls from the Christian St. Catherine's School to volunteer in the St. Stephen's food pantry. Both schools had been collecting food, at a time when the pantry had run dry, cans and boxes of food came in like clowns coming out of a clown car.

 

The girls worked diligently stocking shelves and bagging bags on a Friday afternoon to prepare for needy families on Monday. By the end of the day, girls from the two schools walked arm in arm giggling and whispering to one another (as young girls do). They were no longer Muslim girls or Christian girls. They were just girls, giggling and laughing together. Perhaps, peace is not so elusive after all.

 

"And a little child will lead them." Isaiah 11:6