Upcoming Peace House Dallas Events

Hope for Peace & Justice (H4PJ)

August 9-13, Atlanta, GA
H4PJ Program Hosts Major Conference
Center for Progressive Renewal
offers “Seven Secrets” to church leadership

In 2009, Hope for Peace & Justice (H4PJ) and its founder and president Rev. Michael Piazza were instrumental in creating The Center for Progressive Renewal (CPR), a joint project of the United Church of Christ (UCC), the denomination’s Southeast Conference, and Hope for Peace & Justice. Embracing H4PJ’s mission to “equip progressive people of faith to be champions for peace and justice,” Rev. Piazza realized that one way to do that is to give birth to new, and revitalize existing, liberal churches within the UCC. For its part, the UCC, faced with closing an average of three churches a week, recognized that there is much wisdom to be gained from Rev. Piazza’s more than 30 years of pastoral ministry, during which he grew several churches, including the Cathedral of Hope. During Rev. Piazza’s time as senior pastor of CoH, the church experienced unprecedented growth. When Rev. Piazza arrived in Dallas in 1987, the church had 280 members and a budget of $280,000. When he retired to become Dean of the Cathedral and President of H4PJ, the church’s membership was more than 3,500, with a consolidated budget of more than $3 million. Now serving as CPR’s Executive Director for Church Multiplication, Rev. Piazza and his co-Executive Director, Rev. Cameron Trimble, have been tasked with renewing progressive Christianity by training new entrepreneurial leaders, supporting the birth of new liberal/progressive congregations, and by renewing and strengthening existing progressive churches. Read MORE...

Art for Peace & Justice (Art4PJ)

Art4PJ Presents Suspended Animation
The art of cartoons is featured in new exhibit
August 13 - September 13, 2010

Art for Peace & Justice will present “Suspended Animation: The Art of Cartoons” at the Cathedral of Hope from August 13 - September 13. The exhibit will contain a rare display of animation art from cartoon studios such as Max Fleischer, Paramount / Famous Studios, Hanna-Barbera Productions, Warner Bros., Disney, Chuck Jones and others. An opening reception will be held on August 13, from 6-8 p.m. All attendees will be entered into a drawing for a limited edition print (shown here) to be given at the end of the reception.

On display will be a collection of works used in cartoons and advertising from the 1940s to the 1960s. Included will be studio model sheets for famous characters including the Trix Rabbit, as he first appeared in the early 60s, Casper the Ghost, Popeye, Superman and many others. Some of the works come directly from Peeler-Rose Productions, and others are on loan from the private collections of Dan Peeler and Charlie Rose who produced television animation locally in the 1970s, 80s and 90s for the Disney Channel, PBS and Six Flags and others. Some pieces will be for sale as indicated, with 20 percent of the proceeds benefitting Art for Peace & Justice.

The Dallas Peace Center

August 19, 6 p.m.
DALLAS PEACE CENTER SUMMER LECTURE SERIES
Jim Hightower, columnist, author and populist

Peacemakers, Inc.

September 21
SECOND ANNUAL PEACEMAKERS LUNCHEON
Join Peacemakers, Incorporated in celebrating the International Day of Peace

Peace House Dallas

40 Days and 40 Nights of Peace
November 7-December 24, 2010

Recorded history long has told the tales of significant 40-day events. The flood in the Book of Genesis. Moses on Mount Sinai. Jesus fasting in the wilderness. In addition, psychologists say that if a person can incorporate something into their lives for 40 days it will become a habit. For 40 days, beginning Sunday, November 7, we will seek to create a peacemaking habit by celebrating the dedication of the Interfaith Peace Chapel with 40 Days and 40 Nights of Peace.

The habit-forming cycle will kick off with the official dedication of the Interfaith Peace Chapel. The building then will be celebrated with a wide variety of events including films, concerts, lectures and theatrical presentations. Major highlights will include Metropolitan Opera star Emily Pulley, interfaith ceremonies from all of the world religions, and “Jazz in the Chapel” featuring Dallas’ amazing “jampact,” directed by Jose Bowen, Dean of the Meadows School of the Arts at Southern Methodist University.

The weekend of December 2, the Interfaith Peace Chapel will host Oxford-trained religious scholar Andrew Harvey for several events. The author of 30 books and one of the most revered persons of peace of our time, Harvey is the creator of a way of life called “Sacred Activism.” He is recognized the world over as a living mystic who has charted the journey into the great wisdom traditions of Buddhism, Sufism, Hinduism and Christianity. Openly gay, Harvey was among the first to champion the rise of the feminine face of God.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Peace, which will culminate on Christmas Eve, is meant to bring worldwide attention to the completion of the amazing Philip Johnson-designed Interfaith Peace Chapel. It also is intended as a time for members of Peace House Dallas and the larger peace and justice community to come together to create a center for this much-needed work in our world. A calendar of specific events will be available in September. We hope that you will make plans to join us for as many events as possible.