...or how we spread CCP nonviolence training across our Episcopal Diocese
The Episcopal Diocese of Bethlehem, PA has been blessed to work directly with Janet Chisholm, the designer of Creating a Culture of Peace, to offer nonviolence trainings in our diocese. She was based locally for four years at Kirkridge Retreat Center, coordinating Peace & Justice Programs, following her time at Fellowship of Reconciliation and as Episcopal Peace Fellowship (EPF) national chairperson. During her stay in our diocese, Janet also became a member, and later chair, of the Diocesan Peace Commission. She inspired several commission members to take Creating a Culture of Peace basic nonviolence training and also the facilitator training, so that they could offer CCP training throughout the diocese. In the past five years, CCP has offered seven 3-day basic trainings and five 4-day trainings of trainers for us. These efforts have included several that were diocesan-sponsored or for which there were diocesan scholarships. They occurred first at Kirkridge Retreat Center, then later and today in congregations in both the southern and northern parts of the diocese as lower-cost commuter trainings.