OEP Day of Celebration 2024

Saturday, February 3, 2024

On Earth Peace is hosting a Day of Celebration on Saturday, February 3 to highlight our work as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary.  This kick-off event includes an afternoon keynote lecture "Growing Community in Faith, Resistance, Reconciliation, and Just Peacemaking" by Dr. Dean Johnson at Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren and livestreamed.

The virtual day-long celebration taking place via Zoom will include activities from each of our program areas.  You are invited to come and go as your schedule allows.  This is a fundraising event for On Earth Peace- tickets are available.

The events include (Eastern Times listed):

• 11:30- Worship with Church of the Brethren Annual Conference Moderator Madalyn Metzger
• 12:00- Meet & Greet with OEP staff, interns, board, and constituents 
• 1:00- Storyscape Poetry and Storytelling focused on Palestine Justice with Anesu Makufa
• 2:00- Action Hour - Affinity Groups, Gun Violence, and Palestine Justice 
• 3:00- Keynote with Dean Johnson: "Growing Community in Faith, Resistance, Reconciliation, and Just Peacemaking." Dean will place OEP's 50-year history in a context of Church of the Brethren history and broader movements, looking toward the present and future. [For those in Central PA: This is taking place in person at Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren - Join in person for cookies and community!] 
• 6:00- 50th Anniversary Slideshow and Memory Sharing - Join us to share memories of the last 50 years of our work! 
• 7:00- "Kingian Nonviolence in Action" with Hassan Clement and Stephen Niamke - Hear stories from Kingian Nonviolence organizing initiatives in Tuscon, Arizona, and Roanoke, VA!

We look forward to being together for the day!

Thank you to our sponsors:

• LaVerne Church of the Brethren Games & Goodies Group
• Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren

To learn more about how to be a sponsor for our 50th Anniversary events, please contact Marie at [email protected] 

About our speaker:

Dean Johnson is Professor of Philosophy at  West Chester University. An interdisciplinary activist scholar Johnson teaches courses in Peace Studies, Religious Studies, and Women's and Gender Studies. His research interests include: religion and social change, race critical theory, critical whiteness studies, gender critical theory, nonviolent activism, community organizing, conflict transformation, and critical pedagogies. As an activist and scholar, Johnson is a consultant for nonviolent campaigns and initiatives. He provides workshops and trainings in the areas of nonviolent direct action, community organizing, and (with his partner Melissa Bennett) anti-oppression, queer solidarity, and anti-racism.

He is Membership Chair (as well as a founding board member) of the Peace and Justice Studies Association and a member of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties. Johnson is an advisory board member and former chair of the SpiritHouse Project and a former advisory council member of PATHWAYS Theological Education, USA.

Prior to his work at West Chester University, Johnson was Associate Professor of Religious Studies and Director of International and Global Studies at Defiance College.  Johnson also served as assistant Professor of Peace, Justice and Conflict Studies at Goshen College (Ind.). While at Goshen College he served as Assistant to the Academic Dean and Special Assistant to the Provost. Johnson was director of the Goshen College Plowshares Peace Studies Project working in collaboration with Manchester University and Earlham College.

The first instructor to teach a peace studies course at Anderson University, he has also lectured in peace studies at Purdue University- Richmond, Ind., the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership at Bethany Seminary and the Indianapolis Peace Institute. He also served as co-assistant pastor for a year at the Richmond Church of the Brethren (Ind.).

Johnson grew up in LaGrange, Ind. After graduating from Manchester University, he earned a master’s degree in theology with an emphasis in peace studies from Bethany Theological Seminary, Richmond, Ind. Johnson is a graduate of the religious and theological studies program where he focused in religion and social change at the Iliff School of Theology and the University of Denver.