1000+ Letters for Nigeria Day 75

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Learn more about the 1000+ Letters for Nigeria Project! 

Today’s letters go to:

Western New York Peace Center
Lehigh Pocono Committee of Concern
Anabaptist Peace Center

Click the pictures to read the letters!

Get Involved!

Contribute to the project!

Send non-monetary donations (stamps and envelopes) to:
Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University
SMC #2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289

Sign up to write your own letters!

Contribute directly to the EYN Compassion Fund!

Have a project of your own?

We want to know about it! This is your movement, and we’re here to help you express your Radical, nonconformist approach to following Jesus!

Please fill out a Dunker Punks Profile and email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com about your vision!

Today is the Day! Make your profile!

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What is a Dunker Punk?

A Dunker Punk is a young, counter-cultural, radical follower of Jesus. Someone who is willing to say “Jesus is Lord.” Someone who is obedient in following Jesus’ teachings. Someone who is committed to learning and praying. Someone who is passionate about bringing Jesus’ love to the world through nonviolence, kindness, and service.

If that sounds like you, we want you to join the movement! Fill out the survey below. Just two simple questions: “How are you following Jesus?” And “How can other Dunker Punks help?”

Breaking it Down: The Sermon on the Mount Week 5

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By Jenna Walmer

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell. “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. “Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘Do not break your oath, but fulfill to the Lord the vows you have made.’ But I tell you, do not swear an oath at all: either by heaven, for it is God’s throne; or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” Matthew 5: 27-37

This passage is difficult to discuss without being married, having divorced, or any experience in that area. However, Jesus addresses important lessons in these passages about marriage and commitment.

Jesus tells us that adultery is sin, in actions and in thoughts. In the Old Testament, it merely stated that breaking your promise to your spouse was wrong.  However, Jesus says that the thought of it is wrong as well. To be faithful to your spouse requires honesty from the body and mind. Also, he suggests that if one has lustful thoughts, he should not have lustful actions too.  Acting out these sinful desires is detrimental to marriages, relationships with God, and to oneself. It gives one an excuse to sin rather than stopping sinning. Also, wrongful actions turn people away from God.

Jesus then addresses divorce. Today, there is approximately fifty percent divorce rate in America. Divorce was also a problem in Jesus’ era too. In the Old Testament, God created marriage for a life time commitment. Jesus said that divorce is not excusable unless there is sexual immorality, which implies an immoral lifestyle. However, when a partner has been unfaithful, one should make every attempt to forgive and restore the relationship. This can apply to typical relationships as well. Always look to for ways to restore relationships rather than excuses to disband it.

Jesus emphasizes the importance of being truthful. It is crucial to keep oaths and promises. It builds relationships and trust with your peers. However, don’t make promises half-heartedly. Also, Jesus told his disciples not to utilize oaths because their word alone should be good enough. Get in the habit of being truthful so you don’t have to add, “I promise” to the end of statements.

Through this passage, Jesus accentuates the importance of being truthful to people, so you can gain trust and enhance relationships. He warns against the harms of divorcing and being unfaithful.  The overlying theme of all of these passages is to build enough trust in your relationships so you don’t have to question faithfulness and consider divorce. In the upcoming weeks, try to improve your relationships by being honest to your peers.

Jenna Walmer - Palmyra COB, Altantic Northeast DistrictJenna Walmer is from Lancaster County and is currently in 12th grade. In school, she loves to research historical events. If she were to live in a specific time period, she would want to be a hippie and live in the 60s or 70s. Her favorite past times are swimming and playing her trombone. If you want to know more about her random life, follow her on twitter: @jaymarie2100

Want to contribute? Fill out a Dunker Punks profile, and/or email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com.

1000+ Letters for Nigeria Day 74

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Learn more about the 1000+ Letters for Nigeria Project! 

I want to begin with a few words before I get to today’s letters. In my letters today, I say:

“When I look at the EYN, I see Jesus. I see his teachings put into action. I see what the church is supposed to be to the world. The EYN inspire me to be more like them by putting my faith into action and speaking out against violence and standing up for peace.”

When we talk about Dunker Punks, the EYN are the Dunker Punkiest of all. What are Dunker Punks? Counter-cultural, radical, and obedient followers of Jesus.

The EYN live in a culture of violence, which they counter will love, even for their enemies. To be radical means to return to your roots, and the EYN return to their anabaptist roots by being ardently peaceful and to their Christian roots by accepting Jesus as Lord, obediently following his teachings about love and subversive nonviolence. The EYN are awesome Dunker Punks, which is why I wont stop advocating for them.

During the week of NYC, I felt a lot of strong stirrings about the EYN. I wondered how we could enjoy such a fun, exciting conference, while our Dunker Punk brothers and sisters suffered and lived out our shared faith through the gritty, harsh terms under which it is most meaningful and important.

I know many of you felt strong stirrings about the EYN too, and I know that that’s what was on many of your minds when you committed to be Dunker Punks. For the next couple of weeks, I will be trying to reach as many Dunker Punks as possible, especially those original Dunker Punks who stood up at NYC.

If you are Dunker Punk, especially one who had the EYN in mind when you became a Dunker Punk, please, click here to fill out a Dunker Punk profile. If you do, I can contact you and we can work together to help the EYN, and you can share with this movement how you are working to live and love like Jesus.

Today’s letters go to:

Kalamazoo Peace Center
Peace and Justice Center of Nevada County
Alaska Peace Center

Click the pictures to read the letters!

Get Involved!

Contribute to the project!

Send non-monetary donations (stamps and envelopes) to:
Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University
SMC #2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289

Sign up to write your own letters!

Contribute directly to the EYN Compassion Fund!

Have a project of your own?

We want to know about it! This is your movement, and we’re here to help you express your Radical, nonconformist approach to following Jesus!

Please fill out a Dunker Punks Profile and email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com about your vision!

Dunker Punks Profile Drive!

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Help DunkerPunks.com connect with every youth from NYC!

At NYC, hundreds of youth participants stepped forward and made a commitment to be Dunker Punks by living and loving like Jesus. DunkerPunks.com hopes that each of these youth will fill out a simple “Dunker Punk Profile” about simple yet radical ways that that are following Jesus.

Click here to make your profile!

DunkerPunks.com is a youth owned and operated website supported by On Earth Peace and the Church of the Brethren. The goal of DunkerPunks.com is to connect with youth in the Church of the Brethren, give them a platform to communicate their beliefs, experiences, spiritual needs, and actions, and help them inspire and support one another.

What is a Dunker Punk?

A Dunker Punk is a young person who is a member of a rebellious countercultural tradition that radically commits their life to living God’s Calvary-shaped love in the power of the Spirit, to the glory of the Father. “Dunker” refers to our spiritual heritage and baptizing tradition, and “Punk” refers to our young, radical, counter-cultural, and rebellious nature.

We practice simple spiritual discipline by praying the Lord’s Prayer and studying Jesus’ teachings. We follow Jesus through simple, radical action in our personal lives, in our communities, and on a global scale.

Why fill out a profile?

Dunker Punks can express how they are following Jesus. They can share their thoughts, beliefs, hopes, and actions. They can learn from each other and lead one another.

All it takes is two simple questions: “How are you radically following Jesus?” and “How can other Dunker Punks help?” Remember, radical doesn’t have to mean big. Small steps like loving our enemies or reading the Sermon on the Mount are radical and countercultural.

Click here to make your profile!

Encourage NYC youth in your family, congregation, and district to make a profile.

DunkerPunks.com hopes that every youth from NYC gets to make a profile, and we need your help to make that happen.

1000+ Letters for Nigeria Day 73

Leave a comment

Learn more about the 1000+ Letters for Nigeria Project! 

Today’s letters go to:

The Peace Center of Delaware County
Springfield Peace Center
The Peace Center

Click the pictures to read the letters!

Get Involved!

Contribute to the project!

Send non-monetary donations (stamps and envelopes) to:
Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University
SMC #2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289

Sign up to write your own letters!

Contribute directly to the EYN Compassion Fund!

Have a project of your own?

We want to know about it! This is your movement, and we’re here to help you express your Radical, nonconformist approach to following Jesus!

Please fill out a Dunker Punks Profile and email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com about your vision!

1000+ Letters for Nigeria Day 72

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Learn more about the 1000+ Letters for Nigeria Project! 

Today’s letters go to:

Barbara Simmons – Executive Director, The Peace Center
peaceCENTER San Antonio Texas
Richard Blackburn – Executive Director, Lombard Mennonite Peace Center

Click the pictures to read the letters!

Get Involved!

Contribute to the project!

Send non-monetary donations (stamps and envelopes) to:
Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University
SMC #2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289

Sign up to write your own letters!

Contribute directly to the EYN Compassion Fund!

Have a project of your own?

We want to know about it! This is your movement, and we’re here to help you express your Radical, nonconformist approach to following Jesus!

Please fill out a Dunker Punks Profile and email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com about your vision!

1000+ Letters for Nigeria Day 71

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Learn more about the 1000+ Letters for Nigeria Project! 

Today’s letters go to:

Nashville Peace and Justice Center
Linda Haydock, Executive Director, Intercommunity Peace and Justice Center
Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine

Click the pictures to read the letters!

Get Involved!

Contribute to the project!

Send non-monetary donations (stamps and envelopes) to:
Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University
SMC #2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289

Sign up to write your own letters!

Contribute directly to the EYN Compassion Fund!

Have a project of your own?

We want to know about it! This is your movement, and we’re here to help you express your Radical, nonconformist approach to following Jesus!

Please fill out a Dunker Punks Profile and email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com about your vision!

1000+ Letters for Nigeria Day 70

Leave a comment

Learn more about the 1000+ Letters for Nigeria Project

Today’s letters go to:

Plowshare Peace and Justice Center
International Crisis Group
Chico Peace and Justice Center

Click the pictures to read the letters!

Get Involved!

Contribute to the project!

Send non-monetary donations (stamps and envelopes) to:
Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University
SMC #2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289

Sign up to write your own letters!

Contribute directly to the EYN Compassion Fund!

Have a project of your own?

We want to know about it! This is your movement, and we’re here to help you express your Radical, nonconformist approach to following Jesus!

Please fill out a Dunker Punks Profile and email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com about your vision!

1000+ Letters for Nigeria Day 69

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Learn more about the 1000+ Letters for Nigeria Project

Today’s letters go to:

Arizona Alliance for Peace and Justice
Michael Shelly – Director, A Center of Christian-Muslim Engagement for Peace and Justice
Youth Ministries for Peace and Justice

Click the pictures to read the letters!

Get Involved!

Contribute to the project!

Send non-monetary donations (stamps and envelopes) to:
Emmett Eldred
Carnegie Mellon University
SMC #2046
Pittsburgh, PA 15289

Sign up to write your own letters!

Contribute directly to the EYN Compassion Fund!

Have a project of your own?

We want to know about it! This is your movement, and we’re here to help you express your Radical, nonconformist approach to following Jesus!

Please fill out a Dunker Punks Profile and email dunkerpunks2014@gmail.com about your vision!