Published on
June 17, 2010
Video length
62 mins
Forgiveness and reconciliation lie at the heart of the gospel of Jesus. For Jesus, who is our peace, puts to death hostility and enmity. Still, profound hostility is still the defining feature of life for billions of people—the hostility of gunfire and persecution, the hostility of racism and fear, the hostility of family dysfunction and church disunity.

In light of both this promise and this pain, this session will probe how public worship services can both proclaim and practice the gospel of peace. Come ready to learn about worship and reconciliation in South Africa, Pakistan, Palestine, Northern Ireland, as well as in cities, suburbs, and towns across North America. We pray that we'll leave with practical ideas for next Sunday's service, but also with a perspective that transforms how we think about the daily news and pray for the global church.

Panelists include Elias Chacour (Palestine), Kobus Gerber and Jerry Pillay (South Africa), Setri Nyomi (Ghana), Eric Sarwar (Pakistan), Ed Gilbreath (author of Reconciliation Blues), and Karen Campbell (Northern Ireland).

Recent Media Resources

Seeing Christ in the Face of the Other: Singing the Psalms for Reconciliation with Karen Campbell

In 2020, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland published the book Considering Grace, which narrates the stories of 120 people and their proximity to the troubles in Northern Ireland. Though clergy were applauded for often acting as first responders to the victims, wider questions regarding the denomination were raised. Could they have spoken up more and been a prophetic voice? In response, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland commissioned Karen Campbell to convene groups to produce a suite of songs, prayers, and liturgies from the psalms of lament to be used in congregational settings to voice lament, confess complicity, and raise deeper questions surrounding justice. This workshop will discuss the process involved and the questions raised and will include some of the songs, liturgies, and prayers that were produced.In 2020, the Presbyterian Church in Ireland published the book Considering Grace, which narrates the stories of 120 people and their proximity to the troubles in Northern Ireland. Though clergy were applauded for often acting as first responders to the victims, wider questions regarding the denomination were raised. Could they have spoken up more and been a prophetic voice? 

June 29, 2026 | 87 min video
How to Preach and Hear the Psalms

A workshop which shows participants how to preach genre-conscious sermons from the book of Psalms. Attention will be given to historical, literary, and theological issues with the aim of improving hermeneutical, generical, and homiletical practice. Participants, including hearers of sermons, will expand their knowledge of the psalms as a genre, develop genre-conscious forms and structures, and cultivate new strategies for homiletical practice.

June 23, 2026 | 82 min video
Psalms for Every Tribe and Tongue

Drawing inspiration from Revelation 7:9, Terry and Darlene Wildman will lead this workshop exploring how the First Nations Version: Psalms speaks into—and flows out from—the hearts of Indigenous North American cultures today through storytelling, songs, and interactive activities. Participants will experience how these ancient prayers continue to inspire worship that celebrates cultural diversity and unity in Creator’s Sacred Family.

June 4, 2026 | 79 min video