Saturday, November 01
9:00AM - 4:00PM EDT
Rockway Mennonite Collegiate
110 Doon Rd.
Kitchener ON N2G 3C8
Canada
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The Art of Everyday Peace
At this year’s Peace Conference, participants will explore the practice of everyday peace and discover how shifting narratives can foster greater hope, optimism, and inspiration. The event will highlight the role individuals can play in making peacebuilding a tangible reality both locally and globally. As followers of Christ, we are called to pursue right relationships in our communities and beyond, especially in a world and church increasingly marked by division. Practical tools like conflict transformation and healthy dialogue are essential for living out a peaceful witness.
In the midst of human brokenness and conflict, MCC supports initiatives that aim to strengthen relationships and address the root causes of violence. This conference will offer insights and skills drawn from MCC’s collaborative peacebuilding efforts with partners around the world. Attendees will gain practical knowledge from these shared experiences, equipping them to contribute meaningfully to peace in their own contexts.
Costs
General admission: $45
Student admission: $20
At-home conference: $25
Junior Peacebuilders kids' programming: $20/child
Cost includes lunch, refreshments and interactive activities.
Registration closes on October 23rd.
Please note: Watch parties previously noted have been cancelled due to lack of interest.
Learn more
8:15 a.m. - Registration and check-in
8:45 a.m. - Welcome
9:00 a.m. - "Peace Threads Us Together" interactive activity.
9:25 a.m. - Keynote speaker Aaron Holbrough (Pastor at The Parish Church)
9:45 a.m. - Interactive Panel on "The Art of Everyday Peace"
10:30 a.m. - Morning break
10:50 a.m. - Peaceful Practices & Active Bystandership
12:00 p.m. - Lunch
1:10 p.m. - Discussion: "Acting locally to contribute to peace here and around the world" with Anna Vogt and Mulanda Jimmy Juma
1:50 p.m. - Table discussions and hands-on activity
2:20 p.m. - Afternoon break
2:40 p.m. - Synergizing Nonviolent Action & Peacebuilding session
3:05 p.m. - Thrift Fashion Show
3:30 p.m. - Call to action, reflections and closing remarks
Mulanda Jimmy Juma (PhD), is from the Democratic Republic of Congo. He is married to Dina and have 5 children, whom they call the SUPREME (Suzanne, Prince, Eto, Munga and Eca). He is currently the MCC Representative for Rwanda and Burundi. Prior to this, he served as MCC Representative for Congo (DRC) and Angola and also as Southern Africa Peace Coordinator for MCC. Mulanda has actively participated in mediation in many armed conflicts in Africa and beyond. Recently, he published a book in French titled “The Water of the Lake Was Red: A Congolese Peacebuilder in the Heart of Wars”.
Aaron Holbrough is a Pastor, Spirituality Coach, and Speaker whose work explores the intersection of healing, faith, and peace. Over thirteen years ago, Aaron planted The Parish, a network expression of the Be In Christ Church of Canada, where he continues to serve as pastor. Through this re imagined faith community, he has sought to bring a fresh and embodied approach to the Anabaptist movement—one that emphasizes inner transformation, spiritual awareness, and the lived expression of peace in a complex world.
Aaron is also part of the care team with The Edge Health Network at Guardians Gateway in Canada, a trauma and addiction treatment center supporting military, law enforcement and first responders. In his role, Aaron teaches on spirituality, grief and resilience—helping individuals rediscover meaning and sacredness in the midst of pain.
Drawing from years of pastoral leadership and his work in trauma recovery, Aaron invites others to see peace not as the absence of conflict, but as the ongoing reconciliation of the human spirit with the divine call to wholeness.