Peaceful Practices: A guide to healthy communication in conflict (Canadian edition)
"It takes practice and intention to communicate well in the midst of conflict."
Conflict is a normal part of life. It arises in our workplaces, in our churches and with our families.
To help people to learn to work through divisive issues, MCC U.S. has produced a new adult Sunday school curriculum, Peaceful Practices: A guide to healthy communication in conflict. It invites churchgoers to follow Jesus’ call to peacemaking through dialogue with each other.
“It takes practice and intention to communicate well in the midst of conflict,” says Jes Stoltzfus Buller, former MCC U.S. peace education coordinator and author of the curriculum. “If we can learn to embody healthy dialogue habitually in interpersonal interaction, it will ripple out and affect our communities and society.”
The curriculum can be downloaded as a PDF free of charge.
Groups that are going through a dedicated study of the curriculum will receive complimentary Peaceful Practices bookmarks for each participant.
For more information, to request bookmarks or to invite an MCC Ontario peace education coordinator to meet with your congregation, email workshops@mcco.ca. Learn more about MCC's peacebuilding education program.
The Canadian edition is adapted from the U.S. curriculum.
The curriculum is divided into nine sessions:
Session 1: Making peace a practice
Session 2: Curiosity—Be curious, inviting diversity of ideas and opinions
Session 3: Discovery—Focus on what matters
Session 4: Engagement—Invite the best in yourself and others
Session 5: Dialogue—Listen together for insights and deeper questions
Session 6: Empathy—Seek to understand rather than persuade
Session 7: Authenticity—Speak from the heart
Session 8: Dignity—Consider power dynamics
Session 9: Transformation—Welcome creativity
Each session contains a peaceful practice, biblical reflection, conflict transformation tool, at-home reflection questions, group activity, closing blessing and resources to go deeper. The curriculum is designed for group study so that participants are able to practice dialogue skills with each other. Those guiding others through the curriculum will find tips for how to facilitate the lessons virtually or in-person. No additional training is needed for facilitators.
Resources for Peaceful Practices curriculum