ELKHART, Indiana (Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA is celebrating its peace witness by honoring Weldon Nisly and Fernando Daza-Jabian as its 2026 Deliver the Peace award recipients. Now in its sixth yr, the Deliver the Peace award honors people who embody Christ-centered peacemaking of their communities and past.
“Weldon and Fernando mirror our Anabaptist calling to observe Jesus in the best way of peace,” stated Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, MC USA’s director of Peace & Justice. “They each have demonstrated their tireless and constant efforts to create pathways of peace, reminding us all that the work of peacebuilding is a calling and a each day follow.”
Sponsored by the Church Peace Tax Fund, the Deliver the Peace award acknowledges two people: a Legacy Peacemaker, who has demonstrated a lifelong dedication to peace and justice, and a Younger Peacemaker, who’s starting to make a significant affect by means of brave witness and compassionate motion. Every recipient receives a $300 grant.
Legacy Peacemaker: Weldon Nisly
Photograph credit score: Hope Nisly
Weldon Nisly’s heat smile and pleasant pastoral voice belie the fiercely dedicated peacemaker who, after 4 a long time of pastoral and peace ministry within the church, “retired” from congregational ministry to dedicate time to worldwide peacebuilding. At a time when others his age could be searching for to decelerate, Nisly has served with Group Peacemaker Groups, totally on the CPT Iraqi Kurdistan and Palestine groups for the previous decade.
Raised in rural Iowa, Nisly first realized about peace as a baby from his grandfather, a conservative Mennonite bishop. His curiosity in politics led him to review political science in school and turn into a political organizer. Later, Nisly earned a level in Peace Research at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, Elkhart, Indiana. He then moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, along with his spouse and two younger youngsters to affix an intentional group and serve in peace ministry below Mennonite Central Committee.
Nisly stated he by no means supposed to be a pastor, however residing in group woke up his pastoral calling. Inside a few years, three city Mennonite church buildings approached him about being their pastor, prompting him to “hearken to what God is telling me.” Two years later, Cincinnati (Ohio) Mennonite Fellowship referred to as Weldon to be their pastor, the place he served from 1984-95. He was then referred to as as lead pastor by Seattle (Oregon) Mennonite Church, the place he served from 1995-2013. Peacemaking was central to each congregations.
(Aklima Dupre 2019 1386K) Aklima, a Kurdish farmer from the village of Dupre within the Kurdistan Area of Iraq, chatting with the CPT Iraqi Kurdistan workforce and delegation about Turkey’s bombardment of their area below the guise of the Battle on Terror. Ingesting tea and listening to tales of individuals focused by warfare is a main manner CPT gives accompaniment and paperwork the results of warfare. Nisly is second from left. CPT Iraqi Kurdistan workforce photograph used with permission.
“I liked pastoral ministry,” Nisly stated. “I’d not change a day of it in both congregation. But, in a profound manner, pastoral ministry ready me to do the perfect work of my life in peacemaking.”
In his 70s, he joined CPT to assist fulfill its mission for “constructing partnerships to rework violence and oppression.” This meant accompanying individuals focused by warfare, advocating with them for his or her human rights and amplifying their voices at residence and world wide.
“Most significantly, we follow presence – by sitting on the ground, ingesting tea and listening to the individuals residing within the shadow of warfare,” he defined.
Nisly regularly amplifies their voices by giving CPT shows in church buildings throughout North America. He needs Christians right here to grasp how their help for warfare or silence harmfully impacts communities half a world away.
(Sieman Mousa) Sleman Mousa (proper), Kurdish headmaster who had been imprisoned by the Kurdish Regional Authorities and falsely accused of plotting to overthrow the KRG. The CPT Iraqi Kurdistan workforce accompanied him and his household by means of his imprisonment, trial and launch. The CPT IK workforce visited Sleman Mousa and his household of their residence when he was launched. Photograph left to proper: Sleman Mousa’s daughter, Runak and Kamaran (Kurdish CPT IK workforce members), Nisly, Sleman Mousa. CPT Iraqi Kurdistan workforce photograph used with permission.
“Nonviolent accompaniment and advocacy imply exhibiting up, being current and refusing to be silent,” he stated.
Nisly’s life is an encouragement to others to step past consolation and stand alongside these most impacted by violence. His recommendation to those that search to “deliver the peace,” nevertheless, is straightforward and relevant to on a regular basis choices. Referencing Deuteronomy 30, Nisly stated: “Peace is extra who we’re than what we do. Each alternative we make in life — small and enormous — is a alternative for all times or dying. Help for warfare and silence are each complicit within the programs of dying. Subsequently, select life, as God created and calls us to be and do.”
Now in his 80s, Nisly hopes to decelerate – however not but. He continues to serve with CPT, which is in its 40th yr of peacebuilding, because the co-chair of the CPT Steering Committee. CPT is in a season of transition, and Nisly is giving main consideration to hiring its new govt director. Later, he appears ahead to relinquishing CPT management roles to dedicate extra time to writing and talking in regards to the individuals, locations and encounters which have formed his peacemaking journey.
Younger Peacemaker: Fernando Daza-Jabian
Photograph credit score: Meaghan Godzisz
“In his calm and assured method, Fernando walks immediately into conditions the place well-thought-out motive is required, and, on the identical time, he can stroll away from conditions which are unhealthy. These are indicators of a younger peacemaker behind his years … Fernando is effectively deserving of this award,” wrote Gilberto Perez, Jr., vp for Pupil Life and Hispanic Serving Initiatives and dean of scholars at Goshen (Indiana) School, on MC USA’s Deliver the Peace nomination kind.
This spring, Fernando Daza-Jabian, who attends Waterford Mennonite Church in Goshen, earned his bachelor’s diploma in enterprise, with a double main in Peace, Justice and Battle Research, from Goshen School. As a pupil, he served in management roles on campus with the Prevention Intervention Community, the Latino Pupil Union, the Tutorial Response Workforce and as a peer monetary coach by means of Everence on campus. Daza-Jabian is at present serving as an administrative intern with Enterprise Continuity Planning at Indiana College Well being in Indianapolis, Indiana.
“All all through Fernando’s school expertise at Goshen School, he has sought to deliver individuals collectively to handle points similar to immigration and battle,” wrote Perez.
“I’m enthusiastic about creating areas the place individuals really feel empowered, supported and capable of advocate for themselves and their communities,” stated Daza-Jabian. “A lot of my work has centered on violence prevention, monetary empowerment and creating alternatives for marginalized communities to thrive.”
For a number of years, he has volunteered with the Heart for Therapeutic & Hope in Goshen, serving within the Pure Helpers Program. This system facilitates connections between immigrants and group volunteers who communicate their language, bridging the hole to important assets similar to meals, transportation, housing, jobs, language lessons, authorized help and extra.
“I’m particularly pleased with organizing and main a monetary wellness workshop in Spanish for group members on the Heart for Therapeutic and Hope,” stated Daza-Jabian, who’s multi-lingual. “Seeing individuals interact with the fabric and go away feeling extra assured jogged my memory that peace and justice can even imply creating the circumstances for individuals and communities to thrive.”
He reminds different peacemakers that peacemaking doesn’t require a title, a sure character or years of expertise.
“Peacemaking begins if you discover one thing you care deeply about and have the braveness to take one small step towards making it higher,” stated Daza-Jabian.
In regards to the Deliver the Peace awards
The Deliver the Peace awards mirror MC USA’s Renewed Commitments to observe Jesus, witness to God’s peace and expertise the transformation of the Holy Spirit. Rooted in Anabaptist religion values, the initiative calls people and congregations to nurture empathy, compassion and love whereas actively searching for to dismantle oppression and violence.
Annually, MC USA Peace and Justice division welcomes Deliver the Peace award nominations from throughout the denomination. A variety committee comprised of earlier Deliver the Peace award recipients opinions submissions and selects the honorees.
The awards are sponsored by MC USA’s Church Peace Tax Fund, an USA initiative that reinforces the denomination’s position as a historic peace church by invigorating the collective voice in opposition to the damaging powers of militarism in our congregations, communities and past. The fund helps academic packages that tackle militarism and promote methods of residing peacefully:
- The Deliver the Peace recognition program, honoring a Legacy Peacemaker and a Younger Peacemaker every year.
- Grants for warfare tax resisters.
- Peaceable Choices for Coaching and Careers (POTC), an impartial initiative shaped by MC USA and Mennonite Central Committee that helps younger adults discover non-military profession, service and coaching alternatives.
Help MC USA’s peace constructing work right here. Presents could also be designated to the Church Peace Tax Fund or POTC. Checks can be mailed to Mennonite Church USA, 718 N. Major Avenue, Newton, KS 67114, noting “EB Peace & Justice” within the memo line.
Mennonite Church USA is an Anabaptist Christian denomination, based in 2002 by the merger of the Mennonite Church and the Basic Convention Mennonite Church. Members of this historic peace church search to observe Jesus by rejecting violence and resisting injustice. MC USA’s Renewed Commitments state the next shared commitments amongst its numerous physique of believers: to observe Jesus, witness to God’s peace and expertise the transformation of the Holy Spirit. Mennoniteusa.org
Written by Camille Dager.
