"A voice was heard in Ramah, 


wailing and loud lamentation,

Rachel weeping for her children; 


she refused to be consoled, 


because they are no more."

-Matthew 2:18



Throughout history, governments have resorted to barbaric acts of violence to remain in power.  In Christian tradition, the Gospel of Matthew reminds us of this reality through the story of the massacre of the Holy Innocents.  The history of the Patriotic Union in Colombia is reminds us that massacres of innocents continue 2000 years later.  



CPT is pleased to report that our fundraising drive in September and October was very successful!  We raised a total of $93,411. Thanks to your incredible support, and cost cutting by teams, we were able to make up for the drop in donations earlier in 2010 and meet our budget for the fiscal year ending October 31st.

SOUTH HEBRON HILLS – On Tuesday, 14 December 2010, the Israeli military demolished three water cisterns and two wells in the arid and hilly Khashem Ad Daraj/Hathaleen region, about twenty-six km southeast of Hebron/al-Khalil.  The military gave no reason for the destruction of the wells and cisterns.

PRAYERS FOR PEACEMAKERS, Dec. 15, 2010

Pray for the families of “false positives” in Colombia where the armed forces killed over 2,000 civilians, claiming they were enemies killed in combat, in order to get financial and other rewards.

Doug Pritchard

Christian Peacemaker Teams

Toronto, Canada 

On 3 November 2010, the KRG Parliament passed a law regulating demonstrations within the Kurdish Region.  The next steps include the parliament sending the bill to President Barzani for his response.  Legally, President Barzani has the option of signing the law as is, sending it back to Parliament for amendment, or ignoring it.  If he chooses to ignore it, the law goes into effect fifteen days after President receives it.  He has not yet signed it, so now is the time for the international community to apply pressure.  Three years ago, when the KRG parliament passed an oppressive law on journalists, pressure from Kurdish journalists and the international community resulted in President Barzani openly stating his commitment to freedom of the press, and sending the bill back to parliament for amendment.

This year, instead of buying another gadget or trinket for loved ones, you can support a peacemaker on their behalf.  Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) will send them a card, featuring one of CPT’s project locations: Aboriginal Justice, Colombia, Iraq, or Palestine.  Click here, choose which card you want sent, provide an address, and CPT will send a card to the recipient by postal mail letting them know that you have sponsored a peacemaker in their name. 

On 3 November 2010, the Parliament of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG) passed a law regulating demonstrations within the KRG.  According to various civil society groups, the Parliament took a bill drafted by civil society, changed its main principals and then passed it with no open discussion beforehand.  Civil groups have not been able to gain access to the revisions of the bill passed on 3 November.

God of light, who came into a world of darkness and who has never left it, we invite you to be present in the lighting of this candle.

This candle is called the Candle of Peace or Love.  At Christmastime, we celebrate the God of Love who came to Earth as the Prince of Peace.  If we are inspired by love, let us be the peacemakers that Jesus calls the children of God.

(read more, including actions to take and bulletin insert)

Christian Peacemaker Teams has a full-time opening for a Personnel Coordinator.  ….

Responsibilities and needed qualities, experiences and skills are listed in the job description below.  Preferred start date April 15, 2011.  As with all CPT positions, compensation is a stipend based on need.  The initial appointment will be for a period of three years.  Preferred location for the Personnel Coordinator to work is Chicago.

 Over the last few months, CPTers have been thinking together about the story of our work as part of Mission and Presentation Re-visioning Process (MAPR).  We would like to invite you to join us in that pondering this advent season.  We recognize that CPT's way of working has developed and matured over the last twenty-five years and in thinking about revising our mission, we realized that we need to first be able to describe the kind of world that we and are our partners are working to create.  We need a vision statement and we need your help to write one.