Are we a “peace church”? A leading producer of avant-garde “peace theology”? Founders of a globally significant “peace organization”? The ultimate apologists for Christian non-violence? I long to see “non-violence” begin to refer not only to our refusal of military service and our migrations to avoid conscription, but to the work of naming and identifying our own violence, hearing from those who have been harmed by it, confessing and rejecting it, and repairing the harm it has caused….

When stories of marginalization, betrayal and pain – carefully documented and courageously shared – can be honored and believed in our communities as part of our very “catechesis,” then our communities can become places where “harm is repaired and offenders are held accountable.”

Remembering is truth-telling, remorse is to feel the pain and the loss or the trauma that was caused. And then repent to ask for forgiveness. Our repair helps us reach out to heal and restore what was broken. And if you stumble on any of them in the process, go back! - Elona Street-Stewart

It really bothers us when MCC states or implies that we have “declined to participate” in mediation opportunities, or refers to the ongoing legal proceedings as a way to suggest that we have non-restorative intentions or are constraining MCC to communicate with us only through a legal process that we have initiated.

John Clarke and I took this opportunity to write to board members to once again clarify our motivation for filing complaints to the Quebec Labour board, and our ongoing desire for restorative conversation outside the purview of the legal process.