Welcome to Our Learning Center

As of February 2025, the U.S. Immigration Customs and Enforcement Agency (ICE) is the largest law enforcement agency, with the highest detention rate in U.S. history. This rapid expansion and its nationwide consequences warrant an examination of the facilities that house immigrants. We engage with some of the realities about immigration detention and suggest ways to advocate for laws and treatment that align with our principles.

On a recent date night with my husband, I was busy rattling off all the things that were causing me stress. Every good date starts with a complaint session — I’m sure this is included in the expert advice to keep the spark alive in a marriage after 25 years, right?! Thankfully, he is compassionate and well trained, so he patiently listened to my list. I concluded my rant with “writing a Sabbath Devotional for work” as one of the most dreaded tasks on my list. I started in on my insecurities —...

The secretaries of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Homeland Security are part of the presidential Cabinet and are in the presidential line of succession.

On Saturday morning I woke to the news that my country had bombed another country which was notorious for its determination to bomb still other countries. I have spoken with enough armed dissidents to believe that war and bombs are complicated things. And, indeed, this news felt very complicated.  Because I really hate violence. The prospect of bullets or bombs being turned against real, breathing humans is so horrible. But last year, my husband interviewed dozens of people involved in the...

In February, MWEG signed on to a letter with other Word & Wisdom coalition members to promote the DEFIANCE Act, which has already passed the Senate. The DEFIANCE Act provides legal recourse for those who have been the target of sexually explicit, AI-generated deepfakes without their consent, and we believe the bill can become an important tool in protecting women, children, and others from such abuse.

Jen and Patrick are joined by Mallory Everton to explore the themes of personal peace, the complexity of relationships, and the foundational story of Adam and Eve as a lens for understanding conflict and decision-making. They discuss the importance of vulnerability, self-compassion, and the role of creativity in navigating life's challenges. The conversation emphasizes the need for community and connection in the pursuit of peace and spiritual growth.

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy. “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you” (Matthew 5:43–44). This radical love is not unique to Christianity. The Buddha taught the practice of METTA- or Loving Kindness. The Dalai Lama taught that our enemy can be our best teacher. The Quran instructs Muslims to "repel evil with...

Most U.S. refugee programs remain on hold. This leaves tens of thousands of refugees suspended in various phases of the approval and resettlement process. Among this group, some refugees in the U.S. will be reverified according to a memo issued by the presidential administration in November 2025.

Ultimately, the work of peacemaking means staying committed to seeing the humanity, complexity, and value of each person– even in the midst of pain and shortcomings.

Jennifer Finlayson-Fife joins Jen and Patrick to discuss the multifaceted nature of peace, particularly in the context of relationships and marriage as they read about Adam and Eve. She emphasizes that peace is not merely the absence of conflict but involves a sense of well-being and mutual respect.

The key to healing is choosing to forgive. Our covenantal relationship allows us to partner with Christ who will provide the way for us.

The world is hard and we need more gentleness. May we choose meekness as a way to bring softness and goodness to those around us.

The trend toward politicizing the military is a dangerous one. Federal and state troops help maintain the freedoms on which the Republic stands, and misusing them creates a dissonance difficult to overcome. For these reasons, legal scholars and politicians alike have been calling for a tightening of the laws that govern when and how the military and National Guard and Reserves are federally deployed on U.S. soil.

In this episode of the Proclaim Peace podcast, hosts Patrick Mason and Jennifer Thomas are joined by Jared Halverson to explore the themes of peace and conflict through the lens of scripture. They discuss the significance of division in creation, the life-giving aspects of conflict, and the balance of opposites in relationships. The conversation delves into the creation, fall, and atonement as a divine paradigm, emphasizing the importance of maintaining unity amidst differences.

We the people are both the source of power and authority for our government and the check when our leaders lose their way. This is our right, our obligation, and our privilege.

I stood on my oak parquet 1980s hand-me-down kitchen table and reached for the ceiling. Beside me sat two barstools and stacks of books, with an 8-light chandelier on top. In my memory my kids are in bed, but since I wasn’t working in the dark, they probably watched TV. Our family was new to rural Quincy, Washington and a second winter was closing in. The first winter had been grueling — a toddler and a 6-month-old, in a rented farmhouse far from friends and family. We’d left our townhome in...

MWEG continues to call on Congress to reaffirm its constitutional role to stop the politicization of the U.S. military and lead out in ensuring due process for individuals and restoring peace within U.S. cities.

In a flurry of anxiety over how to introduce “This Little Light of Mine” to our congregation in a non-offensive/appropriating way, I recently did a deep dive into the history of the song. One the pages of Google and Wikipedia, I met Rutha Mae Harris. Rutha Mae was a member of The Freedom Singers, a quartet formed by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee tasked with using music to educate, organize, and raise funds for the Civil Rights Movement across the U.S. Rutha Mae was the...

Do you know why energy bills are on the rise? Did you know they increase disproportionately among Americans? Do you know how your utility rates are regulated and how they are calculated? Do you understand what a public utility commission does? Discover the answers to these and more questions — and decide how you can take action.

Welcome to Season 2 of our podcast! In this episode, Patrick and Jen introduce our study of the Old Testament with a peacemaking lens. We'll draw on scripture as a source of wisdom and celebrate its lessons on humanity, redemption, and God's unwavering support.