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Adventist Peacemaking
A Report of Thanks from the Center for Conflict Resolution
“Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.”
Shortly after the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York City in 2001, the General Conference Executive Committee issued the Seventh-day Adventist Call for Peace*. The SDA Call for Peace directed all Adventist schools to teach, and all Adventist pastors to preach, conflict resolution worldwide. In 2008, the lay-Adventist foundation, Versacare, Inc., commenced work developing the Center for Conflict Resolution (CCR) to assist Adventist schools and pastors in carrying out the Call for Peace. In 2010 the Center for Conflict Resolution was granted a home in the Tom and Vi Zapara School of Business at La Sierra University and in 2012 affiliated with the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP), operated through the Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life at Clemson University. The OBPP is the most researched and longest running program for school climate used in schools around the world. Since its creation, the CCR has partnered with NAD organizations to make the Call for Peace a reality both within and without the Adventist church. While there have been starts and stops, and so much more needs to be done in teaching and living peace, the CCR thanks its NAD partners and all those who have helped further the Call for Peace in the following and other projects:- Offered restorative mediation training, conflict coaching training and bullying prevention training to SDA and non-SDA organizations across the United States, with some SDA participants coming from as far away as Bermuda and Spain.
- Provided presentations, training and implementation assistance, and/or funded the materials for 81 schools in 17 regional conferences in seven of the nine NAD Unions.
- Worked with two SDA camp programs, Pathfinder programs in three conferences and provided training to five congregations, one camp meeting and one conference-wide training in conflict coaching
- Assisted four conferences in certifying conference personnel as trainers in the OBPP
- Assisted 15 Seventh-day Adventists to become certified trainers for the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program
- Worked with non-SDA entities in bullying prevention and peace making
- Assisted in developing the graduate degree emphasis in conflict resolution
- Provided training in conflict resolution and bullying prevention at Adventist colleges and universities.
- Contributed to Workplace Bullying and Mobbing in the United States, the first multi-volume, multi-contributor book project in the multi-disciplinary field of workplace bullying and other publications such as How a Culture of Altruism benefits the Bottom Line published in the Financier Worldwide Magazine and the Lexis-Nexis Advanced Guide for Mediators.
Community Projects And Presentations
- Rotary World Peace Conference
- Arlington Rotary Club
- Magnolia Center Rotary Club
- Minnesota Children's Choir
- University of Minnesota
- Chula Vista Unified School District
- Unforgettables Foundation
- Family Law Mediation Project
- Saint Paul (MN) Eastside Boys and Girls Club
- ARMS Advanced Elder Family Mediation Training Programs
- Riverside County Sheriff Chaplains
- Professional Fiduciary Association of California-Inland Empire Chapter
Nad Projects
- Break out sessions for NAD Education Conference
- Presentations and training for Adventist School Personnel Association (ASPA)
- Presentation for the NAD Ministerial Conference
- Collaborate with Adventist Risk Management in the Seven Campaign
- Collaborate with Adventist Association of Camping Professionals (AACP)
College And University Projects
- Mediation training for faculty from Centro Universitario Adventista de Sagunto
- Seminars for Emergency Physicians at Loma Linda University Medical Center
- Mediation Training for Physicians with Loma Linda University School of Medicine Continuing Medical Education
- Bullying prevention lecture, Psychiatry Grand Rounds, Loma Linda University School of Medicine
- Lectures on Conflict Management to Andrews University's extension school for pastors
- La Sierra University OSI Workshops
- La Sierra University RA and Dean Dorm Conflict Training
- La Sierra University Department of Social Work Mediation Training
- Bullying Prevention Training for Southern Adventist University Residence Hall Assistants/Deans
- Emphasis in Conflict Resolution for Master’s In Business Administration at La Sierra University
- Joint Conflict Resolution Court with Divinity School and Tom and Vi Zapara School of Business
Canadian Union Conference Projects
- Presentation to Canadian Union Education Council
Columbia Union
Allegheny East Conference, Pennsylvania Conference
Chesapeake Conference Consortium
- Atholton Adventist Academy
- Frederick Adventist Academy
- Mount Aetna Adventist School
- Rocky Knoll Adventist School
- Spencerville Academy
New Jersey Conference
- Lake Nelson School
- Meadow View SDA School
- Tranquility SDA School
- Vine Haven Adventist School
- Waldwick SDA School
Ohio Conference
- Mt. Vernon Academy
- Spring Valley Academy
- Kettering Church pastoral staff
- Centerville Church pastoral staff.
Mid America Union
- Mid America Union Pastors Retreat 2017
Minnesota Conference
- Adventist Christian School
- Anoka Adventist Christian School
- Blackberry SDA School
- Capital City Adventist Christian School
- Maplewood Academy
- Maranatha Adventist Christian School
- Minnetonka Christian Academy
- Northwoods Elementary School
- Oak Street Christian School
- Southview Christian School
- Stone Ridge SDA Christian School
- North Star Camp
- Pathfinder Leadership Training
- Conference wide seminar in conflict coaching
- Minnesota Children's Choir
- University of Minnesota Community Project
Rocky Mountain Conference
- H. M. S. Richards Adventist School
- Brighton Junior Academy
North Dakota Conference
- Dakota Adventist Academy
- Brentwood Adventist Christian Elementary School
- Dickinson Adventist Christian Elementary School
- Hillcrest Adventist Elementary School
- Prairie Voyager Adventist School
- Rapid City Adventist Elementary School
- Red River Adventist Elementary School
- Sioux Falls Adventist Elementary School
North Pacific Union
Upper Columbia Conference
- Rogers Adventist School
- Milton State Line Adventist School
- Conference Education Presentation
- Conference Pathfinder Leadership Training
Pacific Union Projects
Northern California Conference
- Adventist Christian School of Red Bluff
- Adventist Christian School of Yuba City
- Bayside SDA Christian School
- Chico Oaks Adventist School
- Echo Ridge Christian School
- Lodi SDA Elementary School
- Manteca Adventist Christian School
- Paradise Adventist Academy
- Pine Hills Adventist Academy
- Redwood Adventist Academy
- Rio Lindo Adventist Academy
- Ukiah Junior Academy
- Westlake SDA School
- Leoni Meadows Adventist Camp
- Palo Cedro Adventist Church
- Northern California Conference Camp meeting
Central California Conference
- Miramonte SDA Christian School
- Sierra View Junior Academy
Southern California Conference
- Glendale Adventist Academy
- West Covina Hills Adventist School
- Vallejo Drive Seventh‑day Adventist Church
Southeastern California Conference
- La Sierra Academy
- Loma Linda Academy
- Orangewood Academy
- Redlands Academy
- San Diego Academy
- Corona Seventh‑day Adventist Church
- La Sierra University Church
- Victorville Church
- SECC Teacher meetings
Arizona Conference
- Thunderbird Academy
Southern Union
Georgia Cumberland Conference
- Atlanta North School
- A.W. Spalding Adventist School
- Bowman Hills Adventist School
- Carman Adventist School
- Collegedale Adventist Middle School
- Columbus SDA School
- Duluth Adventist Christian School
- Georgia Cumberland Academy
- Greeneville Adventist Academy
- John L. Coble Adventist School
- Learning Tree Elementary School
- Lester Coon Apison SDA School
- Knoxville Adventist School
- Oglethorpe SDA School
- Savannah Adventist Christian School
- Shoal Creek Adventist School
- Standifer Gap SDA School
- The Oaks Adventist Christian School
- Wimbish Adventist School
Kentucky-Tennessee Conference
- Madison Campus Elementary School
- Conference education presentation K-8 schools
Southwest Union
Texas Conference
- Arlington Adventist Academy
- Keene Adventist Elementary School
The Center Is Grateful To Our Trainers, Presenters, Mediators And Consultants Who Have Helped Carry Forward The Call For Peace:
- Darryl Allen, MPM, OBPP
- Tony Belak, JD
- Marcia Clause, BS, OBPP
- Patti Cotton, MAOD, MA, PCC
- John-Robert Curtain, PhD
- Donna Sturgill Diaz, JD
- Marcia Haber, JD
- Carolyn Hamilton, BS, RN
- Susan Hamilton, JD, MA
- Thomas Hamilton, JD, MA
- Coreen Hicks, MA
- Enrique Koenig, JD
- Donald Lancaster, JD, MPH
- Grace Mackintosh, JD
- Ed Motschiedler, DMin
- J Niswonger, JD
- Dulce Pena, JD, Med, MAOD, EBC, OBPP
- Debra Pershing, MA, OBPP
- Richard Pershing, JD, OBPP
- Kelly Pick, OBPP
- Scott Rackley, MS
- James Redfield, MDiv, OBPP
- Mindy Salyers, MA, OBPP
- Lenita Skoretz, JD
- Randy Speyer, PhD
- Gary Taber, MDiv
- Daphne Thomas, MSW, LCSW, OBPP
- Kim Thompson, MA, OBPP
- Mark Walker, MA, OBPP
- Missy Weddle, MA, OBPP
- Clifford Wright, MA, OBPP
- Rochelle Webster
* The SDA Call for Peace can be read in its entirety at: www.adventist.org/en/information/official-statements/statements/article/go/-/call-for-peace/