The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative

Introduction

The IPCR Initiative is an accumulation of documents, resources, and observations brought together to support the propositions that we-- collectively-- have both the need, and the potential, to be
 
a)  much more organized and deliberate about "... bringing to the fore what is often hidden:  how many good people there are, how many ways there are to do good, and how much happiness comes to those who extend help, as well as to those who receive it."
b)  much more multi-faceted and participation-friendly in our approaches to peacebuilding, community revitalization, and ecological sustainability
c)  much more resourceful in the use of the storehouses of accumulated wisdom and "embodied energy" which are now accessible to us

A Constellation of Initiatives

There are many important initiatives which are critical to overcoming the challenges of our times, but which are not quite "coming through the mist as much as they should be".  The IPCR Initiative can be very helpful in exactly these kinds of circumstances, as it encourages and facilitates a "constellation" of initiatives, by which the best (in view of the participants using these processes) associated with individual spiritual formation, interfaith peacebuilding, community revitalization, ecological sustainability, etc. can bubble up to the surface, be recognized as priorities, and therefore be brought forward as appropriate recipients of peoples' time, energy, and money.... As the ancient Chinese proverb says:  "Many hands make much work light".

The Keynote Document

The keynote document of The IPCR Initiative is "1000Communities²", a 161 page proposal advocating Community Visioning Initiatives, "Community Teaching and Learning Centers" with ongoing workshops, and "sister community" relationships as a way of generating an exponential increase in our collective capacity to overcome the challenges of our times.  (accessible for free at www.ipcri.net)

 The IPCR Mission Statement

The Interfaith Peacebuilding and Community Revitalization (IPCR) Initiative is an effort to facilitate the practical application of the Eight IPCR Concepts (“Community Good News Networks,” “Community Faith Mentoring Networks,” “Spiritual Friendships,” “Questionnaires That Help Build Caring Communities,” “Community Visioning Initiatives for Peace,” “Spiritually Responsible Investing,” “Ecological Sustainability,” and “IPCR Journal/Newsletters)—at the local and regional level—as a way of contributing to the following goals:

1)  “… bringing to the fore what is often hidden: how many good people there are, how many ways there are to do good, and how much happiness comes to those who extend help as well as to those who receive it.”

2)  increasing our collective capacity to encourage and inspire individual spiritual formation—with all the beneficial consequences that follow for individuals, communities, regions. etc.

3)  building trust among people from different faith communities and cultural traditions

4)  increasing our capacity to be responsible stewards of our time, energy, and money

5)  increasing our capacity to access what is necessary for basic human needs and quality of life through principles and practices of ecological sustainability and permaculture, especially in light of the implications of global warming, ecological footprint analysis, and the “peaking” of our finite supplies of oil

6)  increasing our awareness of the countless number of “things people can do in the everyday circumstances of their lives” which will contribute to peacebuilding, community revitalization, and ecological sustainability efforts, in our own communities and regions—and in other parts of the world

7)  reducing the incidence of violence—and all the costs associated with war

8)  increasing emergency assistance to people with basic human needs

9)  reflecting an understanding of the value of silence

10)  creating local community and regional publications that provide a format for sharing the good news which would be identified, encouraged, supported, and sustained by contributions to the first 9 goals

 [Note:  For more about the Eight IPCR Concepts, see "Brief Descriptions of The Eight IPCR Concepts", a document in the "All IPCR Documents" section on the homepage of The IPCR Initiative (at www.ipcri.net).]

Peacebuilding in its Most Compassionate Form

Peacebuilding in its most compassionate form is not a competitive field of activity. Viewed in this light, the most valuable forms of peacebuilding will nurture, support, and sustain the development of an infinite variety of other forms of peacebuilding, community revitalization, and ecologically sustainability initiatives. The IPCR Initiative is an effort to nurture, support, and sustain peacebuilding in its most compassionate form.