“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
The Stronger Together movement invites you to join us on a collaborative journey towards restoration, healing, and a new tomorrow.
WALK YOUR STREETS TO ESTABLISH PEACE
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WALK YOUR STREETS TO ESTABLISH PEACE 〰️
“WHOEVER CELEBRATES THEIR VALUES IN THE STREETS WILL ESTABLISH POLICY AND CULTURE FOR THE NEXT GENERATION”
CLARENCE HILL JR.
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Purpose
The focus of the walks is to promote unity, peace, compassion, and justice in our communities.
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Prayer
The walks will be celebratory as we come together in pursuit of God’s grace and healing for our communities.
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Peacemakers
We will sing, eat, pray, and listen to the stories of seasoned peacemakers who have sacrificed to promote unity and compassion in Oklahoma.
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Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God” (Matthew 5:9). In a world marked by violence and division, God calls us all to love one another, speak truth, care for the vulnerable, and build bridges between divided communities.
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In the face of suffering and injustice, it is easy to be overwhelmed by anger. But anger alone cannot bring lasting peace to the world. So we walk for restoration, healing, and a new tomorrow.
The prophet Isaiah rebuked unfaithful people in his time, saying, “The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths” (Isaiah 59:8). But God’s mercy has entered the world through Jesus “to guide our feet in the way of peace” (Luke 1:79). We are seeking to follow Jesus on this way of peace together.
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In the Bible, the Hebrew word shalom is often used to represent the peace, justice, and joy that come when people walk in the ways of God. As Psalm 34:14 says, “Turn away from evil and do good; seek shalom and pursue it.” Seeking shalom means joining God in his work to bring hope and healing to the world. This involves serving others and loving our enemies.
As Oklahomans, we want to join God in the sacred work of seeking shalom in the place we live. The Peace Walks are times of celebration, spiritual formation, and public witness towards that end. At each walk, we will consider the question, “What would it look like if God’s shalom was fully realized in our hearts, our families, our neighborhoods, and our world?”
Dream Peace Walk
April 16, 2023
On the 60th anniversary of Dr. King’s “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” we gathered to honor peacemakers who have gone before us and re-engaged the dream of a world marked by God’s beloved community. We shared stories, sang, prayed, presented art, and dreamt about a better tomorrow for the next generation. The walk will began at Douglass High School and ended at the Bridge Impact Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Ave.
A Look Back
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South OKC
Led by Pastor Peña and Pastor Viezcas, the first Peace Walk in May highlighted the beauty and strength of Oklahoma’s Hispanic and Latino communities. We introduced the theme of seeking shalom in the places we live as we walked from Hilltop Clinic to Union Station.
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NE OKC
The June Peace Walk was led by Pastor Derrick Scobey in North East OKC. It highlighted the beauty, faith, and ongoing challenges faced by the Black community in Oklahoma. We learned from local peacemakers about the history of North East Oklahoma City, heard stories from individuals who participated in the sit ins during the Civil Rights Movement, and learned freedom songs that were sung during the movement.
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Asian Community
This walk through the Asian District celebrated the creativity, strength, beauty, and diversity of Oklahoma’s Asian community. We heard stories about how various people groups came to Oklahoma and the ways they have impacted the community since they arrived.
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First Responders
For our September Peace Walk, we heard stories from police, medical workers, and other first responders who have served our community well during times of crisis. The walk began at the Oklahoma National Memorial, a site that reminds us of our shared pain as a community. We pray that by God’s grace this shared suffering will give birth to shared service and shared hope. The walk symbolized this journey as we proceeded from the memorial to Scissortail Park, where we joined a celebratory worship event called Unite OKC and hosted by City Night of Worship. We asked God to lead us on a journey of healing, restoration, and hope while equipping us to be “repairers of the breach” wherever we find places of ongoing pain, division, or injustice in our community (Isaiah 58:12).
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Norman
The Norman Peace Walk brought together faith and community leaders to pray and dream about pursuing a city of peace where all people can flourish. It highlighted “compassion leaders” who regularly serve the vulnerable among us and ended with a time of worship.
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First Americans
The First Americans Peace Walk celebrated the faith, beauty, wisdom, and resilience of Oklahoma’s Native American communities. We walked, prayed, sung, listened to stories, and enjoyed traditional food.
FAQs
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There will be 7 monthly walks taking place in locations throughout Oklahoma from May to November 2022. Each walk will take place on the first Sunday of the month from 4-6pm.
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Everyone is welcome! The Peace Walks are celebratory and family-friendly. Walk routes are 1-2 miles and not strenuous.
The walks are hosted by Christians and include prayer, worship, and scripture. But we welcome participants from any religious or non-religious background to join us in seeking peace, reconciliation, and healing for Oklahoma.
Specific details for what to expect at each walk can be found at the Facebook Event page, which will be linked on our website when it is available.
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All you really need to bring is yourself. We hope that you will arrive with a posture of humility, empathy and prayer.
Signs and banners to be carried during the walk will be provided for participants. We ask that no additional signs, posters, or banners are displayed during this event.
Although the walks will not be strenuous, we recommend bringing a bottle of water to stay hydrated.
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We recommend wearing weather-appropriate clothing and shoes that will be comfortable for walking an extended distance.
The route for each walk will be designed to be as accessible as possible.
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This is not a ticketed event and is open to the public. There is no cost to participate and prior sign up is not required.
If you are able to RSVP on the Facebook Event page, it is helpful for our Logistics Team to know how many people to expect and plan accordingly.
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If you would like to stay engaged, donate, or learn more about similar events and resources, please visit the home page for Stronger Together.
Some walks will also highlight opportunities to engage with nonprofit organizations that promote peace and human flourishing in vulnerable communities.
