News and Events

Peace Pole Planting

On Thursday, June 3rd, about 80 people gathered outside of St. Martin's Table to dedicate and celebrate the planting of two peace poles, one planted outside of The Table and a second outside of the African Development Center of Minnesota. The Table and the African Development Center collaborated with Trinity Congregation to bring these poles, which read "May Peace Prevail on Earth" in eight languages, to the intersection of Riverside and 20th Avenues in Minneapolis.

Kathleen Olsen, bookstore manager at The Table, welcomed folks to the gathering and helped lead music with fellow song leader Mary Preus and longtime Lutheran songwriter Ray Makeever. The ceremony included speeches by founder Mary Schramm and current manager Gert Brixius. It was followed by a brief ceremony across the street at the African Development Center.  Hussein Samatar, Executive Director of the Center, spoke about the importance and power of peace.  He suggested that while there is still much peacemaking that must be done, we can celebrate the victory of one afternoon of peace and collaboration in our neighborhood.

The dedication event was the culmination of St. Martin's Table's 25th Anniversary as a ministry of the Community of St. Martin on this corner. According to Mary Preus, volunteer coordinator at The Table, the collaboration and celebration was a display of "our common vision for unity while celebrating diversity, hope in the midst of daily challenges, and joy for all who embody peace and spread it throughout the
world.

Among the many people that attended the event were members of the Community of St. Martin, Trinity Congregation, Women Against Military Madness, People of Faith Peacemakers, who have met twice a month at The Table since 1985, several Sisters of Saint Joseph and many more.

We at The Table are excited to be a part of the growing peace pole movement!  The two peace poles on our corner join over 200,000 peace poles that have been planted in 200 countries around the world. We are proud to bring these symbols of peace and collaboration to the Cedar Riverside Neighborhood. We hope you visit The Table soon to see the peace poles.

For more images of the event, please visit our picasa site at: www.picasaweb.google.com/101824430815066686426

We encourage you to learn more about our friends at the African Development Center of Minnesota by visiting their website at www.adcminnesota.org.