Welcome Rev.

Peter Tibi from South Sudan, the worlds newest nation

The Rev. Peter Tibi, Visiting International Peacemaker for the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUSA) will be visiting Trinity Presbytery from September 23 28th of 2011. Rev. Tibi works in the area of conflict transformation among the peoples of South Sudan, the worlds newest country. After two decades of a brutal civil war that killed 2 million people and displaced millions more, Sudan split into two nations following a constitutional referendum. Now, how will the people of these two nations hold tight to the peace? Following wars that have occupied the great portion of two generations lives, how can such a traumatized people break a cycle of violence that seems to have become ingrained within the culture itself? In the midst of such ravaged infrastructure, where communication and interaction with other communities and government are so difficult, how can the people obtain the civic education needed to be effective members of a democratic society? The churches of Sudan asked these exact questions and responded with the creation of RECONCILE. Rev. Tibi has served as the Executive Director of RECONCILE, International, since November of 2009. He received his Bachelor of Divinity from Bethany Divinity College in Dothan, Alabama; his B.A. from the University of Gloucestershire, UK; and his Masters in Theological Studies from Bethany Divinity College and Theological Seminary. Rev. Tibi has served as the Principal at Imatong Bible College in Juba, Sudan. He served as an administrator and Assistant Executive Secretary for Africa Inland Church-Sudan, and worked within AIC for 13 years. After this, he moved on to the New Sudan Council of Churches, where he served as the Deputy Executive Secretary; at the end of the war when the councils merged, he worked with the Sudan Council of Churches as Acting Executive Secretary and General Secretary, all over a span of five years.

Please come hear Rev Tibi speak about Sudan, about peacemaking, and about his personal experiences, at one of the following times, in Columbia, SC: Saturday 9/24/11, 9:00 AM 3:00 PM, at Forest Lake Presbyterian (bring a brown bag lunch), Rev. Tibi will share in-depth discussion of his work in the morning. The afternoon will be a gathering of peacemakers for talk about Christian Conflict transformation. Sunday, 9/25/11, Rev. Tibi will share Sunday School and will preach at McGregor Presbyterian, followed by a church picnic at 5:30 P.M. that evening. Monday, 9/26/11, Rev. Tibi will speak at the University of South Carolina Tuesday, 9/27/11, 6:30 PM, Presbyterian Student Center, University of South Carolina Wednesday, 9/28/11, 5:30 PM, Supper and an evening program at Shandon Presbyterian.

Call Alexandria Skinner at 803-414-0185 for more information.