Can we learn to share? For something to be ours, it doesn’t have to be only ours. “Ours” is not always about ownership. Sometimes it is about love and belonging. No one owns their children. Parents can proudly say “our children” while freeing them to belong to the families they form and the people they grow into.

Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Church Canada are like two of CPT’s parents. For 35 years our churches have said, “Yes! CPT is ours.” Thankfully, our denominations and CPT have grown in faithfulness and in dismantling oppression. Following the lead of peacemakers in challenging and diverse settings, CPT has broadened its membership to include people of other faiths and spiritualities. That change has brought growth.

The name Christian Peacemaker Teams no longer fits, because CPT is no longer only ours. “Christian” in the name oppresses and makes invisible some of the beloved CPTers who struggle for peace with us. So, CPT is now renamed Community Peacemaker Teams (page 19). It is still faithful and faith-filled peacemaking.

CPT is still ours. And it also belongs to others. That is something to celebrate. CPT has not left us. Let’s not leave CPT.

Carol Rose, Tucson, Ariz.
The writer is a Mennonite pastor, CPT reservist and former CPT director.