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"True peace is not merely the absence of tension: it is the presence of justice."
– Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Speakers

Dr. Lomax is a native of Akron, Ohio. He is a graduate of Heidelberg College (1978), Trinity Lutheran Seminary (1985), and United Theological Seminary (1995) where he earned his Doctorate of Ministry Degree. Reverend Lomax served the Davidson Presbyterian Church in Davidson, North Carolina, and the Westhills Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia before being called as a new church development pastor by the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta in April of 1993. Under Dr. Lomax’s leadership the First African Presbyterian Church was chartered with 148 members in December of that same year.

The First African Presbyterian Church is the first unapologetically African-Centered Christian witness in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Today, over 700 members are attempting to reclaim, understand, and embrace their African heritage, cultures, and spiritualities from a distinctly Christian perspective. The ministry strives to minister to the needs of the whole person. It also attempts to meet the diverse needs of the African American community.

Dr. Lomax is active in the community as well as his denomination. He serves as a board member of Concerned Black Clergy, Atlantans Building Leadership for Empowerment (A.B.L.E.), and V & L Marketing and Research. He has also served as the president of the Black Caucus of the Greater Atlanta Presbytery, as a member of the African American Advisory Committee of the Presbyterian Church (USA), the co-moderator of the Bills and Overtures Committee of the 207th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA), as a member of the Council of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, a member of the Dekalb County Community Services Board and as a member of the Committee on Preparation for Ministry. Dr. Lomax is on the faculty of the Interdenominational Theological Center where he serves as chair of the homiletics department. He has Lomax has published book entitled “Jesus for a Hip-Hop Generation,” several articles and is in great demand as a speaker and workshop facilitator around the country. Dr. Lomax currently serves as the Interim Dean of Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia. (Friday evening opening program)

Lisa Schirch is professor of peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University and program director of the 3D Security Initiative which promotes conflict prevention and peacebuilding in US security policymaking. A former Fulbright Fellow in East and West Africa, Schirch has worked in over 20 countries and has written four books. (Saturday morning plenary session)

Visit the Eastern Mennonite University 3D Security Initiative

Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, a Turkish-born priest who represents the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) in Washington, is President Elect of the National Council of Churches USA, serving from Jan. 1, 2006 to Dec.31, 2007.

The President Elect will automatically assume the council’s presidency from January 2008 to December 2009. The current President is the Rev. Michael E. Livingston.

Vicken Aykazian was born in Siirt, Turkey, in 1951. He studied theology at the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem and was ordained a deacon in 1968 and later a celibate priest in 1971.  In 1992, His Holiness Vasken I, Catholicos of All Armenians at Holy Echmiadzin in Armenia, ordained him a bishop.

Archbishop Aykazian, who holds a Ph.D in history and is working on a second Ph.D in theology at Catholic University in Washington, is an active ecumenist. In addition to his contributions to the NCC as a member of the Governing Board, he has been active in the World Council of Churches as a member of the Mission and Evangelism Unit, the Orthodox Task Force and the Central Committee.

The archbishop is the legate of the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern) in Washington, and ecumenical officer. (Sunday morning homilist)

Jean Sammon has been a NETWORK Organizer since March 2001, and was an Associate Lobbyist with NETWORK from 1998-2000. Jean has coordinated a nationwide education and legislative advocacy campaign, organized lobby days, and facilitated workshops on political involvement for NETWORK members and a variety of higher education faculty, administration and students. Jean has a Master of Arts in Humanities and a Bachelor of Science in Computer and Information Science. Prior to joining NETWORK, Jean was a Systems Engineer for the IBM Corporation and a volunteer social justice advocate. She was a board member of the social action agency of the diocese of Cleveland and the founding chair of the social concerns commission at St. Basil parish in Cleveland. Jean is also been an active member of Pax Christi USA. (Sunday Plenary: Faith in Action)

Jos Linn is the Domestic Outreach Organizer for RESULTS, a Washington, DC-based grassroots advocacy organization working to end hunger and poverty. Jos is also the Coordinator of RESULTS' Faith in Action Project. Jos works to engage volunteer activists to build the political will to end poverty by lobbying Congress, generating media and mobilizing others in their communities. He also coordinates policy work on domestic hunger and tax issues for RESULTS. Prior to coming to RESULTS in 2006, Jos worked as a school administrator, teacher and coach in Kansas City, MO for five years. Before that, he practiced law as an Assistant Attorney General and Deputy County Attorney in Phoenix, AZ. Jos is a 1990 graduate of William Jewell College in Missouri with a B.A in Political Science and German. He received his J.D. from Drake University Law School (Des Moines, IA) in 1993 and an M.B.A. from the University of Kansas in 2002. Jos is also a member of the Kansas and Iowa State Bars. He and his wife Laura live in West Des Moines, IA and have one daughter, Stella, who is 2 years old. (Sunday Plenary: Faith in Action)

INVITED: 2008 Democratic and Republican Presidential Candidates

The top Democratic and Republican Presidential Candidates have been invited to participate in a town hall forum on Sunday evening. This event is contingent on the candidate participation.

"Some take pride in chariots, and some in horses, but our pride is in the name of the Lord our God." Psalm 20:7 NRSV