Making peace at home

Noaki Schwartz

Pastor Gary Barmore still remembers those occasions when he was

randomly attacked while growing up in Compton during the 1950s. While

some people might have let these seeds develop into prejudices, Barmore

said, thanks to his parents he managed to grow up without any deep

animosities.

“My parents used to send me to an annual national conference that was

interreligious and interracial,” he recalled. “I spent a week living with

people and feeling what it was like to step into their lives.”

And, in turn, they were able to momentarily view life through his

eyes.

The exchange taught Barmore not to assume anything or judge people’s

actions. To really make a change and increase reconciliation, Barmore

said, people need to sit down with open hearts and open minds and really

listen to each other.

This is the main tenet behind Barmore’s series of sermons on

nonviolence at Fairview Community Church. At the beginning of the month,

Barmore started his seven-week series on how local residents could start

a peaceful revolution in their own lives.

“There’s a growing concern in society about the escalation of fear and

violence,” he said. “It goes all the way from international violence, to

violence in national cities, to country towns, down to families in

homes.”

While Barmore realizes he can’t change the world, he said he hopes

that through his sermons he can at least spark some hope in his little

corner of Orange County.

“Our purpose is to serve in such a way that we can be agents of

reconciliation,” he said. “The Bible makes this a major emphasis.”

However, Barmore added, some Christians might disagree with his

perspective on the purpose of the church.

There are a number of different perspectives on Christianity, Barmore

said. One is an “apocalyptic” attitude of waiting for the end of the

world; another is a “triumphalistic” attitude of converting everyone to

Christianity; and the third -- which is Barmore’s -- is simply to help

the world as much as possible.

“It’s very clear to me that the purpose of the Bible, Jesus and the

church are being peacemakers,” he said. “Bringing down the level of

violence is not a side issue -- it’s the core purpose of why we’re here.”

Barmore said that it’s all about communicating more effectively,

listening and respecting one another. In his most recent sermon, Barmore

focused on encouraging participants to “do good for someone you don’t

like, try to feel what it’s like to live their life, make win-win

scenarios and give your bad feelings over to God,” he said.

So far, he said, the feedback has been very good.

“After a worship service we have a talk back,” Barmore said. “People

can bring their own illustrations, their own moments of truth.”

Rather than suppressing questions or comments, Barmore encourages

people to air out their views, listen to each other and share ideas.

He cited a recent example in the news regarding a hostage situation,

in which the sympathetic victim talked the criminal out of committing

suicide. The victim’s kindness, he said, is an example of precisely the

type of behavior he’s trying to encourage.

“They started as enemies and became more,” he said.

At the end of the series, Barmore said he hopes that participants will

sign a “Family Pledge of Nonviolence,” which reads: Making peace must

start within ourselves and in our families.

The pledge goes on to outline the importance of respect,

communication, listening, forgiveness and being courageous enough to

challenge violence at every encounter.

“The prophet says God doesn’t so much like all the worship and

singing,” Barmore said. “God really wants for you to do kindness and

justice -- not be violent or oppressive. I think this is the real

Gospel.”

* WHAT: Series of sermons on nonviolence

* WHEN: 10 a.m. Sundays through Aug. 20

* WHERE: Fairview Community Church, 2525 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa

* PHONE: (714) 545-4610