2016

The third “Let It Begin with Me” Symposium was held on Saturday, March 19, 2016, at Valentine Hall at the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Gettysburg from 8:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.  The symposium, organized by the Interfaith Center for Peace and Justice and the Social Outreach Committee of the Lutheran Theological Seminary Student Association,  focused on the themes of race and violence.  The keynote speaker was David Botero, the Coordinator of Harrisburg Compassionate Community Policing.  Breakout sessions were “Race and Ethnicity I: Understanding the Minoritized Experience,” “Reducing Violence I: Efforts by Advocacy Groups,” “Race and Ethnicity II: Solutions for Building More Inclusive Communities,” and “Reducing Violence II: What Can I Do?” Close to 50 people attended.  A Playback Theatre performance, associated with Let It Begin with Me, took place on Sunday, May 22.

2011

The second “Let It Begin With Me” had the theme “Building Inclusive Communities.” The event took place on March 5, 2011, at Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary.  Darryl Jones gave the keynote address, “Accepting Differences, Eliminating Barriers.” There were four sessions: “Challenging Racism,” “Honoring Each Other’s Faith,” “Gay in Gettysburg,” and “Crossing Borders: The Immigrant Experience.” River Crossing Playback Theatre gave a concluding performance.  About 100 people attended the event.  Wendy Mizenko again chaired the planning committee.

2010

ICPJ’s first “Let It Begin with Me: A Celebration of Peace and Justice through the Arts” took place on February 20, 2010, at Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary.  A large number of artists and performers took part.  An opening plenary featured singer Tyrone Burwell and a closing plenary featured the Nathan Foster Drum Circle, Storyteller Maggie Fowler and singer Will Lane.  In between there were 33 performances, workshops, and talks, with several going on concurrently at any given time.  Wendy Mizenko chaired the planning committee.

2009

At the June 2009 ICPJ Board meeting, Wendy Mizenko proposed that ICPJ hold an arts festival in the spring called “Let It Begin with Me.”