Strengthening Community Peace: Hillside Hope & Taylor University Lead Pastoral Peace-Building Training

Hillside Hope (HSH), in partnership with Taylor University (Indiana, USA), conducted a two-day pastoral training workshop on peace-building at the ECMI Hall in Cyuve. The workshop was held under the theme “Forgiveness from the Heart” (1 Peter 1:22) and opened with a devotional session led by participating pastors, setting a spiritual foundation for the training.

Purpose of the Workshop

The Peace-Building Workshop was designed with the following objectives:

Equip local church leaders from Cyuve, Muhoza, Kimonyi, and Musanze sectors with practical peace-building skills.
Strengthen biblical understanding related to peace, community transformation, justice, family, compassion, and love.
Promote unity among church leaders and inspire them to work together for the good of the nation.
Encourage long-term implementation of the lessons in their churches and communities.

Participants

The workshop brought together leaders from twelve Christian denominations, including ETEC, DEM, AEBR, ADEPR, EMLR, EAR, RBCR, ECEMI, EENR, HAIM, CATHOLIC, and FHM.
Out of fifty invited participants, forty-nine attended—demonstrating strong interest and commitment.

Sessions ran from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., featuring group discussions, interactive learning, and theological reflection. Participants were attentive, engaged, and eager to apply the new insights in their ministries.

Training materials—including books, notes, and handouts—were developed by Dr. Jessup Michael, Professor of Sociology at Taylor University, and Linda Lambert, and later translated into Kinyarwanda by Rev. Jean Bosco Ntakirutimana and the Hillside Hope team.

Learning in Action

Facilitators guided participants through teachings on peace-building, conflict resolution, and biblical principles for restoring relationships.
Small group sessions encouraged open dialogue, while interpretation ensured clarity for all attendees. Participants also received guidance on the importance of taking notes for present and future use in ministry.

Feedback from Participants

Several participants shared reflections expressing how impactful the workshop had been:

“This workshop has exposed our weaknesses in peace-building.”
“It has opened my eyes to become an agent of peace in my church.”
“I learned how to bring peace into a community while also solving problems.”
“More church leaders should attend such workshops—it would help transform their communities.”
“Reading and writing will help us retain what we’ve learned and pass it on to our congregations.”

Suggested Resolutions for Future Trainings

Participants recommended the following steps as a way forward:

Extend the next training to four days, focusing on Peace-Building and Good Governance.
Conduct follow-up visits to ensure that participants are applying what they learned.

Awarding of Certificates and Bibles

All forty-nine participants were awarded certificates recognizing them as trained peace-builders capable of training others. Each participant also received a Bible. The certificate ceremony was filled with excitement and gratitude, as leaders celebrated their new capacity to promote peace within their communities.

Appreciation

Hillside Hope extends heartfelt gratitude to Taylor University for its generous partnership. The alignment of mission and vision—toward theological education, peace-building, and community transformation—made this workshop highly successful.

Thanks to Taylor University’s financial support, essential materials such as stationery, Bibles, food, and drinks were provided. Participants expressed deep appreciation to facilitators Dr. Jessup Michael and Linda Lambert for their professional and compassionate facilitation.

May God bless everyone who contributed to making this workshop a reality.