St. John United Church of Christ, Defiance, Ohio Peace Pole-USA

Name of Peace Pole owner: St. John United Church of Christ
Contact Person: Rev. Jim Brehler, Pastor
email: stjohnuccpastor@gmail.com

Date of Peace Pole Planting: 27 May 2017

Peace Pole planted in  our rock garden outside of the Fellowship Hall of our church. 950 Webster St., Defiance, OH 43512

We did have a dedication ceremony in memory of Monica Heckel:
Peace Pole Dedication Jim

I was familiar with the Peace Pole Project through another church I had been affiliated with.

Our Peace Pole was dedicated in memory of Monica Heckel, our Director of Faith Formation, who died unexpectedly after a short illness. The attached bulletin from her Memorial Service contains a short obituary which talks about her history:
Heckel Service Bulletin 2017.05.27

Monica and I were spiritual soul mates with both of us being highly empathic. Monica had wanted to plant a Peace Pole at the church, and had even begun constructing one from a 4×4 that she had found discarded on the side of the road. It was apropos that a discarded piece of lumber be used because of Monica’s work as a social worker, and her being, which seemed to attract people who had been discarded by others or society. However, when she had painted the 4×4, the paint would not adhere. After her passing, the church decided to purchase one from your organization. We mounted a brass plaque dedicating the Peace Pole to Monica with her favorite saying with which she closed all of her correspondence: Peace and all good. Monica truly longed for peace for all of creation. We truly miss her presence and spirit.

The dedication ceremony was adapted from: http://onearthpeace.org/peaceday_files/Peace-Pole_Sample-Dedication-Service_Yvonne-Riege-2012_On-Earth-Peace.pdf

Peace and all good,
Rev. Jim Brehler
St. John United Church of Christ
Defiance, OH