Peacemakers Network July 2026

Georgia Boon   16 Jul 2026

Dear Peacemakers,

Is it possible not to feel overwhelmed at the moment? On a podcast recently, I heard a comedian say that there used to be enough news to write new material every few days, but now they needed to be writing jokes every few minutes; they couldn’t keep up. And even the edgiest comedian would struggle to turn much of today’s headlines into something to laugh about.

That sense of overwhelm is also reflected in some of the conversations our Practitioners hear from church communities as they travel to offer support. The Place for Hope staff have also been on the road a lot over the last few months, attending the Church of Scotland General Assembly, Methodist Conference, and the General Assembly of the United Reformed Church. We’ve been compiling our annual report and found that we trained over 600 people in conflict transformation last year. 

Much of what we hear from those we train and support relates to a sense of not knowing where, or sometimes why, to begin. On top of the feeling of disempowerment driven by the global backdrop, personal pressures - such as the cost of living and navigating polarisation - are bearing down on many of us individually.

One of the most enduring tools that can help when people are feeling overwhelmed is Stephen Covey’s ‘Circles of Influence’ exercise. Facilitating a small group to work through this a few weeks ago, I reflected that I would benefit from taking time to do the exercise myself. Working through the model of understanding what is within and outside of my control, I realised I was so preoccupied with things that belonged in the outer circle that I wasn’t acting on things that could make a difference. Take a look at the tool and see if it resonates with you as it did me. If you haven’t come across it before, I hope it helps you find the space to make change possible.

Oh, and before I sign off, I want to let you know we have a few spaces still available on our online Bitesize Session ‘Understanding Conflict’ on 22nd July 10:00-12:00. This session explores the difference between helpful and harmful conflict; what drives conflict; and introduces key ways of thinking about managing, resolving and transforming it. You can book now; we hope to see you there. 

As ever, do be in touch with any thoughts, requests or questions,

Georgia