Flying the colors for peace

The Mennonite Church USA produces flags with the dove of peace, olive branch in beak, flying on a white background. But the folks who've been buying them — some 2,000 since mid-August — include Quakers, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Methodists, Unitarians and Jews, says Roberta Harms, the woman who answers the order phone: (866) 866-2872. Many purchasers said they were hoping for alternatives to war with Iraq. Some wanted a way to mark the Sept. 11 anniversary without patriotism. They're thanking the Mennonites for putting hope into war-weary hearts and prayers into words that the world can see, reports the church's Peace and Justice Support Network.