GOSHEN — Ever wish the message of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. took center stage more than just once a year?

At Goshen College, they’re taking that wish to heart with a new initiative called the 40 Days of Peace Pledge.

The pledge began Monday in conjunction with the college’s 18th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Study Day. Participants in the initiative pledge to participate in one act of peace every day for 40 days with the goal of contributing to the creation of the “beloved community” envisioned by King nearly 50 years ago.

“The concept is in some ways very simple,” said Greg Imbur, assistant professor of education at GC. “There is a list of 40 acts of peace on our website, www.goshen.edu, things that promote peace or some kind of activity that is really healing in some way. And you do one act each day for the full 40 days.”

According to Imbur, the idea for the initiative first came about while searching for new ideas for the upcoming Martin Luther King Jr. Community Study Day.

“I joined the committee at the very end of the year, and in doing some of the planning for this year’s celebration I came across the idea for the pledge,” Imbur said. “It’s actually from another organization called Service for Peace Inc., which has a website at www.40daysofpeace.org. We really liked the idea, so we contacted Service for Peace Inc. and got permission to use their materials.”

While the program is a multi-department initiative of the college, Imbur said he wants the pledge to extend not only to college members, but to all members of the community,

“These are things that anybody can do,” Imbur said. “You don’t have to be a part of a special program to participate.”

Those deciding to participate in the program were asked to sign a pledge card detailing their commitment to stick with the program for the full 40 days.

“I thought the pledge card was very eloquent in the way it is written,” Imbur said. “It really talks about that beloved community described by Martin Luther King and the idea of really communicating something positive.”

With this being the college’s first year participating in the new program, Imbur said he will have to wait and see if it grows into something successful enough to be made an annual event.

“I think currently I’m very interested in seeing the response from participants — the impact of the initiative,” Imbur said. “My sense is that it will be repeated. But it’s still a little too early to tell.”

Along those lines, while the program is admittedly still in its early stages, Imbur said he has been hearing nothing but good things from those he has spoken with about the pledge.

“I really have only heard positive things up to this point,” Imbur said. “A lot of people are saying this has been the best Martin Luther King ceremony that they have been a part of in a while.”

As for what’s to come at the end of the 40 day pledge, Imbur said the committee responsible for first initiating the pledge will be meeting soon to discuss how to proceed.

“I guess we have 38 days to decide that,” Imbur said with a laugh. “To tell the truth, we haven’t made a decision on that yet, but there is a chance that we will be creating a forum where people can get together and share some of their insights from their journey.

“It will be really interesting to see after these 40 days are up if people stuck with it,” he continued. “We won’t be evaluating them so much as they’ll be evaluating themselves. But the hope is there that they’ll succeed.”

For more information on the 40 Days of Peace Pledge, visit the GC website at www.goshen.edu/news/pressarchive/01-11-11-FortyDaysPeace.html, or visit the Service for Peace Inc. website at www.40daysofpeace.org.

40 days

Jan. 17: Join in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day of service project today

Jan. 18: Cease all negative words and comments about or towards others today

Jan. 19: Take a deep breath if you’re angry – and wait to speak more peacefully today

Jan. 20: Compliment at least two people today

Jan. 21: Say “Thank you” to at least two people today

Jan. 22: Forgive someone today

Jan. 23: Send five positive e-mail messages to people you haven’t communicated with in a while today

Jan. 24: Do not complain or talk negatively about anyone today

Jan. 25: Say “Thank you” to at least four people today

Jan. 26: Help someone in need today

Jan. 27: Compliment at least four people today

Jan. 28: Let go of an age-old grudge that is affecting your own peace of mind today

Jan. 29: Make a special effort not to snap at anyone today

Jan. 30: Talk to a person around you whom you usually ignore today

Jan. 31: Be patient with an irritating person today

Feb. 1: Uplift four people today

Feb. 2: Say “Thank you” to at least four people today

Feb. 3: Serve at least two people today

Feb. 4: Reach out and connect to two people who are very different from you today

Feb. 5: Write a long overdue “thank you” note today

Feb. 6: Take time to listen to someone who is sad or depressed today

Feb. 7: Think of the good qualities of someone whom you are having difficulty with and focus on these today

Feb. 8: Compliment at least eight people today

Feb. 9: Make a donation to a project in a developing country today

Feb. 10: Ask how you can help… then help today

Feb. 11: Forgive someone today

Feb. 12: Do an unpleasant chore without complaining today

Feb. 13: Reach out to a family member who is estranged or distant today

Feb. 14: Respond to rudeness with a carefully chosen peaceful word today

Feb. 15: Apologize to a person you realize you’ve offended today

Feb. 16: Make a contribution of your time and help a co-worker or classmate today

Feb. 17: Appreciate at least four people today

Feb. 18: Refrain from judging others today

Feb. 19: Give gratitude to at least four people today

Feb. 20: Reach out and connect to four people who are very different from you today

Feb. 21: Say “thank you” to at least eight people today

Feb. 22: Apologize to someone today

Feb. 23: Donate your talent to someone in your community today

Feb. 24: Reach out to someone from a different generation than yours and uplift them today

Feb. 25: Discuss with co-workers, classmates, family members or neighbors ways in which you can make a difference in your community today