A peace pole was planted by the Steinbach Mennonite Church congregation Sunday morning in front of the church along Loewen Boulevard.

The pole says "May Peace Prevail On Earth" in eight different languages - English, German, Russian, French, Spanish, Cree, Tagalog, and Latin.

Board chair Karen Peters says there are about 200,000 peace poles in 191 countries. She adds the peace pole at SMC is being planted in celebration of the church's 75th anniversary but also based on the Anabaptist beliefs where peace is a traditionally supported concept.

"Peace means that we are trying hard to maintain and create healthy relationships with people around us and to be intolerant of violence between human beings, and to also try very hard to follow the model that we have before us from the Prince of Peace."

Peters says in the congregation there is a landscape artist along with people who are skilled gardeners. She notes in the spring a garden with a bench will be implemented.

She explains, for herself, this will be a visual to the community and hopes it is a reminder for everyone to talk about peace in their relationships and to practice it on a daily basis.

"There is a lot of unrest and violence and war happening in our world today between individual people, within families, within communities, and certainly between countries. I think this is just a symbol of an example that we can find peace and create peace in ways that are non-violent."

Peters says the peace pole is a wonderful way to acknowledge the church's history and the struggles they've experienced while looking towards a hopeful future.