March 7th in DC was a wonderful Experience!
Thanks to Christ Church Capitol Hill and the Rev. Judith Davis - for their warm hospitality! It was wonderful to have some time to talk with EPF members from around the country, to create together the EPF banner that we would carry to Upper Senate Park Interfaith Rally and to have a nonviolence session with Deacon Steve Shanks from Alabama. Our worship preacher, the Rev. Dr. Michael Battle and Mr. Noah Merrill gave us much inspiration to continue to witness against the war.
The Christian Peace Witness service from nine different congregations converged at Upper Senate Park to rally with the inspiration of interfaith leaders including:
Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Senior Minister Emeritus of The Riverside
Church in New York, President of the Healing of the Nations Foundation,
and host of The Time Is Now on Air America Radio
Rabbi David Saperstein, Director and Counsel of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
Ms. Asma Mirza, Muslim Student Association National PresidentDuring the Day delegations visited the offices of the leadership of the House of Representatives and Senate. Both Pelosi's and Reed's staff encouraged us to keep up the pressure...
After the Interfaith Rally there were processions to the House of Representative and to the Hart Senate Building where representatives of the group offered themselves in
Civil Disobedience. The Rev. Steve Shanks, Diocese of Alabama, was one of the 42 persons arrested.
In March and April alone hundreds of worship and witnesses have taken place, we must keep up the struggle to end the war.
Christian Peace Witness for Iraq is all about:
Our Focus
End the
U.S. occupation of Iraq: We confess our complicity in this violence,
and commit ourselves to seek our security in God, who insists that we build
just relations with all people. We call our government to immediately begin an
orderly process of withdrawing U.S. troops and closing U.S. bases with a
timetable supported by the Iraqi people, and to work toward an end to funding
the war.
Help Iraqis hurt by war. We support relief efforts for Iraqis whose
lives have been shattered by this war. We call our government to make
reparations and to fund international reconstruction, with particular concern
for those forced from their homes.
Help
our troops hurt by war: We commit to a ministry of healing and
justice for those who have served in our armed forces and their loved ones. We
pray for soldiers and their families; work diligently to bring them home
safely; welcome them with respect and love; honor their lives and protest
putting them in harm’s way. We call our government to provide generous support
for veterans to heal their physical, mental and spiritual wounds and to rebuild
their lives.
Resist
war against Iran: We will resist any acts of
aggression against Iran. We call upon our government to choose the way of
diplomacy and to lead the way to peace through truth-telling, justice and
international cooperation.
Say NO
to torture: We are
called to show mercy to those in prison, for it is there that we will find
Jesus. Therefore we commit to loving our enemies and to call for a process of
truth and reconciliation. We insist that our government treat all prisoners
humanely and that torture be banned by all agencies of our government.
Say YES
to justice: We join together in working for
God’s reign to end poverty, racism, violence and injustice across the land.
Therefore we commit ourselves to love our neighbors, to make the connections
between war abroad and poverty at home and between local and global violence,
and to work to end racism and all oppressions. We call our government to fully
and justly fund human needs at home.
Public Witness on March 7, 2008
As we did last year, we will lift up a
moral witness for peace to our nation on March 7 in Washington, D.C., and
elsewhere. In Washington we will join in Christian worship services at noon in
churches near Capitol Hill. Each of the diverse services will include a
prominent preacher of God’s word, a witness to the effects of war, prayers, and
where appropriate, a celebration of the Eucharist. . Following worship we will
process to the National Mall for a mass interfaith service for peace with
inspiring words, ritual and song. All of
us will act for peace, and some may engage in nonviolent action that risks
arrest.
Partners
Christian Peace
Witness for Iraq is an ecumenical, ad hoc group of Partners who are called and committed to raising a
Christian voice for peace. Together we can do more and better than we can
alone. We share resources, time, prayers, sorrows and joys. Join us!
Adventist
Peace Fellowship/Alpha Mennonite Church/American Friends Service
Committee/Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America/Episcopal Peace
Fellowship/Lutheran
Peace Fellowship/Mennonite Central Committee, Washington Office/Multifaith
Voices for Peace and Justice/Pace et Bene/Mennonite Church USA Peace and
Justice Support Network/Presbyterian Peace Fellowship/Santa Clara County
Council of Churches/Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Want to Organize
Worship and Witness in your community?
Call
EPF at 312-922-8628 or cell: 847-502-5921
or write epfnational@ameritech.net.
Not
a member of EPF yet? Join us and make a
difference! www.epfnational.org
