Christian Peace Witness For Iraq Newsletter May

Newsletter
May 1, 2008
Dear Friends

It has already been six weeks since we were led by faith and conscience to the nation's capital to pray for peace.

It was a profound experience to be numbered among the hundreds of us who prayed in houses of worship across Washington; who huddled amid the Upper Senate Park torrent; and who processed to the Hart Senate Office Building.

We later learned that when the Olive Branch delegation met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's aide, he said that one of the most important thing the peace movement could do was civil disobedience. "Keep it up!" he said.

His eyes widened when the delegation let him know that, at that very moment, we were doing just that.

But, in fact, "civil disobedience" does not capture what we were about. We were, instead, bringing the prayer for compassion and justice to one of our country's centers of power. Prayer delivered in person. With longing. With anguish. With composure. With lilting song. A circle of prayer. A quiet gesture of true obedience, not disobedience.

Thank you for your participation in and support for this witness for a just and lasting peace.

Now we would like to ask for your participation and support again.

The March 7 events cost $21,000.00 to stage. This includes providing legal support on the day of our witness -- and for the three people who have chosen to take their case to trial. Through the generosity of participants and our institutional partners, we have been able to meet all but $3,000.00 of this.

I am writing to those of us who were arrested (and those who immediately supported us through the arrest process) to ask if we can help raise the remaining funds needed to meet the expenses of this national witness.

If each of you can consider making a contribution, we will be on our way to meeting this need.

Please follow this link to make a contribution today:
https://secure.sitemason.com/donation/gATUR2

Or, if you prefer, checks can be written to BPFNA - Washington Witness and sent to: Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, 4800 Wedgewood Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210-2909

Please recall the powerful witness at the National Cathedral in 2007. Follow the link below to view that service and be filled with the spirit and hope that through God all things are possible.
http://www.cathedral.org/cathedral/worship/peacewitness070316/01.shtml

In the next months, we will be exploring what our next steps will be for our faith-based movement for peace in Iraq. We thank you for your witness - and we look forward to our future journey of prayer and action. If you have reflections or advice for our partner steering committee please don't hesitate to write to me (Ken Butingan, ) or Rick Ufford-Chase .

With gratitude,

Ken Butigan,
Member, Steering Committee, Christian Peace Witness for Iraq
www.christianpeacewitness.org

PS - I have posted pictures and a summary of our event at:
http://paceebene.org/peb-update/most-excellent-way-love-time-war