(via e-mail)
January 18, 2008

Greetings from the Brethren Witness/Washington Office:

1. Christian Peace Witness for Iraq: National Service to End the War in Iraq on Friday, March 7th, 2008
2. Calming the Storm: Middle East Peacemaking in a Turbulent Time — Churches for Middle East Peace Advocacy Conference, April 20-22

1. Christian Peace Witness for Iraq: National Service to End the War in Iraq on Friday, March 7th, 2008

From Christian Peace Witness - Pray and Act for Peace

The United States continues to occupy Iraq, so Christian Peace Witness for Iraq must continue to 'speak their peace' through worship and witness.

We invite you, your family, your congregation and your neighbors to come again to the nation's capitol from Thursday, March 6, 2008 through Monday, March 10 to pray and act for peace in Iraq.

On the same date, we also invite you to create worship services in your community. We hope to have more than 200 local vigils empowering participants to advocate for peace in their communities, countries and the world.

Together we will fill houses of worship, remembering and learning anew the ways of the Prince of Peace. Then we will carry our public witness to the halls of government power, calling our leaders to embody values fundamental to the Christian tradition—and shared in other traditions—that truly make for communities of prosperity, security, and justice.

Friday, March 7th National Service to End the War in Iraq

12:00 p.m. Christian Peace Witnesses for Peace in Iraq and to end the “War on Terror” will be held in a dozen or more places of worship in Washington, D.C. and hundreds more around the country.

2:30 p.m. Interfaith Service on the Mall will include major speakers and musicians, a visible show of our shared commitment to peace, and a public action with possible acts that could lead to arrest for those who feel compelled to do so.

Local events held simultaneously. Register or find a local event at http://christianpeacewitness.org/march08.

The Church of the Brethren General Board 2006 Iraq War Resolution states, “Therefore, we, the delegate body of the 220th Recorded Annual Conference of the Church of the Brethren, meeting in Des Moines, Iowa, July 1-5, 2006, do call upon our members to pray and to give witness to the sin of violence, and we petition the United States federal government, the United Nations, and other relevant nations and groups to seek peace by taking action to bring troops home from Iraq. We call on religious leaders from all faiths who preach violence to consider the things that truly make for peace.”

The Church of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office will host a worship service in Washington D.C. on Friday March 7th. For more information please contact our office.

2. Calming the Storm: Middle East Peacemaking in a Turbulent Time — Churches for Middle East Peace Advocacy Conference, April 20-22

From CMEP- Advocates from churches around the country are invited to participate. This ecumenical conference will focus on US policy and Middle East peacemaking with speakers, workshops, advocacy preparation and a day of lobbying your elected officials. The program will begin on Sunday evening and conclude with Tuesday’s Hill appointments and will include a special session for denominational gatherings. The conference will be held at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University and Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Washington, DC on April 20-22, 2008.

For more information go to http://www.cmep.org/.

Brethren Witness/Washington Office Contact Information

If you have questions on these or other issues, contact the Brethren Witness/Washington Office at the address below. We would love to hear from you!

Brethren Witness/Washington Office Action Alerts are sent out as important issues arise. Forward this alert to others! To add an e-mail address to our list, contact us at:

Brethren Witness/Washington Office
337 North Carolina Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
Local Phone: 202-546-3202
Toll Free: 1-800-785-3246
Fax: 202-544-5852
E-mail: washington_office_gb@brethren.org