A call to prayer and action on December 10

Idea exchange
December 2002

A call to prayer and action on December 10
International Human Rights Day
From Pax Christi USA—As we enter Advent this year, our country stands poised for deeper war in Iraq. The coming of the non-violent Jesus into our world is desperately needed. It is time for deeper prayer, reflection and action so that a path can be found in the wilderness and a new vision of peace can be birthed.

December 10th is International Human Rights Day. Pax Christi USA joins in the call for December 10th to be a national day of action to say no to war on Iraq. The call comes from a newly formed, broad-based campaign of organizations working to oppose the war in Iraq, known as United For Peace (UFP), of which Pax Christi USA participates as an initiating member.

UFP serves both as a networking resource and national vehicle to coordinate the work of the many peace, social, economic and environmental justice groups working to stop a deeper war on Iraq. A series of anti-war events are being proposed. The first of which is December 10th, International Human Rights Day, intended as a day for nationally-coordinated local actions. National media work will be done to project the strength coming from hundreds of communities across the U.S. joining together to say "No" to this war. If you organize an action on this day, please post information about it on the UFP website at www.unitedforpeace.org.

Pax Christi USA extends this call for prayer and actions on December 10th to all our members and friends. Included below are resources to be posted on our website that can be used on December 10 as well as throughout Advent. Please go to www.paxchristiusa.org and click on the “No War Against Iraq” button.

Available after Monday, December 2, 2002:
1. December 10 Action Call Introduction
2. December 10 – Human Rights Day Prayer Service (focused on Iraq); can be adapted for use throughout Advent and into the new year.
3. Prayer to End the War Against Iraq – Art Laffin
4. Updated Action Suggestions
5. Alternatives to War
6. Statements by Religious Leaders – from Lutheran Peace Fellowship
7. War Drums and Smoke Signals – by Walter F. Sullivan, Bishop President of Pax Christi USA

Available after Wednesday, December 4, 2002:
1. NEW! Pax Christi USA Statement on Iraq
2. Conscientious Objection and Selective Conscientious Objection Information
3. Information and action ideas associated with the Catholic delegation (including Dave Robinson, PCUSA National Coordinator) going to Iraq on a mission of reconciliation, December 8-21, 2002, to stand in solidarity with the Christian Church in Iraq.

In addition to the UFP general call for actions, we want to highlight some initiatives underway:

• The Iraq Peace Pledge/Pledge of Resistance, which PCUSA helped initiate, has joined the call for December 10th actions. While the Pledge of Resistance subgroup is encouraging local actions to include a civil disobedience (CD) option on that day, the official signal for nationally-coordinated CD based on “significant escalation of intervention” is not activated at this time. If some PC members feel called as individuals to engage in CD at any of these actions, we offer our blessing. For a copy of the Iraq Peace Pledge/Iraq Pledge of Resistance and accompanying resources go to PCUSA website (click on “No War Against Iraq” button) or contact PCUSA staff person, Shannon McManimon at shannonpcusa@hotmail.com; 215-805-3510.

• New York City Forum of Concerned Religious Leaders is planning a religious leaders action at the United Nations on December 10th, to include civil disobedience. Sister Arlene Flaherty, OP, is one of the initiators and PCUSA has endorsed the action. For more information, contact: Sr. Arlene Flaherty at 212-475-6677, arflah@aol.com; Rev. Peter Laarman at 212-477-6677, plaarman@judson.org or Ranjit Mathews at 212-749-2215, mistterranjit@hotmail.com.

• National Council of Churches (NCC) has been actively promoting and coordinating faith based work in the Protestant denominations to oppose the war on Iraq. NCC, with whom PCUSA has been closely collaborating over the last several months, has called for a "Season of Peacemaking" and its website has a breadth of resources and calendar of events. For more information, go to www.ncccusa.org.

• Global Exchange has initiated a Women’s Vigil and Fast for Peace in Washington, D.C. The vigil which began on Nov. 18 is maintaining a presence in Lafayette Park across from the White House and is being supported by Pax Christi USA members. It includes a petitioning campaign in hopes to gather 1 million signatures of women opposing war in Iraq by March 8th, International Women’s Day, when the Vigil/Fast will conclude. For more information see www.globalexchange.org.

In conclusion, let us celebrate and find encouragement in this growing crescendo of voices calling the U.S. to step back from the brink of war. Let us pray that God takes our humble offerings to help birth a new peace in this world. Let us pray especially for an outpouring of God’s spirit to embrace the Iraqi people, the Palestinian and Israeli people, and all those vulnerable and living in the midst of violence. O Come Emmanuel.

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