Blog Advisory
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Katie Barge 202-481-8147 / 202-243-8289 kbarge@faithinpubliclife.org
FRIDAY MARCH 16
3,500 Christian Leaders from 48 States to Protest War at National Cathedral, Mass Arrests Expected at White House
(Washington, DC) – Christian Peace Witness for Iraq will begin with a worship service on Friday, March 16 at Washington National Cathedral to be attended by more than 3,500 people of faith from 48 states, followed by a candlelight procession through the center of our nation’s capital, where thousands will surround the White House bearing the light of peace, and 700 will risk arrest by remaining in prayer in front of the White House. The service begins at 7 p.m., and the White House vigil will begin at 10:30 p.m. It will be the largest Christian peace demonstration, as well as the largest single civil disobedience action at the White House, since the beginning of the Iraq war four years ago.
More than 190 Christian and interfaith peace vigils and actions will also be held around the country in conjunction with Christian Peace Witness for Iraq– including large-scale acts of moral civil disobedience organized by Christian Peace Witness coalition member group the Declaration of Peace .
WHAT: Christian Peace Witness National Cathedral Worship Service, Procession and Action at White House
WHEN: March 16, 2007 at 7pm
WHERE: The National Cathedral
Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, NW
Washington, D.C. 20016-5098
WHO: Features speakers include:
Rev. Jim Wallis, founder of Sojourners/Call to Renewal and author of God’s Politics
Taylor Branch, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of America in the King Years and a Presbyterian Elder
Rev. Raphael Warnock, Pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, Ga.
Dr. Bernice Powell Jackson, President of the North American Conference of the World Council of Churches.
Rick Ufford Chase, convener of Christian Peace Witness for Iraq’s steering committee and former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church.
Celeste Zappala, a United Methodist and founding member of Gold Start Families Speak Out, whose son was killed in Iraq in April 2004
SPONSOR ORGANIZATIONS: Adventist Peace Fellowship, American Friends Service Committee, Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America, Brethren Witness, Catholic Peace Fellowship, Christian Alliance for Progress, Christian Peacemaker Teams, Declaration of Peace, Disciples Justice Action Network, Disciples Peace Fellowship, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, Every Church a Peace Church, Faith in Public Life; Kairos: A Time to Speak, A Time to Act; Kirkridge Retreat and Study Center, Leadership Conference of Women Religious, Lutheran Peace Fellowship, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Methodist Federation for Social Action, Peace and Justice Support Network of Mennonite Church USA, National Council of Churches, No2Torture, On Earth Peace, Pace e Bene Nonviolence Service, Pax Christi USA, Pentecostal Charismatic Peace Fellowship, Presbyterian Peace Fellowship, Protestants for the Common Good, Sisters of Mercy of the Americas, United Church of Christ Justice and Witness Ministries, Sojourners/Call to Renewal.
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Please visit Christian Peace Witness for Iraq for more information