3,500 Christian Leaders from 48 States to Protest War at National Cathedral, Risk Arrest at White House
Tele-press conference Thursday, Event on Friday
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
(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 Christians from 48 states, followed by a candlelight procession through the center of our nation’s capital, where thousands of Christians 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.
Prominent participants in Christian Peace Witness for Iraq, including Jim Wallis, Taylor Branch, Bernice Powell Jackson, and Rick Ufford Chase will hold a pre-action tele-press conference on Thursday, March 15 at 10 a.m. to discuss their plans and make a united Christian call for peace to Iraq. To join the tele-press conference, dial in 1-800-909-7113 / password: PEACE.
WHAT: Christian Peace Witness National Cathedral Worship Service, Procession and Action at White House
WHEN: Friday Event: March 16, 2007 at 7pm
Thursday Tele-Press Conference: March 15, 2007 at 10 am
WHERE: The National Cathedral
Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, NW
Washington, D.C. 20016-5098
WHO: 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.
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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CONTACT: Katie Barge 202-481-8147 / 202-243-8289 kbarge@faithinpubliclife.org Dan Nejfelt 202-745-4654 dnejfelt@sojo.net
