ALL SOULS ATTENDS PEACE WITNESS IN DC
—by Susan Cushman

On March 7, 2008, a small but mighty group from All Souls (Susan Cushman, Marie Gangi, Mary Geissman, Maria Dolores Ortiz, Linda Rousseau, Kathy Shandling), joined activists from across the U.S. in an “Interfaith Peace Witness” to pray for those involved in the war in Iraq. Participants gathered in different houses of worship and centers of faith throughout Washington, DC, before coming together on Capitol Hill to decry the war. We visited our “sister church,” All Souls Church in DC, to meditate on “The Cost of War,” a speech by Dr. Charlie Clements of the UUSC, and then a homily for peace by UUA president, the Rev. William Sinkford, who called the event “the broadest interfaith action he had ever seen.” He noted that the $260 million spent each day on the Iraq war costs the same in one year as three healthy meals for the six million children who are starving in the U.S. But “beyond the cost of lives and treasure, the greatest cost of the war,” he said, “is to the soul of this nation.” He closed by asking us to turn anger to love, and to embody peace. If we each do that, we can bring peace to the world.

At the upcoming GA in Ft. Lauderdale, we will be working on the “Study Action Issue” of Peacemaking within our denomination. We hope you will consider joining us.

Peace Task Force member, Linda Rousseau (R) with
Mary Johnson at the Interfaith Peace Witness on Capitol Hill
 

The Angie Henry Utt
Lecture