The United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries today issued an international call for prayer and advocacy for peace and justice in Iraq.

“We are praying that God will provide an alternative to a United States-led attack on Iraq, and we are also praying that the leaders of Iraq will give strong assurances of their commitment to peace and freedom for their people,” said the Rev. R. Randy Day, general secretary of the agency that has missionary and humanitarian work in 74 countries.

Mr. Day announced the prayer and advocacy campaign following President George W. Bush’s State of the Union address on January 28. “We tried to find in the address some signs that the U.S. would allow a larger window for the arms inspection and negotiations processes. Finding none, we are deeply fearful of a massive military conflict that will result in thousands of military and civilian deaths.

“As Christians, our prayers should include government leaders, military personnel and their families, and the sure-to-be victims on all sides,” Mr. Day said. “We should also pray for the souls of those who in business and commerce welcome war because it enriches them.”

The United Methodist Church, which has 8.5 million members in the U.S., takes a firm stand against war: “We believe war is incompatible with the teachings of Jesus Christ,” states the official Social Principles of the denomination.

“We must also work hard in the political arena to avert this war if at all possible,” Mr. Day continued. “As a major American humanitarian organization, we at the Board are agonized by the possibility of being called upon to bring medical and material aid to persons who would not be homeless or injured except for bombs that might have been avoided.”

Mr. Day called upon all participants in the global United Methodist mission community — missionaries, staff, program networks, volunteers, supportive congregations and employees of institutions — to set aside at least fifteen minutes each day to pray for a peaceful settlement to the Iraqi crisis. He urged them to organize public peace vigils and prayer services, and to speak out to government officials on behalf of a negotiated settlement in Iraq.

“Peace is a goal of the Christian mission,” the general secretary declared.

Mr. Day was joined by Ms. Joyce Sohl, deputy general secretary for the Women’s Division, in pointing to the ongoing Campaign for Peace: Christian Women Pray for Peace, which was launched in early December by the Women’s Division, the administrative arm of United Methodist Women. This encourages individual and corporate prayers for peace. It is also collecting “post cards for peace” to be used in an Easter Vigil for Peace at the White House in Washington. (For more information on the Campaign for Peace, go online to http://gbgm-umc.org/umw/prayers4peace.html).

The directors of the Women’s Division last October rejected an armed attack on Iraq as a way to respond to the Iraqi arms situation and urged both the U.S. and the United Nations to “pursue peaceful means in resolving conflicts with Iraq.” Both the United Methodist Council of Bishops and the denomination’s Board of Church and Society have urged great caution in the use of U.S. military force in Iraq.

The United Methodist Church on its highest level, the General Conference, in 2000 urged the U.S. to lift economic sanctions against Iraq and to go through the U.N. in achieving a “zone free of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons” in the whole of the Middle East.

Mr. Day was joined by the Rev. Paul Dirdak, deputy general secretary for United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), in addressing ethical and humanitarian issues raised by an impending U.S. attack on Iraq. Mr. Dirdak noted that non-governmental relief organizations are gearing up for a “new robust presence in Iraq to repair the damage which U.S. or other bombers and tanks will do in the event of war.”

“Should UMCOR initiate new humanitarian efforts in Iraq while there is still a chance to avoid a war?” he asked. “Could our actions be misinterpreted to suggest that the violence of war is acceptable if there are those who will automatically try to mend the damage?

“This is a hard issue, but we must be careful lest our humanitarian efforts be used to somehow sanitize and excuse war. We must be careful about what we ask the people of The United Methodist Church to support. As the Church, we must also struggle with the issue of whether or how we accept funds for humanitarian aid from governments that offer them as part of their combat planning. If and when the time comes that there is no longer any possibility — whatsoever — that war can be avoided, our Church will do everything that is financially and humanly possible to come to the aid of people who suffer.”

UMCOR has established an Advance Special account for the purposes of war relief in Iraq (see below).

“Do no harm,” Mr. Dirdak noted, is the first general rule laid down by John Wesley, the founder of Methodism in the 18th century, and is always a critical element in relief planning.

Mr. Day and Mr. Dirdak also warned against letting the Iraqi situation divert attention from other areas of humanitarian need, including the AIDS/HIV pandemic and famine in southern and eastern Africa.

In his State of the Union message, President Bush promised a significant increase ($15 billion over five years) to combat AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean. The announcement was encouraging to religious and health ministries leaders who, Mr. Dirdak said, have agonized with the crisis for years. The United Methodist Church has programs addressing both HIV/AIDS and closely-related famine.

The General Board of Global Ministries is the international mission agency of The United Methodist Church. It has mission personnel and partner-church links around the globe. The board provides extensive relief and refugee services through the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR).

The Advance number for Iraqi emergency response is 623225-4.
The Advance number for Africa emergency response is 101250-4.

	See Also... Topic: Advocacy |  Christian love |  Communities |  GBGM news |  Hate |  Human rights |  International affairs |  Justice |  Peace |  Prayers |  Violence |  War |  Partners/partnerships |  Geographic Region: Iraq |  United States |  Source: GBGM Press Releases
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Date posted: Jan 30, 2003