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BRETHREN INVITED TO JOIN IN HELPING CLOSE THE SCHOOL OF THE AMERICAS
Nov. 7, 2005 -- The Brethren Witness/Washington Office has issued an invitation to Brethren to join in the School of the Americas (SOA) Watch vigil on Nov. 18-20 in Fort Benning, Ga. Fort Benning is one of the largest military bases in the world and home to the notorious School of Americas/Western Institute for Security Cooperation.
“Thousands of people will gather to confront injustice, to speak out for truth, and to change oppressive US foreign policy,” the office said in a recent Action Alert. “This is a very important year for the vigil. Since there will be a vote this spring or summer to decide whether or not to close the school, there needs to be a stronger presence at the gates of Fort Benning to send a loud message to Congress to close the SOA.”
In 1997, the Church of the Brethren General Board passed a resolution calling for the closing of the School of Americas. “Human rights abuses such as murder, torture, and false imprisonment, as well as political instability and lack of criminal accountability, are all part of the school's dubious history,” the resolution said. “The US government must take a leadership role in bringing foreign diplomacy into the open, fostering an honest dialogue between all nations of the earth. We stand with those who have fallen victim to the acts of violence committed by School of the Americas graduates, and call for those who are responsible to be brought into accountability. As people who take seriously Christ's call to peacemaking, we must oppose our government's facilitation of these activities so contrary to God’s greatest commandment, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and your neighbor as yourself’ (Luke 10:27).”
The Brethren Witness/Washington Office will sponsor events at the vigil including an information table outside the gates of Fort Benning on Saturday and Sunday, and a Brethren Gathering on Saturday night at the Howard Johnson Presidential Room from 7-8:30 p.m. On Sunday morning Brethren are invited to gather at the Brethren Witness/Washington Office booth, under the Church of the Brethren sign, to march in the processional together.
The Brethren Witness/Washington Office is a ministry of the Church of the Brethren General Board. For more information contact the office at 800-785-3246. A more detailed description of the vigil events can be found at www.soaw.org.
Source: 11/07/2005 Newsline
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BRETHREN BITS
Nov. 7, 2005 -- The Womaen's Caucus Steering Committee met Oct. 13-16 at the home of Lucy and Joe Loomis near State College, Pa. In addition to a business meeting, the group met with several caucus supporters, attended worship at University Baptist-Brethren Church, and saw a play put on by Penn State students. Members of the committee are convener Carla Kilgore of Fort Wayne, Ind.; “Femailings” editor Deb Peterson of Goshen, Ind.; Lucy Loomis of Pennsylvania Furnace, Pa.; Heidi Gardner of Keyser, W.Va.; Audrey de Coursey, a student at Pacific School of Religion; and administrator Jan Eller of Portland, Ore.
Source: 11/07/2005 Newsline
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Credits
The Church of the Brethren Newsline is produced by Cheryl Brumbaugh-Cayford, director of news services for the Church of the Brethren General Board.
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