Methodist Federation for Social Action

MFSA Participates in
Sept 24-26 Anti-War Activities

September 24-26 provided multiple opportunities for MFSA to join other peace-makers in taking a stand against the unjust and immoral War in Iraq.

MFSA joined hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens and people from around the world and marched through the streets of Washington on Saturday, September 24th.

Many United Methodists gathered at the General Board of Church and Society before the march. Others gathered at Foundry United Methodist Church and marched down 16th Street to join in. Others came alone or with non-church-related groups.

Carrying signs and banners identifying ourselves as United Methodists committed to peace, the folks that marched from Foundry included persons from Ohio, Massachusetts, Maine, Texas, Washington, DC, Virginia, and New York. MFSAers from other states representing chapters as far away as Iowa and California. Not surprisingly we did not all find one another in the crowd of well over 100,000!

The opposition to the War in Iraq is broad and deep. This is especially true after the natural disasters of the past two months. Americans have seen the ways in which channeling resources into the War in Iraq has had tragic consequences for people of the Gulf Coast.

During the weekend’s activities it felt significant to identify ourselves as people of faith. Carrying a large banner which read “United Methodists for Peace – Methodist Federation for Social Action” we found that many United Methodists in the crowd came up to tell us that they were deeply grateful to have an explicit United Methodist presence. It is essential that we weigh in and make it known that our faith compels us to speak and act against the war.

Update: Civil Disobedience

(From left to right: Rev. Kathryn Johnson, Cindy Sheehan, Rev. Sekou)

Methodists were also very visible during the civil disobedience that took place in front of the White House on Monday, September 26th. Called together by Clergy and Laity Concerned about the War in Iraq, several hundred people gathered at Foundry United Methodist Church before marching together to the White House.

Included in this group were Dr. Cornel West, Rev. Dr. Walter Wink, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Dr. Rita Nakashima Brock, Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou. United Methodist clergy participants included the Rev. John Copenhaver (Virginia MFSA Chapter Convener), the Rev. Amy Stapleton (MFSA National Organizer) and myself, Rev. Kathryn Johnson (MFSA Executive Director).

After accompanying Cindy Sheehan to the gate of the White House to ask for a meeting with President Bush and to deliver a letter and list of U.S. war-dead, we surrounded Ms. Sheehan and other Gold Star Family members and sang “This Little Light of Mine.”

After three warnings from Washington DC Park Police that we risked arrest by remaining on the sidewalk (without a permit to demonstrate), the arrests began. It took three hours for the police to handcuff and do the initial paperwork on the 374 people that were arrested. It took another twelve hours for the police to process those arrested.

Throughout the many hours spent in handcuffs in vans and on buses, and then more hours in the processing center, several officers reported that this was the largest mass arrest they had handled in many, many years.

Among the 374 arrested, fifty were affiliated with Clergy and Laity Concerned about the War in Iraq. Protestant Ministers, Catholic Priests, Muslim Imams, Jewish Rabbis, lay missioners and seminary professors -- people of faith are taking action for peace.

Dr. Cornel West, Rev. John Copenhaver, Rev. Dr. Walter Wink and Rev. Amy Stapleton