CPTnet
2 March 2006
CHICAGO/TORONTO: CPT calls for vigils marking 100 days since four CPTers
went missing
The first Sunday in Lent, 5 March 2006, marks one hundred days since Harmeet
Sooden, Norman Kember, Jim Loney and Tom Fox disappeared in Baghdad.
Christian Peacemaker Teams is calling for special 5 March prayer vigils on
behalf of the four CPTers and on behalf of more than 14,000 Iraqis that the
Multinational Forces in Iraq are imprisoning without charges.
The vigils could include the lighting of 100 candles, both to acknowledge
the passage of time and to honor the thousands of Sunni and Shi'a who are
acting as sources of light in a situation of chaos and war. While the media
focuses primarily on the civil strife that has occurred since militants
bombed the Samarra Shrine on 22 February 2006, the Christian Peacemaker
Team in Baghdad sees Sunnis and Shi'a working together, protecting each
other's holy sites and calling for unity.
The emphasis on civil strife also obscures the anxieties the thousands of
Iraqis who are trying to get on with their daily lives as they wait for
their loved ones currently in detention to come home.
Individuals, organizations and congregations who will be holding vigils
should invite local print, radio and television media to their event. See
sample press release below.
The Baptist Peace Fellowship will be holding a chain of vigils across the
United Kingdom, including an interfaith gathering beginning at 3:00 p.m., 5
March in Trafalgar Square, London. Prayers, litanies, and other vigil
materials are available at http://www.for.org.uk/bpf.html. People wishing
to contact Norman Kember's pastor, Bob Gardiner, who did much of the
organizing for these vigils, may do so at bobgardiner@yahoo.co.uk, phone
+44-20-8909-3274 (h), +44-20-8863 7837.
SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE FOR FAXING
Contact info
Date
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
On 5 March 2006 INSERT NAME OF ORGANIZATION OR CONGREGATION will be holding
a special vigil marking 100 days since the Christian Peacemaker Team members
Tom Fox, Jim Loney, Harmeet Sooden and Norman Kember were abducted in
Baghdad by "The Swords of Righteousness Brigade." The event will be held in
LOCATION and begin at TIME. Vigil participants will also remember the more
than 14,000 Iraqis are currently held without charges by occupying military
forces.
IF YOU HAVE SOME SPECIAL CONNECTION WITH ONE OF THE FOUR, INSERT HERE.
As part of the vigil, participants will light 100 candles, both to mark the
days since the CPTers went missing and to honor the Sunni and Shi'a Iraqis
who, through courageous actions for peace, are serving as sources of
brilliant light during this time of civil strife in Iraq.
For more information, contact NAME AND PHONE NUMBER.
_______________
To stop receiving messages from CPTNET on MennoLink, send a message with
only the word, "suspend," in the body to server@MennoLink.org.
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) seeks to enlist the whole church in
organized, nonviolent alternatives to war and places teams of trained,
peacemakers in regions of lethal conflict. Originally a violence-reduction
initiative of the historic peace churches (Mennonite, Church of the Brethren
and Quaker), CPT now enjoys support and membership from a wide range of
Christian denominations.
To express concerns, criticisms or affirmations to CPT's Chicago office send
messages to peacemakers@cpt.org. To express concerns, criticisms or
affirmations to CPT's Canadian office, send messages to
guest.996427@MennoLink.org.
To receive news or discussion of CPT issues by e-mail, fill out the form
found on our WEB page at http://www.cpt.org/subscribe.php
Donate to CPT on-line with your credit card! Go to
http://cpt.org/donate.php and click the DONATE button to make a
contribution through Network for Good, a secure way to help support CPT.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Thu Mar 30 2006 - 15:09:22 EST