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Peace Fellowship

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Newsletter

Vol. 7 no. 1
Jan 2007

Keynote Address: The Just War Tradition

Letter to the Editor

Postscript to Gabrielle Cox address

News of members - Advent vigils at Aldermaston

News of members - Weaving at Faslane

In the News (Fairford protesters, Remembrance day, Iraq war)

Editorial - Trident, cartoon

Resolution on Trident by URC Mission Council

Decade to Overcome Violence - Europe Focus 2007

Parable of the Scarf of Many Colours

Joint Public Issues Team

Obituaries (Malcolm Compston, Elizabeth Salter)

notes and dates

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The Just War Tradition

A summary by Revd John Reardon of his address to the URCPF Annual Meeting Nov 2006
The question of whether war can be justified is particularly acute for Christians because the earliest church stance was quite clear. Jesus had inaugurated a nonviolent movement evidenced by his teaching, his life and above all by the way he faced his own death.

The seminal text in his teaching is the Sermon on the Mount and, in particular, its beginning in the Beatitudes, in which Jesus describes a way of being far removed from thoughts and actions that could harm others. Matthew chapters 5 - 7 are an extended treatise on what life is like when God’s rule is the governing principle. Luke sums up the teaching succinctly in chapter 6 verse 35, “But love your enemies… Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful”. An iconic moment is found in Matthew chapter 26 when Jesus orders the disciple to put his sword back into its sheath “for all who take the sword will perish by the sword”. In Jesus peace is proclaimed and demonstrated as the way in which people should relate to one another. In him the peace prophecies of the Old Testament are fulfilled.

From the writings of St Paul to those of the early church Fathers nonviolence was extolled because living in Christ demanded it. It was a mark of the reign of God. Tertullian wrote, “in disarming Peter Christ unbelted every soldier”, and a century or more later Origen, writing against the pagan Celsus who had attacked Christians for being disloyal because they refused to serve in the army, asserted that Christians had “become children of peace, for the sake of Jesus”.

It is generally thought that the change came early in the Fourth Century when Constantine became Emperor. In 303 CE Diocletian forbade any member of the Roman army to be Christian but by 416 CE no one could join the army unless he was Christian. The transformation was complete. From being a persecuted minority, Christians had become a dominant presence within Roman society and they had to face up to the challenge of government and the maintenance of security.

It was Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430 CE) who wrote extensively about the place of Christianity as a privileged religion in support of the state. He abhorred violence and believed that Christians should offer no violence in their own defence but he faced the moral dilemma of what to do when innocent people are threatened. He concluded that it was right to use violence if necessary to defend the innocent from evil. He saw war as justifiable when undertaken for the good of society and for the restoration of peace.

From then onwards there developed the criteria by which war could be justified. Many cite Thomas Aquinas as the true initiator of the Just War Principles. 		It is not always appreciated that the Just War criteria are extremely rigorous and are grounded in a theology that shapes a community in the cause of justice and love for neighbours both near and far. The Just War tradition is primarily an expression of the nature of the church itself and only secondarily about speaking with political leaders. John Reardon
Stanley Hauerwas consistently argues that the most powerful public statement by the church is its own life and ethos. The just war properly understood is an expression of the church’s own character.

The criteria of the Just War tradition are rigorous and extremely demanding. The criteria are as follows:
1. War must be waged by a legitimate authority.
2. It must be in a just cause (the UN Charter states that the only just cause is to defend yourself against an aggressor but the Christian understanding of just cause focuses on the plight of the neighbour).
3. War must be formally declared.
4. There must be right intention (Christians would argue that a just peace is the only right intention).
5. War must be a last resort after all other means have been exhausted.
6. There must be reasonable chance of success (which means a just war is always a limited war).

There are also two particular criteria which govern the conduct of war:
* The immunity of non-combatants
* The means used must be proportionate to the ends.

The Just War doctrine developed in Christianity as an exception to the general presumption that the right way was through nonviolence. The development and possession of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and the growth of terrorism add new dimensions to the debate among Christians but it must always be remembered that implicit in the doctrine is the presupposition that honorable defeat is preferable to using indefensible means.

Revd John Reardon is a Patron of the URC Peace Fellowship. He was Minister at Horsham (1961-1968) and Trinity St. Albans (1968-1972), was Departmental Secretary of Church and Society (1972-1990), Moderator of General Assembly (1995-1996) and General Secretary to the Council of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.

(Revd Reardon wishes to point out that this address is simply a historical account of the JWT. It does not imply his acceptance of all its tenets and certainly not of the selective way in which politicians and some church leaders have used it to justify war — Ed.)

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Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor,

I write in support of comments made recently by Andrew Jack and Eileen Brown. Ever since Constantine raised the cross above his troops, the Western Christian nations have considered themselves to be the custodians of the true faith, commissioned by divine decree to take the Gospel around the world while at the same time establishing empires of wealth and privilege by force of arms. Therefore the Gospel that has been preached has been fundamentally flawed and incomplete. This has been the case for such a very long time that we forget that it was not always so.

How many Christians know the principles of the Just War doctrine? How many could honestly apply any of these principles to support any current military operation? A Church that is not persistently challenging the war mentality has abdicated her God-given responsibility for peacemaking. Many Christians invoke natural law to claim a right to self defence. The Gospel is not a code of natural law. Let us look again at what the Old Testament really says about war and violence. Let us look at what Jesus actually teaches. Look at the interpretation taken by the early Christians. See how all war is totally incompatible with the plain precepts of Jesus, and with the whole spirit and tenor of the Gospel of love. 		Every year on Remembrance Sunday the Church is hijacked by the British Legion, as military standards and war medals are paraded in the name of the Prince of Peace. We are inveigled into entrusting our destiny to military commanders who are not answerable to God. Christians will cherish political freedom, but will know that the "glorious liberty of the children of God" does not depend upon it. Christ's followers are called to live without weapons, to expose injustice and to try to nurture in others the same loving Christ-like spirit they find in themselves.

Utterly defenceless love seeks through suffering to win enemies to repentance and joyful communion. It becomes redemptive as we confront them with our willingness to surrender our own physical life for the sake of that greater Life with Christ which they may share too if they repent. The ideals of the Master are regarded as impracticable in our unbrotherly world, but the Church is their natural guardian and has the mission of vindicating and realising them. Upon her response depends whether she chooses to receive grace or judgement.

Sincerely,

ARTHUR WRIGHT.
Church Member, Seaton URC, Devon.

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Postscript to Gabrielle Cox's October keynote address

Access Ms Cox's address (use Back button to return here)

Sadly, the Amani Centre bid for funding from the Countryside Agency was turned down.

Tragically, Amani Centre user Jesse James, age 15, was shot dead on 9th September.

*** But art is reclaiming people ***

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News of members - Advent vigils at Aldermaston
Christian CND organised a vigil on each Thursday afternoon of Advent at Aldermaston, to highlight their opposition to the proposed replacement of Trident. The URC has also joined its voice to protest on this issue. We believe that replacing Trident would break the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by which the UK is pledged to ‘the elimination of all nuclear arsenals’ (Article VI)

Two of the URC Peace Fellowship Committee members were among nearly thirty others at Tadley Gate for the first vigil. We listened to passages about peace and the devastating effects of nuclear weapons and it felt significant to be praying to our awesome God at A.W.E. (Atomic Weapons Establishment). Although small gatherings like this don’t catch much attention, I’m convinced that making this kind of witness does count, and we were cheered by several drivers who honked and waved as they passed by in their vehicles.

Diana Townsend

 		CCND vigil

Hazel Barkham at Aldermaston

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News of members - Weaving at Faslane
My grandfather, who died before I was born, had served as a Presbyterian minister at Holy Island and held strong views about peace-making. My father, who fought in the First World War, became a Conscientious Objector during the Second World War. My sister since retirement works voluntarily for the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. I was beginning to feel I too should put my feet where my mouth was! When the opportunity presented itself to go with the West Cumbrian Quakers for a 24 hour demonstration at Faslane, as part of a whole year of protest, I jumped at the chance.

Faslane base is a huge site surrounded with metal fences and CCTV cameras. The North Gate is the main point of entry for all the employees. On the narrow verges at each side are waist-high metal barriers. We had been briefed that as long as we stayed behind the barriers and crossed at recognisable crossing points, no arrests would be made. It poured with rain most of the day and because of the restricted space one soon got very cold. One of our group, who lives in Grange, had acquired two Morecambe Bay cockle-pickers’ nets which she had stitched together. During the day we tied this to the metal fence and then worked strips of material into the mesh to make the word ‘peace’ (see photo).

Whilst walking round the roundabout during the afternoon, a group stepped out into the road to try to fasten a chain across the entrance and then lay down in the road. The police immediately sprang into action to arrest them and they were driven away to be locked up overnight. Two of the participants were young people, another – a grandmother of 77 - said she had to do it ‘for her grandchildren’. Twice during the day we stood together for Quaker Worship. At the second worship session, in late afternoon when it was already dark, we were given candles in holders – difficult to protect with the gusty winds around us. I could not help but think of the words from one of Fred’s hymns:

Put peace into each other’s hands
  and like a treasure hold it,
protect it like a candle flame
  with tenderness enfold it.

We arrived early the next day so we could be seen by the hundreds of employees who arrived by car or coach. Meeting some of the other participants and hearing their stories was a wonderful affirmation of the power of peaceful protest. One of those who moved me greatly was Angie Zelter. She specialises in initiating non-violent direct action campaigns and has been arrested over a hundred times serving 16 separate prison sentences totalling 20 months. 		Peace weaving

Anthea (second from right) and friends at Faslane

In 1996 along with three other women, she caused £1.5 million worth of damage, disarming a Hawk Jet and preventing it being exported to Indonesia. After six months in prison all the women were acquitted by a jury, which helped put the control of arms sales on the political agenda. She launched Trident Ploughshares in 1998, dedicated to peaceful acts of disarmament. In 1999 she was again acquitted at Greenock Sheriff High Court in another high profile jury trial after joining two other women to disarm a Trident-related research barge in Scotland.

Faslane currently hosts 4 submarines carrying 58 Trident missiles and up to 2000 warheads – each 8 times more powerful than the bomb that destroyed Hiroshima. Blair is launching a campaign backing an expensive replacement for Trident, the estimated costs being £20 – 76 billion over 30 years, “Any justification for upgrading or replacing trident predicated on the risk of some possible (but unknown) future threat is inherently incompatible with Britain’s obligations under the non-proliferation treaty”, Philippe Sands, a leading international lawyer, told Greenpeace recently.

Joining with the clergy and a group from Iona for Quaker Worship in the afternoon, I could not but be aware of the beauty of the loch in brilliant sunshine and the incongruity of all the comings and goings at Faslane intent on creating destruction. How glad I am that Angie Zelter founded the Trident Ploughshares, and though not courting arrest myself support those brave people who go all the way.

Anthea Kaan

(I recommend: Trident on Trial the case for people’s disarmament – Angie Zelter £9.99 – Luath Press ISBN 1.84282.004.4 - AK)

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In the News

Contact the editor if you would like more details on any item
In an irrevocable ruling by the House of Lords, protesters have won their case that the police had breached their right to travel in March 2003 to the Fairford RAF air base, from which B52s flew to bomb Baghdad.
Full details at www.fairfordcoachaction.org.uk or contact Fairford Coach Action, c/o HSG, PO Box 2474, London, N8 (020 8374 5027.

Remembrance Day and poppies provided national controversy when Jonathan Bartley of Ekklesia suggested in a Church Times article that red poppies were ‘less Christian’ than white ones. The response was quick and in some quarters shrill and damning.
Ekklesia’s co-director Simon Barrow has now produced an excellent historical/theological critique of remembrance and other war and peace issues, which can be seen on www.ekklesia.co.uk (put ‘chance’ in the search box and pick the item ‘Giving peace a chance…’). 		The Iraq war took place because we were ‘threatened by WMDs’. When they didn’t materialize, it was for ‘regime change’ - so not only did the ends justify the means but you were allowed to change the ends half way through.
It now seems (The Independent 15th December) that the Government did not themselves believe the WMD story and, moreover, tried unsuccessfully to persuade Bush that toppling Saddam would cause chaos.
The Chatham House report a few days later stated that the ‘terrible mistake’ of the Iraq war and the ‘extraordinary public hostility that George Bush has generated’ will overshadow Blair’s success in Northern Ireland and in promoting debate on climate change.

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Editorial - Trident
It does seem that whatever ‘consultation’ takes place over the upgrading of Trident, both the Prime Minister and the PM-in-waiting are committed to it, so any opinion to the contrary stands little chance. This is in spite of opposition by many churches, including the URC, Baptists and Methodists, by the Catholic Bishops, military professionals and huge numbers of ordinary citizens. A convincing case can be made that nuclear weapons violate most of the Just War Principles as explained so clearly by John Reardon at our conference.

A recent Times opinion poll showed a small overall majority in favour of the upgrade, but this included a majority of women against. Ann Widdecombe (on the BBC Today programme) claimed this was because women have not thought about the issue. Not only does this seem a gross calumny against women, but many would glean from the results that women have perhaps given it more thought than men. 		Although a number of Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs oppose Trident, the majority are in favour. I have not heard of one Conservative MP against it and the only significant parties opposing the system are Plaid Cymru and the SNP. This effectively disfranchises English opponents, as one cannot vote SNP even as far north as Hexham.

Information on this issue is widely available. You could try the WMD Awareness Programme, Bell Push 13 63A Gt. Russell Street London WC1B 3BJ 020 7405 6661 www.comeclean.org.uk, or, particularly for a theological input, go to www.ekklesia.co.uk and put ‘Trident’ in the search box.

Tony Blair claims our greatest threats are global warming and terrorism. How Trident is relevant to these is difficult to envisage. Perhaps he could direct a few nukes at car factories and power stations to help the former, but as to terrorism:
Cartoon

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Resolution on Trident passed by URC Mission Council 4 October 2006
The United Reformed Church has historically been opposed to the use of nuclear power for warlike purposes. General Assembly passed a resolution to that effect as long ago as 1983 and it remains in force. That resolution called for the cancellation of the (then) proposed Trident nuclear submarine programme.

This year, the URC produced, jointly with the Methodist Church, the report Peacemaking: a Christian Vocation. This urges church members to oppose the renewal of the UK's Trident nuclear deterrent and to "make bold and immediate steps" to meet its disarmament obligations in full. The report was adopted by URC General Assembly, and commended as a helpful guide for church leaders who may be called upon to comment upon ethical considerations relating to war and peace.

A decision will be taken on the renewal of the UK’s Trident programme within the next few months. Recent public comments by senior politicians encourage the view that the decision may be made sooner, rather than later.

Individuals and organisations, who have various views about Trident, but who share a concern that there should be a full a public and parliamentary debate before any decision is taken, have come together to form a “Big Trident Debate” group. The group has issued a public statement (see www.bigtridentdebate.org.uk) which says that government has a responsibility to facilitate a thorough, national consultation. 		This dialogue should inform the decision-making process and take place before the Government makes any decision on the way forward. The statement says government should publish comprehensive information and analysis on all the key issues, including nuclear and non-nuclear options, current and future perceived threats to the UK, the deterrent capability of nuclear weapons to address such threats, estimated costs for each option, international obligations and implications for nuclear proliferation.

Organisations that have so far committed to support the Group’s statement include CND, War on Want, Greenpeace and the Green Party.

Mission Council is invited to:
* Express the support of the United Reformed Church for the Big Trident Debate group – this support to be expressed jointly with colleague Churches, if possible;
* Commend the CTBI resource Trident: UK Nuclear Weapons at a Crossroads;
* Call upon the UK government to publish comprehensive information on all key issues, including both nuclear and non-nuclear options, so that there can be an informed public and parliamentary debate before any decision is taken;
* Re-affirm its opposition to Britain having an independent Trident nuclear weapons programme;
* Ask the Church and Society committee, acting with colleague Churches if possible, to encourage church members to write to their MP - and Member of the Scottish Parliament or Welsh Assembly where appropriate - expressing opposition to the renewal of Trident.

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Decade to Overcome Violence - Europe Focus 2007
"Make me a Channel of Your Peace"

Challenged to Overcome Violence in Europe

Saint Francis of Assisi has given us an example of peace making and peaceful living. The Prayer of a Peace Maker, attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi, is known very widely and we all can join in the supplication with our heart and mind: Make me an Instrument of Your Peace. This prayer was chosen as the theme for the Focus on Europe 2007 of the Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV) by the Steering Group, composed of young adults from all over Europe. The theme invites us to accept the challenge of overcoming violence in Europe actively and purposefully, while relying on God’s promise and power, not ours.

Life, each human life, is a gift of God - so is peace! These gifts compel us to be joyful, but also responsible, as individuals, as citizens and as communities. Whether we speak of human rights, human dignity, or human security, the equal value of all human life constitutes a basic notion for understanding just peace. God wishes fullness of life for every human being. Why should we not seek this fullness of life? 		Why would we put national or material security over human security? Why would we put the safety of earthly possessions over the sanctity of life?

In considering the European context, the Steering Group identified several key issues. These issues are already being addressed by many among us and most of them will be considered by the European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu, Romania, September 2007. Further exploration in the framework of the DOV Focus on Europe 2007 will depend on local contexts. Overcoming violence, physical, psychological, sexual, and violence in the form of deprivation and negligence implies making the connections between the issues, telling our stories, comparing our notes and coordinating our actions, across generations and across ethnic, religious and community boundaries.

(For DOV priorities, see October newsletter - click on In the News, use Back button to return)
Access DOV Europe 2007 web page or contact by post at Decade to Overcome Violence, World Council of Churches, P.O. Box 2100, 1211 Geneva 2, Switzerland.

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The Parable of the Scarf of Many Colours
“It’s gone! It’s gone!” sobbed the little girl. “It was there, but now it’s gone. Someone has taken it.”

A voice of calm asked: “What’s gone, my child?”

“It was there,” she sobbed, pointing to the sky. “It was beautiful. Like a scarf of many colours wrapped around the world. Look! Someone has stolen it!”

The voice of calm spoke gently through the sound of sobbing: “Look again, my child! Are you sure it’s not there?”

The little girl looked, her sobbing more subdued, but still she could not see the scarf of many colours. She wiped the tears from her misty eyes, but not even the clearer vision revealed the beauty in which she rejoiced.

“It’s gone,” she said as raindrops fell from a cloud like tears from her eyes.

“Can you see my voice?” asked the voice of calm.

“No, but I can hear you,” said the little girl. “I know you are there.”

“Can you feel my breath or the gentle autumn breeze on your cheeks?” asked the voice of calm.

“No, but I can feel the wind so I know it’s there,” replied the little girl.

“Do you see the sun in the dark of night or the stars in the light of day?” the voice of calm continued.

The little girl wiped her eyes again and stopped her sobbing: “No! But I know the sun will return in the morning and the stars will be back when it’s dark again.”

“Then you will find your coloured scarf again,” said the voice of calm. “Do not be afraid! Do not be sad! When the storm stops the sky will wear it again and you will be warmed by its presence.”

The little girl looked at the sky and still wondered why the beautiful coloured scarf should disappear when it made her so happy.

“Can I make one of my own which will never disappear?” she asked. “Can I make a coloured scarf just like the one in the sky and be able to wear it all the time?”

“Oh yes, my child,” said the voice of calm. “I want everyone to make one of their own and wear it.”

“Please, tell me how I can make my own!” laughed the little girl. “It’s so beautiful that I would always wear it.” 		“It is woven together with the colours of love, justice, hope, faith, patience, forgiveness and trust,” said the voice of calm.

The little girl was silent. She was waiting to hear more. The silence continued as the clouds wept and she longed to see the sky wearing its coloured scarf, but even more to have one of her own.

“Where do I find these beautiful colours to make this scarf of my own?” she asked after a long, long silence.

“In your heart, my child,” said the gentle voice of calm. “With love, justice, hope, faith, patience, forgiveness and trust in your heart you will be as beautiful as my rainbow I have painted in the sky.”

“That coloured scarf in the sky was yours then?” shouted the little girl.

“Yes, but I want everyone to see how the different colours come together in all their diversity to be united as one in peace,” said the voice of calm.

“I wish you wouldn’t take it away,” said the little girl.

“I don’t take it away, my child. It is always there but when the storm clouds come they hide the peace until I tell the wind and rain to stop,” said the voice of calm.

“Can’t you tell the storms in my life to go away so that I can wear a scarf of many colours?” asked the little girl. “I’ve given everyone the gifts to do it for themselves,” replied the voice of calm. “When people accept the responsibility I have given them and weave the colours together every storm will stop and the beauty of peace will wrap itself around the whole world.”

“I want to see that beautiful peace,” said the little girl.

“You can start by making your own scarf of many colours and wearing it everywhere you go,” said the voice of calm as the clouds cleared, the storm stopped and a rainbow reached across the earth from end to end with a touching place in heaven.

(@ Richard Becher: November 2006)

 Rainbow

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The Joint Public Issues Team
The Church and Society staff of the URC are now working as part of a Joint Public Issues Team, together with Methodist and Baptist colleagues. The aim of the Team – initially for a pilot period of one year – is to enable the three churches to work together in living out the gospel of Christ and to promote equality and justice, by influencing those in power and by energising and affirming local congregations.

Denominational identities are retained, whilst resources and expertise are shared. Each tradition makes its separate contribution, and brings its unique perspective, which makes the whole greater than the sum of the parts. When we speak with one voice, we speak with a clearer and more influential voice; and there is clear evidence that government is more open to approaches from Churches working together.

The social justice field (Public Issues, or Social Responsibility, or Church and Society) is vast, covering everything from assisted dying and asylum to warfare and welfare, and no denomination is sufficiently well resourced to cover all areas alone. Members of the Joint Public Issues Team, working together, attempt to:

Promote the importance of Christian engagement with the issues;
Provide resources for those active in public issues in local churches;
Campaign according to the priorities set by the three Churches;
(continued in next column) 		Respond to Government consultations;
Provide briefings on current issues of public concern;
And, report to councils of the three Churches as required;

This is an extension of work already done. As members of the Peace Fellowship will know, the Methodist and United Reformed Churches produced a report on the ethics of war in the 21st Century called Peacemaking: A Christian Vocation, which was received by General Assembly 2006 and was commended to the Church.

Whilst Church and Society is getting used to changes in its external relationships, it is also preparing for internal changes which will result from alterations to URC structures arising from the Catch the Vision process. Church and Society will be part of a new Mission, Policy and Theology department, which will also include racial justice, international relations, doctrine, prayer and worship, and ecumenical relations.

Whatever our final shape, be assured that we would want the working relationship between Church and Society and the Peace Fellowship to be retained.

Stuart Dew
Secretary for Church and Society and member of the Joint Public Issues Team

The Team issues a newsletter, by both post and e-mail (this replaces the Church and Society Hotline report advertized last issue!). Apply to the office. Contact details

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Obituaries

Malcolm Compston

Malcolm Compston died on 2 October, aged 88, after suffering a second major stroke. Malcolm was a deeply committed peace activist. He served for many years as the URC’s representative on the ecumenical Churches’ Peace Forum, and in that capacity reported to the annual residential meeting of the Church and Society Committee, sharing with us his wisdom and knowledge. In 1995, he wrote ‘Arms and the Ban!’, a substantial booklet published by the URC, ‘to examine the extent to which the manufacture and use of arms can be reconciled with traditional expectations of the Christian Church as a community of people charged to act as peace makers’. In early 1999, he was involved in the discussions which brought the Peace Fellowship into being but, sadly, a severe stroke in the autumn of that year prevented his further active participation. Our thoughts and prayers are with Kate and her family.

Wendy Cooper

Elizabeth Salter

Elizabeth Salter, who has died aged 72, worked tirelessly with her husband Noel, who pe-deceased her, to promote a more just and peaceful world. Her bilingual skills led her to work as assistant to the general secretary of the World Council of Churches in Geneva. Here she met and married Noel, who was working for a precursor organization to the European Union. Her subsequent career, with Noel until his death in 1975 then by herself, included work in international affairs with the British Council of Churches, and at the East Europe desk of the World Council of Churches, where she was largely responsible for the WCC’s Decade to Overcome Violence. She had also strong connections with Rwanda and Burundi.

(summarized from the obituary by Paul Oestreicher in The Friend 25th August 2006)

Members may recall that Elizabeth was to speak at our first Annual Meeting in November 2000. Floods prevented her travelling, but she sent her address by e-mail and Hazel Barkham read it to us.

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Dates for your Diary:

URCPF Committee notes
27 Jan: East London Against the Arms Fair musical protest;
weekly vigils at EDO MBM (Brighton), Reed Elsevier (London) and Raytheon (Bristol);
Second Monday of each month: East London Against the Arms Fair meetings.
Contact for all these:
www.caat.org.uk 020 7281 0297

10th—13th Jul: Annual Conference of the Modern Churchpeople’s Union: Violence — a stubborn pandemic. Contact Mrs E Darlington 0161 633 3132, conference@modchurchunion.org.

21st Sep: International Day of Prayer for Peace; see DOV article also.

17th Nov: URCPF Annual Conference at URC House, Regent Square, London. 		* It was noted that the recently established Joint Public Issues Team (Baptists, Methodists and URC) had issued a statement opposing the replacement of Trident.

* Diana Townsend had arranged for an AGM flyer to be included in the Thames North Synod mailing and for a display and stall at the Synod Meeting; a ‘peace’ item is to be on the agenda at the November 2007 Synod.

* A Workshop for FURY Assembly is to be led by Andrew Jack, assisted by Diana Townsend, though no display would be practical.

* An A4 poster, based on the membership form, is to be produced for publicity.

The Committee is due to meet on the following dates in 2007:
15th February, 17th May, 20th September and 6th December.
If you wish to raise any issue, address your comment or question to Andrew Jack c/o the Church and Society office (contact details below).
Young people's art “I do believe we have come across something God sent. I believe we’ve cracked it with the Art. The smile on this young mans face was on all that had anything to do with the Art.”

From Hideaway Youth (see p.2 — Gabrielle Cox). For more pictures e-mail hideawayyouth@btconnect.com.

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Your contribution to the newsletter is needed! Letters, book reviews, devotional pieces, poems, reports, cartoons, all are welcome. Also please let us know of any peace actions, vigils, correspondence with MPs etc you have been involved in. Deadline for the next issue:
*** 19th March 2007 ***
Letters and other material for the newsletter can be sent to the editor (Tony Compton):

On paper: via Church and Society, United Reformed Church, 86 Tavistock Place, London WC1H 9RT
By telephone: ditto 020 7916 2020 or Fax: 020 7916 2021
By e-mail: direct to the editor or to the office

United Reformed Church Peace Fellowship — part of Church and Society.
Our Statement (as revised at the AGM):
The United Reformed Church Peace Fellowship is a group of United Reformed Church people who accept God's call to human beings to live in peace and who are committed to discerning and obeying the urgent call of God to pursue Peace with Justice in the world.
Our Patrons:
Revd. Kate Compston
Ms Gabrielle Cox
Revd John Johansen-Berg
Revd. Dr. Fred Kaan
Revd. John Reardon
Revd. Roberta Rominger
 		Our Committee:
Convenor and Secretary: Mr Andrew Jack
Treasurer: Ms Wendy Cooper
NCPO representative: Revd. Hazel Barkham
Revd Sîan Collins
Mrs Anne Lewitt
Mrs Anne Parker
Revd Diana Townsend
 		URCPF logo
Opinions expressed in articles in this Newsletter do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the United Reformed Church or its constituent parts.

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