wfn.org | ACNS3307 Christian Leaders lobby to avert war in Iraq

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3307     |     ENGLAND	|     14 FEBRUARY 2003

Christian Leaders lobby to avert war in Iraq

[Churches Together in Britain and Ireland] Christian leaders from the US
will be in London next week (17-18 February) to convey a message of
widespread opposition to war with Iraq. They believe there are other ways of
solving the issue of Iraq's non-compliance with United Nation's resolutions
over Weapons of Mass Destruction. They will lobby British Prime Minister
Tony Blair, meet British Church leaders, and attend a Service for peace and
justice.

The idea for sending American delegations to Europe came from the US
National Council of Churches (NCCCUSA) in New York, which is organising
visits to Berlin, Paris and Moscow. The Revd Jim Wallis, Editor and
Executive Director of Sojourners, who is one of the speakers at the service
and organiser of the delegation to London, said, 'It is a last minute plea,
in the name of peace, to seek a resolution for the current crisis with Iraq
by means other than war.'

Churches Together in Britain and Ireland will facilitate the visit. On
Monday the delegates will meet British Church leaders and at 5:15pm there
will be a Service for peace and justice at St John's Church, Waterloo Road,
London. The Rt Revd Peter Price, Anglican Bishop of Bath and Wells, will
lead the service, to which everyone is welcome.

On Tuesday the delegates will meet Prime Minister Tony Blair and Clare
Short, Secretary for State for International Development.

The delegation comprises:

The Revd Jim Wallis, Editor and Executive Director, Sojourners

Bishop John Chane, Episcopal Diocese of Washington DC

Bishop Melvin Talbert, Ecumenical Officer, Council of United Methodist
Bishops

The Revd Clifton Kirkpatrick, Stated Clerk, Presbyterian Church USA

The Revd Dan Weiss, Immediate past General Secretary of the American Baptist
Churches USA

The Rt Revd Clive Handford, Bishop of Cyprus and the Gulf, will be joining
the visit from the Middle East

Invitations have also been extended to the Rt Revd Riah Abu El-Assal
(Jerusalem) and the Most Revd Njongonkulu Ndungane (Cape Town).

For further information please visit:
www.ctbi.org.uk

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