This Saturday, January 28th, 2-4:00 PM EST, over zoom!
Join your EPF friends
for an inspiring, bittersweet, and hopeful
Saturday afternoon!
Inspiring: Don't miss an incredible educational opportunity to learn more about effective advocacy for racial reparations from an outstanding panel. They will inspire and equip us to continue working for reparations in our parishes and dioceses! Read the details HERE.
Bittersweet: Melanie's last day as our Executive Director is Jan. 31st. That's a bittersweet moment for all of us! Don't miss the Celebration of Melanie's Ministry as our Executive Director 2019-23! We'll take a trip down memory lane that will most likely be bittersweet, and yet, also inspire and bring hope!
Hopeful: What happens next? Hear from EPF's Leadership Team about what's next for EPF's leadership and why we believe it's critical for the future of EPF. Hear about our newly forming Transition Team, the plans for managing the transition so things don't fall through the cracks, and how you can be a part of it! Let us hear from you about your hopes for the future and how we can better serve our parishes and local chapters.
Look forward to seeing you there!
Episcopal Peace Fellowship is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: EPF Annual Member Meeting/Racial Reparations Webinar
Time: Jan 28, 2023 02:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88188338358?pwd=MVpBZjRxbGxHQlFYL3FBbTFDSFA1QT09
Meeting ID: 881 8833 8358Passcode: 943914
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdVuCGNTKS
Merciful Lord, we come to you heavy hearted, for we have heard the cries of the slain calling to us from the ground. We come remembering all the lives lost to the weapons of war that have flooded our communities. We come reminded of the many bodies locked in jails and prisons all across this country. And we ask for your mercy.
Although we find ourselves in a broken world – a world in which hurting people hurt other people, it is no mystery that you are a God capable of healing our world through justice and fairness. Your own revelation has shown us that you stand firmly with those people whose backs are against the wall. Your own life demonstrates how you came from heaven to earth to redeem creation, our communities and our own lives. So we ask for this same redemptive power to be unleashed among us as it was on the day of Pentecost. May we be empowered by your Spirit to reverse the conditions that produce young men and women who are driven to resort to violence and destructive behavior in their fight to stay alive and struggle to remain free.
We know that you have no pleasure in the death of anyone, so we boldly come to the throne of grace today dear Lord, seeking your wisdom as we create strategies that provide pathways and lifelines to hope and healing. Help us to remember we are all your children, created in your image, and we are connected by a single garment of mutuality and destiny. Cause us to never forget how our needs are the same and our calling to address these needs are the same. Reveal to us Lord, that the pain felt in Newtown is the same pain felt in Chicago. The tears shed in Oak Creek are the same tears shed in Oakland. The lives lost in Tucson are the same lives lost in Camden. The children being buried in Aurora are the same children being buried in Detroit.
We cry out to you, heal our souls from this scourge of violence. Endow us with the courage to step down from the pulpits and out from behind our desks to seek the peace of the city. In the coming days and weeks as our leaders debate solutions, Lord we ask that you grant us the voice to speak truth power and demonstrate sacrificial compassion to the hurting.
Teach us your ways, O God. Bless us with the wisdom and strength to put down our swords and be peacemakers. Use us, work through us and, if necessary, work in spite of us to mend our nation’s brokenness.
We thank you for your protecting embrace and unfailing love.
All of these requests we bring to you, in the name of Jesus the Christ we pray. Amen.
~ by People Improving Communities through Organizing (PICO) – Found here: https://socialjusticeresourcecenter.org/prayers/gun-violence/
You are warmly invited to join EPF/Episcopal Peace Fellowship as we gather to pray Compline weekly via Zoom. Every Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. (ET), EPF will be hosting Compline and joining EPF chapters and individual members across the country in praying together. Open to all, come join us in prayer and thanksgiving. The Zoom link is here:
Melanie Atha is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: EPF Compline
Time: 08:30 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Every week on Tue, until Nov 22, 2022, 40 occurrence(s)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81776145441?pwd=T2ZSYjR4Z2RqMFY2SDY3Q0pEWXZmdz09
An Order for Compline
(Adapted from An Order for Compline from The Book of Common Prayer)
Introduction and Instructions
Thank you for joining Episcopal Peace Fellowship for our weekly service of Compline.
Grounded in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Episcopal Peace Fellowship is committed to helping its members—and the whole Episcopal Church—to become people of peace, people who are the change they wish to see in the world through prayer, study, and ‘small acts of justice and mercy.’
Compline is the fourth and final of the services which comprise the Daily Office, the Church’s traditional round of daily prayer. Grounded in Benedictine spirituality—which is the foundation of our shared Anglican heritage—the Daily Office is a means of sanctifying the entire day and recognizing God’s presence in our lives at all times and in all places.
By praying Compline together as members and friends of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship, we are entrusting our whole world to God’s abiding love for this world which God so dearly loves.
In order to ensure that our service of Compline works smoothly over Zoom, please be mindful to keep your microphone muted unless the Officiant/Host invites you to unmute. You are welcome to turn your camera off and assume whatever bodily posture is most conducive to prayer. While one person will speak aloud the People’s responses—indicated by bold text—please do join in on the responses with your microphones off.
The Officiant begins
The Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect
end. Amen.
Officiant Our help is in the Name of the Lord;
Respondent The maker of heaven and earth.
The Officiant may then say
Let us confess our sins to God.
Officiant and Respondent
Almighty God, our heavenly Father:
We have sinned against you,
through our own fault,
in thought, and word, and deed,
and in what we have left undone.
For the sake of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
forgive us all our offenses;
and grant that we may serve you
in newness of life,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Officiant
May the Almighty God grant us forgiveness of all our sins, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Officiant then says
O God, make speed to save us.
Respondent O Lord, make haste to help us.
Officiant and Respondent
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Except in Lent, add Alleluia.
The Officiant decides which of the following Psalm(s) will be offered and announces to the assembly. At the end of the Psalm(s), all join in the ‘Glory to the Father…’ The Psalm is recited antiphonally by whole verse, with the Respondent speaking aloud the People’s verses.
Psalm 4 Cum invocarem
1 Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; *
you set me free when I am hard‑pressed;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 “You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory? *
how long will you worship dumb idols
and run after false gods?”
3 Know that the Lord does wonders for the faithful; *
when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.
4 Tremble, then, and do not sin; *
speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.
5 Offer the appointed sacrifices *
and put your trust in the Lord.
6 Many are saying,
“Oh, that we might see better times!” *
Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord.
7 You have put gladness in my heart, *
more than when grain and wine and oil increase.
8 I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; *
for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 31 In te, Domine, speravi
1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame: *
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Incline your ear to me; *
make haste to deliver me.
3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.
4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for you are my tower of strength.
5 Into your hands I commend my spirit, *
for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.
Psalm 91 Qui habitat
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 He shall say to the Lord,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.”
3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid‑day.
7 A thousand shall fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand, *
but it shall not come near you.
8 Your eyes have only to behold *
to see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, *
and the Most High your habitation,
10 There shall no evil happen to you, *
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, *
to keep you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you in their hands, *
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; *
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent
under your feet.
14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.
Psalm 134 Ecce nunc
1 Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, *
you that stand by night in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord; *
the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
One of the following, or some other suitable passage of Scripture, is read
Lord, you are in the midst of us, and we are called by your
Name: Do not forsake us, O Lord our God. Jeremiah 14:9 ,22
Respondent Thanks be to God.
or this
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy‑laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28‑30
Respondent Thanks be to God.
or the following
May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of
the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you
may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his
sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Hebrews 13:20‑21
Respondent Thanks be to God.
or this
Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Resist him, firm in your faith. 1 Peter 5:8‑9a
Respondent Thanks be to God.
All are invited to join together in reciting the EPF Personal Commitment to Peace, our foundational membership commitment.
In loyalty to the teaching, and person of Jesus Christ, my conscience commits me to the way of redemptive love: to pray, study, and work for peace, and to renounce, as far as possible, participation in war, militarism, and all other forms of violence.
In fellowship with others, I will work to discover and create alternatives to violence and to build a culture of peace. I urge the Episcopal Church in accordance with our baptismal vows ‘to renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God,’ and to wage peace across all boundaries, calling upon people everywhere to repent, to forgive, and to love.
Then follows
V. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit;
R. For you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.
V. Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye;
R. Hide us under the shadow of your wings.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Officiant and Respondent
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Officiant Lord, hear our prayer;
Respondent And let our cry come to you.
Officiant Let us pray.
The Officiant then says one of the following Collects
Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Look down, O Lord, from your heavenly throne, and illumine this night with your celestial brightness; that by night as by day your people may glorify your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Visit this place, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy; let your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in peace; and let your blessing be upon us always; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
One of the following prayers may be added
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
For whom and for what shall we pray this night?
Silence may be kept, and free intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered. You are invited to unmute your microphone and speak aloud your intercessions and thanksgivings or type them into the chat box.
The service concludes with the Song of Simeon with this Antiphon, which is said by all
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
In Easter Season, add Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
All repeat the Antiphon
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
In Easter Season, add Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Officiant Let us bless the Lord.
Respondent Thanks be to God.
The Officiant concludes
The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless us and keep us. Amen.
This Advent you are warmly invited to join EPF/Episcopal Peace Fellowship as we gather to pray Compline weekly via Zoom. Beginning on Tuesday, November 30, 2021 at 8:30 p.m. (ET), the Trinity Cathedral Chapter of EPF will be hosting Compline and joining other EPF chapters and members across the country in praying Compline together. Open to all, come join us in prayer and thanksgiving. Email epfactnow@gmail.com for the Zoom link.
An Order for Compline
(Adapted from An Order for Compline from The Book of Common Prayer)
Introduction and Instructions
Thank you for joining Episcopal Peace Fellowship for our weekly service of Compline.
Grounded in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Episcopal Peace Fellowship is committed to helping its members—and the whole Episcopal Church—to become people of peace, people who are the change they wish to see in the world through prayer, study, and ‘small acts of justice and mercy.’
Compline is the fourth and final of the services which comprise the Daily Office, the Church’s traditional round of daily prayer. Grounded in Benedictine spirituality—which is the foundation of our shared Anglican heritage—the Daily Office is a means of sanctifying the entire day and recognizing God’s presence in our lives at all times and in all places.
By praying Compline together as members and friends of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship, we are entrusting our whole world to God’s abiding love for this world which God so dearly loves.
In order to ensure that our service of Compline works smoothly over Zoom, please be mindful to keep your microphone muted unless the Officiant/Host invites you to unmute. You are welcome to turn your camera off and assume whatever bodily posture is most conducive to prayer. While one person will speak aloud the People’s responses—indicated by bold text—please do join in on the responses with your microphones off.
The Officiant begins
The Lord Almighty grant us a peaceful night and a perfect
end. Amen.
Officiant Our help is in the Name of the Lord;
Respondent The maker of heaven and earth.
The Officiant may then say
Let us confess our sins to God.
Officiant and Respondent
Almighty God, our heavenly Father:
We have sinned against you,
through our own fault,
in thought, and word, and deed,
and in what we have left undone.
For the sake of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ,
forgive us all our offenses;
and grant that we may serve you
in newness of life,
to the glory of your Name. Amen.
Officiant
May the Almighty God grant us forgiveness of all our sins, and the grace and comfort of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
The Officiant then says
O God, make speed to save us.
Respondent O Lord, make haste to help us.
Officiant and Respondent
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
Except in Lent, add Alleluia.
The Officiant decides which of the following Psalm(s) will be offered and announces to the assembly. At the end of the Psalm(s), all join in the ‘Glory to the Father…’ The Psalm is recited antiphonally by whole verse, with the Respondent speaking aloud the People’s verses.
Psalm 4 Cum invocarem
1 Answer me when I call, O God, defender of my cause; *
you set me free when I am hard‑pressed;
have mercy on me and hear my prayer.
2 “You mortals, how long will you dishonor my glory? *
how long will you worship dumb idols
and run after false gods?”
3 Know that the Lord does wonders for the faithful; *
when I call upon the Lord, he will hear me.
4 Tremble, then, and do not sin; *
speak to your heart in silence upon your bed.
5 Offer the appointed sacrifices *
and put your trust in the Lord.
6 Many are saying,
“Oh, that we might see better times!” *
Lift up the light of your countenance upon us, O Lord.
7 You have put gladness in my heart, *
more than when grain and wine and oil increase.
8 I lie down in peace; at once I fall asleep; *
for only you, Lord, make me dwell in safety.
Psalm 31 In te, Domine, speravi
1 In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame: *
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Incline your ear to me; *
make haste to deliver me.
3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold; *
for the sake of your Name, lead me and guide me.
4 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me, *
for you are my tower of strength.
5 Into your hands I commend my spirit, *
for you have redeemed me,
O Lord, O God of truth.
Psalm 91 Qui habitat
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High *
abides under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 He shall say to the Lord,
“You are my refuge and my stronghold, *
my God in whom I put my trust.”
3 He shall deliver you from the snare of the hunter *
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with his pinions,
and you shall find refuge under his wings; *
his faithfulness shall be a shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of any terror by night, *
nor of the arrow that flies by day;
6 Of the plague that stalks in the darkness, *
nor of the sickness that lays waste at mid‑day.
7 A thousand shall fall at your side
and ten thousand at your right hand, *
but it shall not come near you.
8 Your eyes have only to behold *
to see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because you have made the Lord your refuge, *
and the Most High your habitation,
10 There shall no evil happen to you, *
neither shall any plague come near your dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over you, *
to keep you in all your ways.
12 They shall bear you in their hands, *
lest you dash your foot against a stone.
13 You shall tread upon the lion and adder; *
you shall trample the young lion and the serpent
under your feet.
14 Because he is bound to me in love,
therefore will I deliver him; *
I will protect him, because he knows my Name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; *
I am with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and bring him to honor.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, *
and show him my salvation.
Psalm 134 Ecce nunc
1 Behold now, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, *
you that stand by night in the house of the Lord.
2 Lift up your hands in the holy place and bless the Lord; *
the Lord who made heaven and earth bless you out of Zion.
At the end of the Psalms is sung or said
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
One of the following, or some other suitable passage of Scripture, is read
Lord, you are in the midst of us, and we are called by your
Name: Do not forsake us, O Lord our God. Jeremiah 14:9 ,22
Respondent Thanks be to God.
or this
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy‑laden, and I will
give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me;
for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for
your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28‑30
Respondent Thanks be to God.
or the following
May the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our
Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of
the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you
may do his will, working in you that which is pleasing in his
sight; through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Hebrews 13:20‑21
Respondent Thanks be to God.
or this
Be sober, be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls
around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Resist him, firm in your faith. 1 Peter 5:8‑9a
Respondent Thanks be to God.
All are invited to join together in reciting the EPF Personal Commitment to Peace, our foundational membership commitment.
In loyalty to the teaching, and person of Jesus Christ, my conscience commits me to the way of redemptive love: to pray, study, and work for peace, and to renounce, as far as possible, participation in war, militarism, and all other forms of violence.
In fellowship with others, I will work to discover and create alternatives to violence and to build a culture of peace. I urge the Episcopal Church in accordance with our baptismal vows ‘to renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy the creatures of God,’ and to wage peace across all boundaries, calling upon people everywhere to repent, to forgive, and to love.
Then follows
V. Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit;
R. For you have redeemed me, O Lord, O God of truth.
V. Keep us, O Lord, as the apple of your eye;
R. Hide us under the shadow of your wings.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Officiant and Respondent
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy Name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those
who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Officiant Lord, hear our prayer;
Respondent And let our cry come to you.
Officiant Let us pray.
The Officiant then says one of the following Collects
Be our light in the darkness, O Lord, and in your great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of your only Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Be present, O merciful God, and protect us through the hours of this night, so that we who are wearied by the changes and chances of this life may rest in your eternal changelessness; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Look down, O Lord, from your heavenly throne, and illumine this night with your celestial brightness; that by night as by day your people may glorify your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Visit this place, O Lord, and drive far from it all snares of the enemy; let your holy angels dwell with us to preserve us in peace; and let your blessing be upon us always; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
One of the following prayers may be added
Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love’s sake. Amen.
For whom and for what shall we pray this night?
Silence may be kept, and free intercessions and thanksgivings may be offered. You are invited to unmute your microphone and speak aloud your intercessions and thanksgivings or type them into the chat box.
The service concludes with the Song of Simeon with this Antiphon, which is said by all
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
In Easter Season, add Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Lord, you now have set your servant free *
to go in peace as you have promised;
For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, *
whom you have prepared for all the world to see:
A Light to enlighten the nations, *
and the glory of your people Israel.
Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: * as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be for ever. Amen.
All repeat the Antiphon
Guide us waking, O Lord, and guard us sleeping; that awake we may watch with Christ, and asleep we may rest in peace.
In Easter Season, add Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.
Officiant Let us bless the Lord.
Respondent Thanks be to God.
The Officiant concludes
The almighty and merciful Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,
bless us and keep us. Amen.
In light of the recent Statement on Indigenous boarding schools by Presiding Bishop Michael Curry and President of the House of Deputies Gay Clark Jennings, I have been reflecting on not only what I know about this legacy, but my past service with Christian Peacemaker Teams where I primarily served with the Aboriginal Justice Team (“AJT”) as well. [1]
We accompanied and supported Indigenous communities seeking justice and defending their lands against corporate and government exploitation without community consent. My most memorable accompaniments include the Grassy Narrows First Nation, the Barriere Lake Algonquins, and the Elsipogtog Mi’kmaq First Nation. I was also privileged to co-present a workshop at a Toronto Truth and Reconciliation Commission (“TRC”) gathering, and I gave multiple presentations on the Doctrine of Discovery, using the Grassy Narrows communities’ complex lawsuit as an example of how the doctrine survives and is applied within Canadian jurisprudence[2].
With Presiding Bishop Curry’s and House of Deputies President Jennings’ statement, we now wait for the Executive Council to deliver a detailed proposal for addressing the Episcopal Church’s participation in the Indigenous boarding schools’ legacy. I do wonder how Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation model can guide us. Canada’s Commission was formed as a result of The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the largest class-action settlement in Canadian history. One of the elements of the agreement was the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada to facilitate reconciliation among former students, their families, their communities and all Canadians. Canada has recently received international news coverage regarding discoveries of mass graves at former ‘Indian Residential Schools.’ Canada has acknowledged that physical and sexual abuse was rampant in the schools, with students beaten for speaking their native languages.
While many refuse to budge from the notion that, while “such a darn shame,” the conquest is ancient history, many others are attempting to live in right relationship. An increasing number do look to indigenous voices, in humility, for guidance. I am quite thankful for this. And needless to say, I am quite thankful and appreciate Bishop Curry’s and Ms. Jennings’ bold and prophetic leadership here.
And now is the time for EPF to prepare. Who will join me in responding to the call to live in right relationship with our Indigenous sisters and brothers? Please email the Rev. Dn. Chris Sabas at persia.sabas91@gmail.com. If you wish to join EPF in our work for racial reparations, please email Melanie Atha at epfactnow@gmail.com
[1] Now named The Turtle Island Solidarity Network (“TISN”). I joined CPT after closing my law practice, with having nearly ten years of litigation experience.
[2] I would like to tweak this presentation and use a US based community as an example.
The Rev. Deacon Chris Sabas was ordained to the vocational diaconate in October 2020 and is currently serving as the Deacon-in-Residence at St. Andrews Episcopal Church, Somerset Parish, Princess Anne, Maryland in the Diocese of Easton. Currently a postulant with the Communion of the Mystic Rose (https://www.mysticrose.org/), a dispersed canonically vowed religious community of the Episcopal Church, which is a designated special ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of California. She is a member of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship's National Executive Council, which endorses and adopts this statement.
The Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan, working together without a bishop diocesan between them, sent out a packet of resources for GVP sabbath, June 4-6. In the included sample sermon: "Rob Burgess of St. Augustine’s, our litanist for this morning, is a member of the Episcopal Peace Fellowship through which the national Episcopal Gun Violence Prevention group is organized."
St. Matthews Episcopal Church, Rupert Idaho
Presents
Bringing Darkness into Light:
Sharing Stories of Redemption from Men
on Arkansas’ Death Row
Film: Sunday, May 2, 2021 4:00pm MST
Join the Zoom film showing here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6344344340
Sewanee: The University of the South Presents
Bringing Darkness into Light:
Sharing Stories of Redemption from Men
on Arkansas’ Death Row
April 22, 2021 3:30pm – 4:30pm CST
Join the Zoom here:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88510214918
PERSPECTIVE contains a selective listing of articles, research studies, videos, podcasts and other media that fall into Trinity Episcopal Peace Fellowship’s constellation of peace and justice interests. It is published twice monthly, generally mid-month and end of month. The materials are culled from a variety of sites using push alerts set up in these areas, as well as periodic curatorial research for materials published by US government agencies, “think tanks” and nonpartisan research institutes, primarily in the United States. The items listed are representative, not comprehensive in scope. Some of the linked materials may be disturbing, and as possible, will be flagged as such. Please Note: There are materials cited here that will be behind a paywall. If the item is of particular interest to you, please contact Catherine Smythe Zajc, Perspective Curator, at smythezajc@roadrunner.com as she may be able to provide a copy.
YEMEN
Yemen | International Organization for Migration (IOM) | Yemen’s Forgotten HIV Patients: Sami’s Story | The Storyteller
IOM-YEMEN_Ma’rib Response_Update_29_march_2021_.pdf
Monthly update on Saudi coalition air raids in Yemen [Yemen Data Project]
Mar 25: Biden Says He Wants to End the Yemen War: These Should Be His Next Steps - Just Security
Mar 27: Stolen limbs: Yemenis disabled by war see little hope for the future | Middle East Eye
Mar 30: Oman hopes Yemen ceasefire will be agreed very soon: State media | Oman News | Al Jazeera
Mar 31: Famine Stalks Yemen, as War Drags On and Foreign Aid Wanes - The New York Times
Apr 1: Ansarullah dismisses US aid claims, says Washington would deprive Yemenis of oxygen if possible [PressTV]
Apr 1: International Pressure Can Convince Iran-Backed Houthis to Accept Peace | Opinion
Apr 2: Oscar-nominated ‘Hunger Ward’ explores the famine in Yemen - Los Angeles Times
Apr 2: ‘US is complicit’: Activists protest against Yemen blockade with hunger strike | Middle East Eye
Apr 2: Yemen: desperate appeals to save conjoined twins – Middle East Monitor
Apr 3: US must lift Yemen blockade if it wants to prove its honesty : Official [PressTV]
Apr 3: Nearly $76bn of Yemen’s oil, gas revenues looted in six years of Saudi-led war: Yemeni minister [Press TV]
Apr 3: Saudi aggressors looking for escape from Yemen quagmire: Minister [PressTV]
Apr 4: From Ethiopia to Yemen, a perilous migrant route to endless misery | Arab News [“This has been going on for a long time,” Matt Bryden, director of Sahan Research in Addis Ababa, told Arab News. “The route to Yemen is the primary route for human trafficking and smuggling out of the eastern Horn of Africa, catering mainly to Somalis and Ethiopians. Strangely, the numbers of migrants increased dramatically after 2015 at the start of the war in Yemen. Clearly, the breakdown of governance and border controls due to the conflict in Yemen was exploited by human traffickers.”]
Apr 4: Marib governor: Coalition has thwarted the mullahs’ conspiracy in Yemen - Saudi Gazette
Apr 4: Yemen: Little clarity on US vow to end aid to Saudi-led coalition | Saudi Arabia News | Al Jazeera
Apr 4: Pope knocks military spending amid pandemic in Easter message | TheHill
Apr 5: Saudi Arabia’s scramble for an exit strategy in Yemen | Conflict News | Al Jazeera
Apr 5: Yemen peace efforts falter as Houthis demand direct flights to Iran | Arab News
Apr 5: Shabwa governor warns of Saudi-UAE plot to destroy Yemen’s gas facilities [PressTV]
Apr 6: Advocates and Celebrities Call for Immediate End to Saudi Blockade of Yemen | Friends Committee On National Legislation [Signatories include The Episcopal Church; Jehan Hakim, Yemeni Alliance Committee, etc.]
Apr 6: Ro Khanna RELEASE: Khanna, Dingell, Pocan Lead 76 Members of Congress in Calling on Biden-Harris Administration to Press For End of Yemeni Blockade [A PDF version of the letter can be read here.]
Apr 6: Biden told to ‘pressure’ Saudi Arabia into ending Yemen blockade | Middle East Eye
Apr 6: Biden’s policy shift in Yemen courts environmental disaster | TheHill
Apr 6: Yemeni American Activists Launch Hunger Strike to Demand End to War [Insider]
Apr 7: Battle for Yemen desert city now a key to Iran, US tension - ABC News
Apr 7: Amnesty International Report 2020/2021 Full Report [See page 397 for YEMEN entry]
Apr 7: Months After Biden Promised to End Support for Yemen War, Congress Still Has No Details [The Intercept]
Apr 7: Iranian ship near Yemen attacked as nuclear deal talks begin [Associated Press/NBC News]
Apr 8: Houthis warn Turkey against Yemen intervention – Middle East Monitor
Apr 9: Safiah and young family among millions trying to keep hunger at bay in Yemen | World Food Programme
Apr 9: Democrats call on Biden to stop Saudi Arabia’s Yemen blockade - Vox
Apr 10: Opinion | Yemen Is a Public Health Catastrophe [Common Dreams]
Apr 10: 53 dead in 24 hours in escalated clashes for Yemen’s Marib | Daily Sabah
Apr 11: Yemen’s Marib battle raging on three fronts, leaving 123 dead in two days | Middle East Eye
Apr 12: Yemen: Covid-19 vaccine misinformation feeds unease as first jabs arrive | Middle East Eye
Apr 12: Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim attacks on Saudi oil facilities | Conflict News | Al Jazeera
Apr 13: Hunger Strike Day 15 - Yemeni Liberation Movement (@LiberateYemen) / Twitter
Apr 13: Pressure on Biden to End Yemen Blockade Builds With New Letter From Lawmakers | Common Dreams News [Referenced in the article is this letter.]
Apr 13: Progressives Call for Action on the Yemen Blockade | The Nation [“California Democratic Representative Ro Khanna told The Nation that members of Congress have been briefed by the National Security Council and State Department but are currently “assessing” whether a War Powers Resolution is needed.”]
Apr 14: Saudi Arabia signs agreement to provide oil grant to Yemen | Arab News
Apr 14: US says Saudi Arabia isn’t to blame for Yemen fuel blockade - Vox (SA: US Reps. Send Bipartisan Letter to Sec. Blinken on Ending Yemen Blockade | Office of Congressman Ted Deutch]
Apr 14: Hunger-striking US activists demand end to Yemen blockade | Conflict News | Al Jazeera
Apr 14: Biden Official Tim Lenderking Is Toeing the Saudi Line, Activists Say [The Daily Beast]
Apr 14: 160 Ethiopian Migrants Stranded in Yemen Repatriated | Voice of America - English
Apr 15: Yemeni teacher’s union slams Houthi curriculum takeover [ArabNews]
Apr 15: Yemeni women use solar to light up homes » Borneo Bulletin Online
Apr 15: ‘If we don’t give, people don’t eat’: Yemen focus of UK Ramadan giving | Aid | The Guardian
ARMS SALES & OTHER MILITARY SUPPORT TO SAUDI ARABIA & UAE
Apr 1: Biden Trimming Forces Sent to Mideast to Help Saudi Arabia - WSJ
Apr 13: Joe Biden Is Proceeding With Donald Trump’s Biggest Arms Deal | HuffPost
Apr 14: Biden administration to proceed with $23bn arms sales to UAE | Military News | Al Jazeera
Apr 14: Biden admin intends to move forward with $23B UAE weapons sales - CNNPolitics
Apr 14: Biden admin moving ahead with UAE F-35, drone sales for now [DefenseNews]
Apr 14: ‘Enables UAE’s reckless conduct’: Anti-war advocates slam $23bn US arms sale | Middle East Eye
EVENTS, PODCASTS, BOOKS & FILMS – PAST & UPCOMING
Dec 11: Film shows how Yemen health workers try to save malnourished children [“Hunger Ward;” the reporting features Dr. Aida Al-Sadeeq, who “for a decade, Sadeeq ran a program at Sadaqa Hospital in Aden that treated children with malnutrition. Sadeeq, who is now an assistant professor at the University of Aden, was filmed at work in her clinic for the new documentary, “Hunger Ward.”]
Apr 17: Hunger Ward - Gathr At Home™ - Gathr Films [Hosted By Yemeni Alliance Committee And Yemeni Liberation Movement]
Apr+: See The Film | Hunger Ward: Multiple upcoming opportunities to view the firm, plus access to previously recorded conversations/screenings, e.g. (1) Emmy-winning director Judd Apatow discusses HUNGER WARD with Skye Fitzgerald - YouTube ; (2) New York Times journalist Nick Kristof discusses HUNGER WARD with Skye Fitzgerald - YouTube ; (3) PBS NewsHour Anchor & Managing Editor Judy Woodruff & Skye Fitzgerald - YouTube
PETITIONS ~ OTHER ACTIONS
Speak up for starving people in Yemen | USA for UNHCR
End the Blockade on Yemen | MoveOn
Yemen Blockadegraph.pdf - Google Drive Yemen Relief & Reconstruction Foundation
ANTI-HUMAN TRAFFICKING/MODERN SLAVERY/FORCED LABOR
Mar 11: The Ohio Channel: Press Conference Announcing the Expanding Human Trafficking Justice Act
Apr 4: From Ethiopia to Yemen, a perilous migrant route to endless misery | Arab News [“This has been going on for a long time,” Matt Bryden, director of Sahan Research in Addis Ababa, told Arab News. “The route to Yemen is the primary route for human trafficking and smuggling out of the eastern Horn of Africa, catering mainly to Somalis and Ethiopians. Strangely, the numbers of migrants increased dramatically after 2015 at the start of the war in Yemen. Clearly, the breakdown of governance and border controls due to the conflict in Yemen was exploited by human traffickers.”]
Apr 5: Unseen: The Boy Victims of the Sex Trade Pt. 1 [WGBH/NPR affiliate]
Apr 5: Human Trafficking: As Global as the Meeting Industry | MPI [Meeting Professionals International]
Apr 7: Oregon lawmakers want to improve human trafficking reporting | StateScoop
Apr 7: Fact-checking: Children dropped at border is human smuggling, not trafficking [Austin American-Statesman]
Apr 7: 5 Common Misconceptions of Human Trafficking | The Borgen Project
Apr 9: There’s a good chance your cotton T-shirt was made with Uyghur slave labor | Uyghurs | The Guardian
Apr 12: Cleveland Rape Crisis Center (CRCC) drop-in center offers trafficking survivors safe, quiet place — The Land || Human Trafficking Drop-In Center | CRCC [“Since founding its human trafficking services four years ago, CRCC has answered more than 700 calls on its Human Trafficking Hotline (855-431-7827) and provided crisis intervention counseling and justice system advocacy to more than 1,200 people.”]
Apr 14: UN experts urge US to align anti-terrorism programme with international law | | UN News [“A so-called ‘Rewards for Justice’ programme in the United States is violating the human rights of some of the individuals it targets, independent UN human rights experts said on Wednesday. The Special Rapporteur made the case that pushing ‘an individual [to] carry out tasks against their will under the threat of a penalty’ amounts to forced labour.”]
Jul 30: World Day against Trafficking in Persons 2021 – UN National Awareness Days Calendar 2021 [Historical background on the observance, including event and other information from the 2020 national awareness day.]
ACTIONS
CRCC Anti-Human Trafficking Wish List _ AMAZON
OHIO & FEDERAL DEATH PENALTY/RELATED CRIMINAL JU
Justice for Julius | Watch the Doc-Justice for Julius [Mr. Jones is on death row in Oklahoma, despite maintaining his innocence and compelling evidence that he was wrongfully convicted.]
Feb 18: DPIC Special Report: The Innocence Epidemic | Death Penalty Information Center
Mar 31: National Geographic | witnesstoinnocence [Recording of “Stories of Justice Gone Wrong: A Deep Dive Discussion,” featuring several death row exonerees, including Clevelander Kwame Ajamu; renowned death penalty abolitionist, Sr. Helen Prejean; and the contributors behind the story, photographer, Martin Schoeller and writer, Phillip Morris.]
Apr 1: Ohio AG Yost releases new capital crimes report for 2020 | wkyc.com
Apr 1: Ohio AG releases capital crimes report: 1 of 6 death sentences carried out since 1981 | WDTN.com
Apr 2: Death Penalty for The Severely Mentally Ill Must Be Banned | Black Star News
Apr 2: Ban the Death Penalty for Those with Serious Mental Illness – PEACEVOICE
Apr 6: Ohio AG: Clear death penalty roadblocks or get rid of it - Ohio Capital Journal
Apr 8: Son Of Murder Victim Urges Legislature To End Death Penalty Quickly | Across Ohio, OH Patch
Apr 8: Court delays execution of inmate who slipped through cracks - The Washington Post [Re: Death row inmate David Martin, who was sentenced to death in 2014 for a fatal shooting during a robbery in northeastern Ohio in 2012.]
Apr 8: Forthcoming series of reports to examine death penalty in Ohio - Ohio Justice & Policy Center
Apr 9: Opinion | Abolishing the death penalty must be part of reimagining safety - Washington Post
PALESTINE | ISRAEL
Amnesty International Report 2020/2021: Israel & Occupied Palestinian Territories
Mar 25: Israel forces tied detained Palestinian child to prison bed, rights group says – Middle East Monitor
Mar 30: Land Day: Palestinians mark the 45th anniversary | Middle East Eye
Mar 31: Palestinian Militant Will Challenge Abbas’s Party in Election - The New York Times
Mar 31: Over half US Jews have experienced anti-Semitism in past 5 years -- ADL survey | The Times of Israel
Mar 31: The glaringly dishonest attacks on Biden’s humanitarian aid to Palestinians – Responsible Statecraft [Author, Lara Friedman is the President of the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP)]
Apr 1: NGO Action News - 1 April 2021 - Civil Society & the Question of Palestine
Apr 2: OCHA-Protection of Civilians_Occupied Palestinian Territory_Mar 16-29, 2021
Apr 2: ‘We’re in a really good place’: is Israel nearing the Covid endgame? | World news | The Guardian
Apr 3: ‘Like a Miracle’: Israel’s Vaccine Success Allows Easter Crowds in Jerusalem - The New York Times [“Many of those in the procession were Palestinians who became Israeli residents after Israel captured the Old City in 1967, along with the rest of East Jerusalem. Around 6,000 Christians live in the Old City, alongside Muslims and Jews.”]
Apr 3: Palestinian Activist Forced to Divorce Wife to Secure Jail Release: AP
Apr 3: Distribution of ‘misleading pro-Israel’ textbooks paused in UK [The New Arab]
Apr 3: Blinken seeks Israel’s ‘equal’ treatment of Palestinians [The New Arab]
Apr 4: In Israel, Zionism Prevents Working-Class Solidarity [Jacobin]
Apr 4: Surprising Jump in European Opinions of Israel | Israel Today
Apr 4: Biden Could Chart a New Path for US on Palestinian Rights. Will He? [TruthOut]
Apr 5: Israel detains 230 Palestinian children in 2021: Report | Daily Sabah
Apr 5: On Palestine Children’s Day, 140 minors held in Israeli jails – Middle East Monitor
Apr 5: Rashida Tlaib Says That Support Is Growing in Congress for Palestinian Rights
Apr 5: The Blood Libels of Vaccine Denial and Medical Apartheid | Edwin Black | The Times of Israel |Blogs
Apr 5: Israel will not need to choose between its identities - www.israelhayom.com
Apr 5: Liberal Jewish groups threaten boycott of JNF-KKL if it buys West Bank land – The Forward
Apr 6: Joe Biden is not planning to solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - POLITICO
Apr 6: US boosts aid to Palestinians as some in Congress cry foul
Apr 6: Israeli court upholds travel ban on Amnesty International campaigner | Middle East Eye
Apr 6: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez engages with JCRC-NY at last [JewishInsider] + JCRC-NY Congressional Conversations with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - YouTube
Apr 7: The United States Restores Assistance for the Palestinians - US Department of State
Apr 7: Reversing Trump, Biden Restores Aid to Palestinians - The New York Times
Apr 7: Warnings of serious attempts to push Palestine refugees to leave Lebanon – Middle East Monitor
Apr 7: Hamas: ‘No elections without Jerusalem’ – Middle East Monitor
Apr 7: Palestinian village becomes prison for residents - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Apr 7: Palestinians were the real losers of Israel’s inconclusive election. [Slate]
Apr 7: Bipartisan House members reintroduce Palestinian education bill [JewishInsider]
Apr 8: After restoring aid to Palestinians, Biden endorses two-state solution | The Times of Israel
Apr 8: Republicans delay Biden administration’s funds to Palestinians - The Jerusalem Post
Apr 8: Israeli academic won’t receive prize after signing petition - The Washington Post
Apr 8: Rights activist rabbi beaten in settler attack near illegal West Bank outpost | The Times of Israel
Apr 8: Israeli construction plan to encircle Jerusalem - Al Monitor: The Pulse of the Middle East
Apr 8: People-to-People Projects Build Israeli Impunity–Consortiumnews [Yara Hawari details how citizen-diplomacy legislation passed by U.S. Congress undermines Palestinian rights.]
Apr 9: Israeli university heads defend free speech in prize dispute - The Washington Post
Apr 9: The Return of Palestinian Politics [ForeignPolicy]
Apr 9: ‘The settlers brought caravans and put them on a hill next to us' - +972 Magazine
Apr 9: Richard Gere’s words of support for the Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony - YouTube
Apr 9: Statement on restoration of funding to UNRWA – The Episcopal Church
Apr 10: ‘Hardly a fringe position’: Jewish NDP members lead convention push for Palestinian human rights | Ricochet [Founded in 2014, Ricochet is a multiplatform news outlet, with offices in Vancouver and Montreal.]
Apr 11: Pentagon chief declares ‘ironclad’ US commitment to Israel | PBS NewsHour Weekend
Apr 12: All Talk - Jewish Currents [Reporting on “Seeds of Peace Camp, a coexistence initiative that brings Israeli and Palestinian teenagers together each summer on the shores of Pleasant Lake, an hour northwest of Portland.”]
Apr 12: On Normalization and the Joint Memorial Ceremony in Palestine, Israel - Palestine Chronicle
Apr 12: Palestinian factions: No elections without Jerusalem - The Jerusalem Post
Apr 12: Outgoing IDF liaison: PA’s Abbas a partner, we should have behaved differently | The Times of Israel
Apr 12: Jewish population at lowest percentage since founding of Israel - The Jerusalem Post
Apr 13: Israel denies professor prestigious prize for allegedly supporting BDS | Middle East Eye
Apr 13: AOC Should Play a Stronger Role in Pushing for Palestinian Rights [Jacobin]
Apr 13: Weekly News of Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (April 7-13, 2021).pdf [The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center]
Apr 14: Grieving Israeli, Palestinian families observe joint memorial | The Times of Israel
Apr 14: Palestinians furious after Israel prevents Al-Aqsa call to prayer [The New Arab]
Apr 14: Settler violence is rising in Occupied Palestinian Territory, warn experts | | UN News
Apr 14: Richard Gere: Israelis won’t have a home until the Palestinians have one - The Jerusalem Post
Apr 14: How Israel is trying to derail Palestinian elections [The New Arab]
Apr 14: The Israel Prize Is Meant to Unify. More Often, It’s Mired in Controversy. - The New York Times
Apr 14: OPINION: For Israel, disregard of international law is a strategy of occupation [TRT World]
Apr 14: US secretary of state: Israel’s group of friends to grow wider in years ahead | The Times of Israel
Apr 14: Betty McCollum Leads Effort to Put Conditions on U.S. Aid to Israel [The Intercept]
Apr 15: The master plan for building in Jerusalem? Preserve a Jewish majority - Israel News - Haaretz.com
Apr 15: Jordan slams Israeli police bid to silence call to prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque minarets [ArabNews]
Apr 15: Improved vetting is key to US re-engagement with Palestinian NGOs - Jewish News Syndicate [referenced in the article is this recent U.S. GAO report: West Bank & Gaza Aid: Should Funding Resume ...]
Apr 15: EPF PIN Responds to Resumption of UNRWA and USAID Funding – Episcopal News Service
ADVOCACY & AID GROUPS
Combatants for Peace - About Us
PCRF - Palestine Children’s Relief Fund | Facebook
Vermonters for Justice in Palestine – Equal Justice First
FOUNDATION FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE (FMEP)
Apr 2: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 2, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 5: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 5, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 6: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 6, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 7: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 7, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 8: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 8, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 9: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 9, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 12: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 12, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 13: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 13, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 14: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 14, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 15: Top News from Israel & Palestine: April 15, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 2: FMEP Legislative Round-Up: April 2, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 9: FMEP Legislative Round-Up: April 9, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 2: Settlement & Annexation Report: April 2, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 8: Settlement & Annexation Report: April 8, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
Apr 15: Settlement & Annexation Report: April 15, 2021 - Foundation for Middle East Peace
THE JERUSALEM DECLARATION ON ANTISEMITISM & OTHER TOPICAL RESOURCES
Israel & Antisemitism | The Nexus Document | Israel & Antisemitism [“Israel and Antisemitism: Policy at the Nexus of Two Critical Issues” is a website that focuses on challenges that arise at the intersection of antisemitism and Israel. Much of the content on Israel and Antisemitism derives from research conducted by The Nexus Task Force, a project of the Knight Program in Media and Religion at the USC Annenberg School of Communication & Journalism. The Task Force, composed of experts in antisemitism and U.S.-Israel policy, was established in 2019 to examine the issues at the intersection of antisemitism and Israel in American politics. || Advisory Committee]
Apr 5: How Not to Fight Antisemitism [Jewish Currents]
Apr 6: 15 Progressive Jewish groups issue Principles for Dismantling Antisemitism
Apr 12: CUNY Student Senate Votes Down Resolution Endorsing IHRA [Jewish Journal]
April 13: Biden administration says UNRWA commits to ‘zero tolerance’ for anti-Semitism | The Times of Israel
ICC INVESTIGATION
Apr 8: Netanyahu to ICC: Israel ‘completely rejects’ claims of any war crimes. - www.israelhayom.com
Apr 12: The ICC’s Israel Investigation Could Backfire [ForeignPolicy]
EVENTS, PODCASTS, BOOKS & FILMS – PAST & UPCOMING
Ongoing: Events, Speakers, Recordings – Vermonters for Justice in Palestine [SA: View and Discuss "Seeing Through the Wall" - Zoom]
Mar 12: The Conflict: Israel and Palestine - Book review of The Conflict over the Conflict: The Israel/Palestine Campus Debate by Kenneth Stern. [Marginalia, Los Angeles Review of Books]
Apr 7: “Medical Apartheid”: COVID Vaccinations Under Occupation - Foundation for Middle East Peace [Recording is available here.]
Apr 9: Israel, Palestine & the Role of Congress: An Accelerated Learning Series - Foundation for Middle East Peace[The Middle East Institute (MEI) and the Foundation for Middle East Peace (FMEP) hosted an eight-part webinar series for members of the House and Senate and Congressional Staff discussing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. policy. The series was co-moderated by FMEP’s Lara Friedman & MEI’s Khaled Elgindy. Video recordings, speaker biographies and other resources are available at the link above.]
Apr 13: 16th Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Day Ceremony, April 13, 2021 - YouTube
~ Post-Ceremony discussion: Meeting with the Speakers from the ceremony (in English) - YouTube
~ Post-Ceremony discussion: The Personal Story (in Arabic) - YouTube
~ Post-Ceremony discussion: The Personal Story (in Hebrew) - YouTube
Apr 16: In Conversation with Peter Beinart Tickets, Fri, Apr 16, 2021 at 12:00 PM | Eventbrite [A conversation between Peter Beinart and Kenneth Stern, Prof. Susan Neiman, and Prof. Saree Makdisi about how to define anti-Semitism.]
Apr 18: J Street: The Political Home for Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace Americans_2021 National Conference
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY – MIDDLE EAST/GULF COUNTRIES ++
Apr 5: What Tony Blinken Means When He Says Human Rights are “Back” - The Beinart Notebook
Apr 6: US is ‘concerned’ over sentencing of Saudi aid worker | Human Rights News | Al Jazeera
Apr 11: Will Joe Biden close Guantánamo, end the drone war and wind down the War on Terror? | Salon.com
Apr 12: OPINION - The Quartet’s role is to undermine Palestinian democracy – Middle East Monitor
Apr 14: OPINION - Nuclear chutzpah in the Middle East | Israel News | Al Jazeera
OTHER PEACE & JUSTICE TOPICS OF INTEREST
ACCESS TO COVID VACCINE/GLOBAL COVID PANDEMIC ISSUES
Apr 7: COVID-19 hits those shackled by oppression hardest thanks to decades of inequalities, neglect and abuse | Amnesty International [To read the full report, go here.]
Apr 14: OPINION: Welcome to the new colonialism: rich countries sitting on surplus vaccines | Coronavirus | The Guardian [“Last month, 130 countries had yet to administer a single dose of vaccine. Meanwhile the US has enough for three times its population.”]
ARMS SALES & MILITARY WEAPONS
Apr 13: The United States as a mass-killing machine - Alternet.org
GUN VIOLENCE
Apr 8: Biden announces gun control actions - The Washington Post
Apr 8: Biden Takes Initial Steps to Address Gun Violence - The New York Times
Apr 8: Biden Unveils Gun Control Measures, Calls on Congress to Act [New York: Intelligencer]
Apr 9: Rukiye Abdul-Mutakallim won’t forgive officials who don’t curb gun violence | Columbus Dispatch, Opinion ["I’ve forgiven the people who shot and killed my son. They were children with trauma and grief of their own, and easy access to guns. But I will not forgive our leaders if they pass up another opportunity to end this senseless violence."]
Apr 9: Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence Email [President Biden’s Actions to Reduce Gun Violence are Steps in the Right Direction!]
HATE CRIMES/ HATE SPEECH
Apr 2: Facebook reassurances on ‘Zionist’ hate speech policy met with skepticism | Middle East Eye
Apr 7: These names are being talked about to be the US anti-Semitism monitor - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
Apr 2: Biden administration lifts Trump sanctions on ICC officials | Middle East Eye
Apr 5: Can the ICC investigate the U.S.? - The Washington Post
Apr 5: Lack of international accountability has emboldened war criminals | Arab News
KINGS BAY PLOWSHARES 7 – ABOLITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
Apr 2: Martha’s Reflection for Holy Week, March 27 - Kings Bay Plowshares 7 [Martha Hennessy]
Apr 5: A Festival of Hope for the KBP7action AND for Mark Colville before sentencing. - YouTube
Apr 9: Mark Colville Sentenced to 21 Months - Kings Bay Plowshares 7 | Mark Colville’s Statement at Sentencing, April 9, 2021 - Kings Bay Plowshares 7
Apr 9: Seventh and final Plowshares member sentenced to prison for nuclear base break-in [Religion News]
Apr 11: Remembrances of Ramsey Clark - Kings Bay Plowshares 7
Apr 13: Fr. Steve Kelly Freed From Prison Today with Time Served, April 13, 2021 - Kings Bay Plowshares 7
PEACE BUILDING & PEACE KEEPING
Center for Civilians in Conflict
Human Rights Peacebuilding – The Episcopal Church
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
Apr 14: Hundreds of millions of women living lives ‘governed by others’, UN report shows | | UN News
Apr 14: Prevention is ‘only cure’ to end sexual violence in conflict, Security Council hears | | UN News [SA: Security Council: Women, peace and security | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases]
Apr 14: Nearly half of women, girls ‘do not own their bodies’, UN says | Women News | Al Jazeera [“The report, titled My Body is My Own (PDF), looked at both women’s power to make their own decisions about their bodies and the extent to which countries’ laws support or interfered with that right.”]
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH – EPPN ACTION ALERTS & EVENTS
Action Alerts – The Episcopal Church
Action Alerts – The Episcopal Church - REPARATIONS
Climate Migration Abroad and At Home – The Episcopal Church
Episcopal Migration Ministries
WEBINARS | PODCASTS | PRESS CONFERENCES | EVENTS | OTHER MEDIA
Mar 15: How the United States Can Embrace a Feminist Foreign Policy | UN Dispatch
Apr 19: Prosecuting Starvation Crimes in Yemen’s Civil War | School of Law | Case Western Reserve University [Speakers: Alex de Waal, executive director of the World Peace Foundation and a research professor at The Fletcher School at Tufts University. His recent book, Mass Starvation: The History and Future of Famine, examines recent hunger crises and their causes, arguing for more focused policies against faminocide; Laura Graham, executive director of the Yemen Accountability Project and principal author of YAP's white paper "Prosecuting Starvation Crimes in Yemen's Civil War;" Milena Sterio is Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Enrichment at Cleveland State University's Marshall College of Law; and James C. Johnson, Chief Prosecutor of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone, appointed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations in September, 2019. He is an Adjunct Professor of Law, Director of the Henry T. King Jr. War Crimes Research Office and Faculty Advisor for the Yemen Accountability Project at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. Registration required.]
TRINITY EPISCOPAL PEACE FELLOWSHIP BOOK DISCUSSION (UPCOMING)
Apr 24: All are welcome to join Trinity Cathedral EPF’s Book Group to discuss Apeirogon by Colum McCann on Saturday April 24, 2021 at 1:00 pm EST. Contact Bruce Freeman at freeman.bruce@gmail.com for the Zoom link. A brief reading from the beginning of the book by McCann can be found here: Apeirogon: A Novelby Colum McCann, read by Colum McCann by PRH Audio.
Coincidentally, Churches for Middle East Peace Fellowship on May 12, 2021 is hosting an Apeirogon book discussion with the book’s award-winning author, Colum McCann. Registration is required.
Pillars: How Muslim Friends Led Me Closer to Jesus by Rachel Pieh Jones [Book review]
Apr 13: A Ramadan Closer to Normal for 2021 - The New York Times
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
Readings - Spirituality of Conflict _Third Sunday of Easter [4-18-2021]
Virtual Earth Day Activities | Eventbrite
Regarding the events in Washington, D.C. on the Feast of the Epiphany, it is wrong to say of the terrorism that transpired that "This is not America.” While we cherish the words that we “strive for a more perfect union,” we must also acknowledge and repent the reality of American violence, racial injustice and Christian nationalism.
White supremacist violence, cloaked in faith, from indigenous genocide, the slave patrols of the 1700 and 1800s, the Civil War, the Tulsa massacre and the wave of unpunished lynchings, up to and including the recent shootings of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, and Casey Goodson, Jr. in Columbus, has been the hammer that shaped America on the anvil of this rich continent.
The Trumpist anti-democracy movement, stirred up by a failed demagogue, took to the streets to follow a path too commonly taken in America. We must stop pretending to be horrified and face the complicity of all parties in shaping this America.
We call upon all of our elected officials to repent of the sin of white supremacy. We recognize that the police force has targeted people of color, while white violence and lawlessness is condoned and met with a soft response that perpetuates the systemic racism of all institutions in our society. We call for a movement for justice, the only basis for peace; and we look to the Gospel to guide us in bringing forth the Kingdom of God.
We pray that each of us may be instruments inspiring the coming of the beloved Kingdom, from a strong, confident place of nonviolence. Join us in praying for our country and our leaders, then act with us to be a catalyst for the bringing of a new era of justice and peace.
