Posted on 08/16/2005 12:57:52 PM PDT by areafiftyone
New York, August 16, 2005 – The General Secretary of the National Council of Churches is urging President Bush to join with Gold Star families and religious leaders in an interfaith prayer service outside the Bush ranch at noon (CDT) Friday,
The prayer service has been called by Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan “as an opportunity for Americans and others across the world to pray for our soldiers in Iraq, their families and in particular the mothers of our fallen.”
Sheehan, along with United Methodist laywoman Celeste Zappala and other Gold Star mothers, has been waiting outside the Bush compound to meet with the President since his five-week vacation began.
“I urge the President and the First Lady to join this brief and simple service,” said the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, NCC General Secretary. Edgar visited the Gold Star mothers and their families outside the presidential ranch and conducted a worship service on August 12. The visit was at the invitation of his fellow United Methodist, Celeste Zappala, whose son Sherwood was killed in Iraq.
“This war, like any war, has generated terrible losses, immense pain and sharp divisions in our country,” Edgar said. “Each day we see the pain in the faces of the Gold Star mothers and their families. It’s evident that President Bush, who has faced agonizing decisions in this war, feels the pain as well.”
“Whether or not we agree with Mr. Bush’s decisions,” Edgar said, “and whether or not he agrees with us, we can agree that we’re all feeling a heavy burden of grief. Let’s suspend the rhetoric for a few minutes on Friday and join together – commander-in-chief and families of the fallen – to seek strength from the God who sustains us all.”
In an open letter to religious leaders August 15, Sheehan urged those who cannot attend to host a prayer vigil in their cities. “We ask you to join us in a simultaneous moment of silent prayer to honor all who have been affected by this war.”
The service will take place at “Camp Casey,” an impromptu encampment outside the Bush compound named for Sheehan’s son, Casey Sheehan, who was killed in Baghdad on April 4, 2004. Camp Casey, which displays white crosses named for those who have been killed in Iraq, has become a gathering place for Gold Star families and their supporters.
The full text of the Sheehan August 15 letter to religious letters follows:
Dear Religious Leader:
Family members of fallen soldiers, who have joined me in Crawford, and I invite you to attend a moment of silent prayer at 12:00 noon (Central Daylight Time) this Friday, August 19th at Camp Casey just outside the Presidents’ Ranch. We’re holding this moment of prayer as an opportunity for Americans and others across the world to pray for our soldiers in Iraq, their families and in particular the mothers of our fallen. We have also invited President Bush and the first lady to join us in praying for the troops.
Several family members of fallen soldiers have joined with me in Crawford and will take part in the moment of silent prayer. Outside the President’s ranch we have set up a temporary camp named “Camp Casey” and a memorial of crosses with names of fallen soldiers has been erected, which is where the prayer service will take place.
If you cannot attend our service in Crawford, Texas please consider hosting a prayer vigil in your city. We ask you to join us in a simultaneous moment of silent prayer to honor all who have been affected by this war. You are welcome to contact your local media and inform them of your vigil.
My son, Casey Sheehan, 24, of Vacaville, Calif., died in Baghdad, Iraq, on April 4, 2004, when his unit was attacked with rocket-propelled grenades and small arms fire. He was assigned to 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas. When President Bush began his 5 week vacation, I decided to camp outside his ranch in hopes of meeting with him to ask some unanswered questions about the war and the needless loss of lives of so many. Thus far the President has refused to meet, but my resolve is strong and I will remain in Crawford until the meeting takes place or his vacation ends.
Thank you in advance for your consideration and support of this interfaith prayer service.
Respectfully,
Cindy Sheehan
Mother of Casey Sheehan
Picture courtesy of Lone Star Iconoclast.
If you plan to go to Crawford, travel logistics provided by the Sheehan support team can be found here
Contact: NCC News, Philip E. Jenks, 212-870-2252,
Agreed.
Hehe...does A&M still field a football team? :-)
"Can't handle?"
You must be kidding. If I weren't enjoying this I'd have left long ago. Try again.
Right! So the code pinkos and ANSWER idiots can spit in his face and call him a war criminal?! I'm sure he'll be able to attend your ''prayer service''!
Think GWB ought to arrange for the Iraqi PM and a few dozen liberated Iraqi familes who have lost brothers and sisters under Sadamm to show up. That would snuf her moral high ground
The same reason why Dems get to spew their political rhetoric in Black churches during election time and Republicans can't. Because the MSM and the public let them get away with it!
Howlin, I think we're talking about two different people.
I was talking about FDR. He made time for enemies who had gotten media attention, because he was convinced he could win them over to his side of the fence. And he often succeeded.
Unlike most people, I've talked to several who actually met the old man (and they were very old themselves) who came away from him laughing and giggling and wondering what the hell happened.
Bush doesn't participate in prayer sessions to satan.
you are kidding? Anything Bush or his handlers do with regard to this will be present Bush in the worse possible light. The best thing to do is ignore this disturbed leftist.
PhD = Piled high and Deep
The boobs aren't catching on to the reality. Television loves this woman. That's all they see.
Is there a rule about who can use the phrase "gold star"
It seems this is not "THE GOLD STAR" families.
This is just a game to push her from anti-war mom, back to grieving mom.
This is just a BS photo op.
I have no sympathy for her. She is not treating her son's death as a loss, she is treating his death as an ASSET to be cultivated.
And with every post, you're proving that very point.
She's doing that all by her little old lamebrain self. I wonder what your "security moms" make of the fact that her husband is divorcing her, and nobody else in her family, including her three grown children, is at her side in Crawford or making appearances on her behalf.
See post #65
Of course, warchild9 has yet to provide even ONE such example.
FDR was a great war leader and charming individual. He was also devoid of most ethics we consider acceptable, and convinced to some small degree that he was god.
Don't react. I never said I worship him. I accept his strengths, and am glad he's dead because of his weakness for power and glory.
Since you're such a big FDR fan, how about naming ANYBODY he met with who had threatened to drive a stake through his heart?
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