From Lamenting to Preparing for Action

By Dan Coppock With the news of the arrest of five Gathering attendees in their witness at Colosimo’s Gun Shop still fresh in our minds, we learned of the huge outpouring of support the night before. $3,000 had been needed immediately to cover bail while Philadelphia Yearly Meeting's Sufferings fund was unavailable. Over $6,000 in loans and donations were received. We also learned of the charges of trespass and criminal conspiracy that were leveled against these activists. With this in mind our morning worship focused on the lamentation and prophetic vision of our witness. Our worship leader, Dr. Matthew V. Johnson, noted that lament is the soul of prophetic vision, and that lament is soulless without love and the self-recognition of lost opportunities. “No vision and you perish, no ideal and you’re lost” he concluded. The words of Martin Luther King Jr., who spoke of the church being the state’s conscience, independent but present, undergirded the day. It was especially significant as he would have been 80 years old today, had he lived. A panel of advocacy and lobbyists followed, and continued this theme. They spoke of the relationship between the grassroots and church organizations and the Washington-based offices. Martin Shupack, associate director with Church World Service, spoke of explaining prophetic visions to politicians, noting that it was like “singing the lord’s song in a foreign land.” He shared with us some of the successes of lobbying including funding for HIV/AIDS and debt forgiveness. Julie Schumacher Cohen, with Churches for Middle East Peace, spoke of the dual nature of being a conscience for the state but also building up conscience in the church, taking down physical and spiritual walls. She also spoke of her re-excitement with democracy and of a call to be engaged. Joe Volk, from Friends Committee on National Legislation, spoke of the team effort of movements and lobby groups, likening it to an orchestral concert where each instrument is heard balanced together. He noted that without a people’s movement lobbyists have nothing to communicate. Phil Jones, of the Church of the Brethren’s Witness/Washington Office, noted that, despite the words of our founders, the church can be and is co-opted. He noted that Christians are called to speak truth to power on all levels. He consistently asks, “What’s the plan?” and spoke of filling the hole left by the deaths of two of his friends by stepping up witness. That evening, meeting at the Constitution Center, a draft epistle was read including a reaffirmation that this is the year of the Lord’s favor, asking what must die so that a commitment to peace can grow, noting that silence to listen to God is crucial, silence when God calls us to speak is treason, and concluding, “This is our time to embody the goodness that is happening in these terrible and wonderful times.” The whole group engaged in a rotating discussion of ideas, experiences, and brainstorming, laying the transition to the theme of Friday: taking action.

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