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ploughsharethe journal of Christian CND
July 2006 Christians working and praying for a nuclear weapons-free world
In this issue:CTBI Briefing on nuclear weapons
Campaigning against Trident Replacement
New Thinking for New Security Challenges
Plus events, book reviews and prayer diary
TRIDENTUK nuclear weapons at a crossroads
Page 2
Contents of this issue
page 2 Editorial
page 3 Briefing on Trident
page 4 Workshop on
Campaigning in the
Churches
page 5 News - recent events
page 6 & 7 New Thinking for New
Security Challenges
page 7 CCND’s submission to
the Select Committee
on Defence
page 8 Interfaith dialogue at
St Ethelburga’s
Update on Faslane 365
page 9 News - local groups
page 10 Summer Reading
page 11 Prayer Diary
Page 12 Diary & Sales
Ploughshare is published by Christian
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament,
Mordechai Vanunu House,
162 Holloway Rd,
London N7 8DQ,
Tel 020 7700 4200,
fax 020 7700 2357
Web: http://ccnd.gn.apc.org/
Editorial team: Caroline Gilbert,
Claire Poyner, Michael Pulham
and Patricia Pulham
Printed by Pottle Press
Opinions expressed in signed
articles may not correspond to CCND’s
official position.
Copydate for next issue:
1 October 2006
Christian CND Executive:
Co-chairs: Caroline Gilbert, Michael
Pulham and Bob Russell.
Co-ordinator: Patricia Pulham
Treasurer: Neil Berry
Executive Council Members:
Diana Casswell, and Barbara Sunderland.
Correspondent member:
Rev David Platt (Churches Liaison).
Members can be contacted via the office.
Office worker: Claire Poyner
Editorial
As I try to write this it feels to me, with the images of war from Israel andLebanon, the government declaring in favour of restarting the building ofnuclear electric power stations and our prospective Prime Minister declaringhis ‘support’ for the UK nuclear deterrent, that we are at some point of cri-sis where any words now may well be foolish by the time you receive this.In my inner ear I hear Wilfred Owen’s words for Britten’s War Requiem…‘Down some profound dull tunnel’…I hope I get to hear the bit….. ‘Evenfrom wells we sunk too deep for war,’
Well that’s our business. Surely now from the heart of faith, all faiths, mustcome some word for a better way of national and world governance. At lastthere are some voices; the Briefing from the Churches Together In Britain
and Ireland, the letter from the 19 Bishops.
The Mayor of Hiroshima was at Aldermaston and Parliament launching thenew Mayors for Peace initiative, ‘In Good Faith.’ We have taken the title forour Interfaith Conference, AGM and Witness at Douai Abbey September15- 18. We will build on our theology day and our interfaith work, and fromthese ‘deep wells’ witness against the preparations for Trident replacement atAldermaston AWE. We will decide our future directions at the AGM…soyou come too.
In Good FaithVoices from the Faith communities on
Trident Renewal
CCND AGM at Douai
CCND’s AGM and Autumn Conference willtake place at Douai Abbey, near Newbury, from
Friday 15th - Monday 18th September 2006.
The programme has not been finalised yet but we hope the week-end will provide opportunities to share in the Monastic Worshipin the Abbey, conversation with representatives of other Faiths,
members of Religious Communities speaking on what Peacemeans to them, workshops, and a vigil of Witness on Monday
18th outside Aldermaston.
The AGM will be on Saturday, with a party on Saturday night (accommodation will be available at the Abbey)
Contact the office if you are interested in attending all or part ofthis conference; details will be sent out as soon as they have been
confirmed.
Page 3No Trident Replacement
Trident: UK nuclear weapons at a crossroads
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) haveproduced a briefing on decisions that will need to betaken on the future of Britain’s nuclear weapons systems.‘Trident: UK nuclear weapons at a crossroads’
The briefing does not promote a particular position anddoes not seek to represent the views of all the memberChurches of CTBI. It was written by a working party ofsome member Churches of CTBI following a discussionat the Church Representatives’ Meeting held by CTBI inNovember 2005. You can download it fromwww.ctbi.org.uk
The briefing sets out the background to the debate: factsand figures on existing nuclear weapons; why the debateis needed now; the Churches’ call for transparency in thedebate; the UK’s role as a state party to the 1968 nuclearNon-Proliferation Treaty and a section outlining issues,arguments and analysis, including international law,changes in the world political context since Trident wasinitially commissioned and the financial costs of develop-ing, replacing, staffing and maintaining a replacement forTrident. Not every Church has taken a position onnuclear weapons but the briefing outlines some Churchstatements and a range of views.
The briefing includes questions to stimulate debate,action points for Churches to follow up plus resourcesfor information.
The briefing suggests that the Churches can:
l Help congregations to make sense of the issue andrespond accordingly.
l Provide opportunity for prayer and reflection onthese issues within liturgy, worship and study groups.
l Write to members of Parliament asking them to useevery opportunity to influence the Government in theHouse of Lords or Commons.
l Make submissions to the House of Commons DefenceCommittee and engage with Parliament as this topic isdebated.
Churches Together in Britain and Ireland (CTBI) 3rdFloor, Bastille Court, 2 Paris Garden, London, SE18ND. Tel.: 020 7654 7254 [email protected]
Don’t replace Trident!
This pack, available free or for a donation, includes abriefing about nuclear weapons in the UK, an actionideas sheet, a list of key arguments, as well as postcardsand petitions to use in the community. Thanks toresearch by the Oxford Research Group, the packincludes a letter writer’s list of ‘decision makers’ - keyofficials and parliamentarians with a bearing on the gov-ernment’s decision.
For your pack, write to:Peace & DisarmamentProgramme, Quaker Peace & Social Witness, FriendsHouse, 173 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ Email [email protected] or call 020 7663 1067.
The Churches Together in Britain and Ireland report “Trident: UK nuclear weapons at a crossroads” is going to bemost useful to us. Although it says that it doesn’t recommend any particular course of action, as we do, but justsummarises all the arguments, it is particularly clear, and says all the things we have been saying for years. I think allour members should have it. I’ve forwarded it to two local church email lists I have access to, if we all do that it willget all. over the country soon. Get it from their website or from their office, forward it to any church or email listsyou have access to, print it out, quote from it in any materials you create. Quoting CTBI on nuclear weapons willgo down well the people we are trying to reach.
Caroline Gilbert
Page 4
Laityl Design leaflets for theml Devise a prayer cardl Use Justice & Peace or Social
Responsibility Groupl Letters to local pressl Articles in newsletter, church
magazine, local journall Order ‘pack’ for ministerl Invite other faith ministers in
area to discuss peace matters
Clergyl Give ideas for sermonsl Ask them to lead servicel Encourage to write to MPl Give copy of Churches Packl Letter to local press
Leadershipl Ask Bishop or leader for
something in ‘Pastoral Letter’or similar
l Ask them to encourage clergyor laity to become involved
Workshop on Campaigning in the Churches
Questions to be considered
1. Look at our constituency. Is ita. Scripture based and evangelical?b. Outward looking, emphasising social action?c. Sacramental/liturgy based; used to symbolism?
What are the structures and the decision-mak-ing processes?
Any Campaigning needs to be done in anappropriate manner that is sympathetic to theculture and ethos of the particular denomina-tion or faith community.
2. Why did the Poverty Campaign ‘take off’ in theChurches? How did it happen? What can welearn from this? What methods would work forus?
We cannot expect our campaigns to work justbecause they are right!
3. What are the particular facets of the campaignagainst the replacement of Trident that wouldbe easiest to ‘push’ and most likely to meetwith a favourable response? What needs to beput forward? Where might difficulties lie?
As people of faith, we know we are not alone.Let us not be afraid to act.
4. Consider the three levels of Church/Faithmembership, i.e. laity, clergy and leadership.What is our aim? What do we want them toDO? What do we need to provide at eachlevel?
We need to be clear about where we want the cam-
paign to go. Each stage must be worthwhile initself.
Things to do
InformationChurches’ Pack or similarLeafletsLettersConversationStudy campaignsHouse Groups Lent and Advent groups, etcShow links with other campaigns (poverty,environment etc)
Responding at Local levelPrayer campaignsVigils (in places of worship and elsewhere)Services (and on special days; Peace Sunday,Hiroshima Day etc.)Pilgrimages and faith witnessing (round facili-ties connected with the nuclear weapons pro-gramme)Interfaith discussion groupsGetting petitions signed
ResultAn informed laity
A preaching clergyA prophetic and
involved leadership,willing to be seen andto take a stand
How do we get ‘No trident Replacement’ on to the faith agenda?
Patricia and Michael Pulham facilitated a workshop on Campaigning in the Churches at the Theology Day School.A member called suggesting it would be helpful to have some idea of the form this workshop took - so here is a listof ideas and issues discussed. You could run your own workshop using this as a basis - if you have any questions please contact the office.
News - recent events Page 5
TTavistock Square in Central London is something of aspiritual oasis, a place of peace and quiet in the midst
of noise and bustle. The square contains a statue ofGandhi, a Hiroshima memorial tree, various tributes topeace and literary figures and now a new memorial tothe victims of the 7 July bombings - the bus bombexploded in the adjacent road.
For the past nine years at midday on 15th May, peoplehave met in the square for a short ceremony onInternational Conscientious Objectors’ Day. It takes placeby the large granite memorial stone at the north endwhich was unveiled by the composer Sir Michael Tippetton that day in 1994 to commemorate conscientious objec-tion to military service and pay tribute to all who haveestablished and maintained the right to refuse to kill.
The ceremony is arranged by a small informal group onwhich I represent Christian CND. This year, ChrisCole, the Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliationhad agreed to be our keynote speaker and we looked for-ward to his coming. In the event, despite allowing plentyof time to get into London poor Chris was unable toleave Oxford due to an accident on the by-pass. He willjoin us next year instead. The other mishaps were thenon-arrival of the audio equipment and the speaker fromAmnesty International who was to update us on theinternational situation.
However, the 60 plus people who had come to the eventwere very understanding and, with some improvisations,all went well much to my relief as this year’s master ofceremonies! Most fortunately for me, Sue Gilmurray andTony Kempster were present to take care of the music.The climax of the event comes when we share in the lay-ing of about 75 single white flowers on the memorialstone each one bearing the name of a conscientious objec-tor and his nation and date. A minute’s silence follows.Our British CO this year was appropriately NormanKember, and to our surprise and delight Norman waspresent at the ceremony.
In the peace movement we are all too aware that in ourworld peace and violence stand side by side. In Psalm 34,quoted in 1 Peter 3:11, it says ‘Turn from evil and dogood; seek peace and pursue it’, so choosing should bestraightforward but isn’t. When the nation is in peril andthe call up papers come it takes great courage to say no.those who did for reasons of conscience suffered greatlyfor it and merit our respect. We each must listen to ourconscience and be courageous in our quest for peace andregard for the gift of life.
Bob Russell
Christian CND Aldermaston Witness
Monday 11th June 7am
WWe few arrived at Aldermaston AWE, TadleyGate, 7am to massive police presence. Six of
us, including 2 clerics in dog collar. I counted 21uniformed police, more pouring out of cars, later 2mounted police, 2 police photographers….. well.Thank goodness we were warned by Block theBuilders the evening before.
The police were very tense, and very near, one practi-cally on his chest says the Revd David Platt, and onebehind us. And chatting, their new technique, to useup our time.
Our liturgy, readings and silence, was impressive. Itworked. It changed the attitude of the police, theywere, not exactly intimidated, but we could hold ourspace and our witness with it. We needed it. A coupleof people we hadn’t met before including DianaTownsend, a URC minister from Oxford, joined us.
Caroline Gilbert
Conscientious Objectors’ Day
Page 6 New Thinking for New Security Challenges
A Defense Industrial Strategy or an International Security Industrial Strategy?
RRecently, the Ministry of Defence published thegrandly entitled ‘Defence Industrial Strategy’,
a massive tome that detailed how the MoD’s multi-billion pound budget would be used over the next20-25 years to support the continuation of a UK-based armaments industry; citing the industrial,technological and employment benefits it claimedthat military spending had brought to the econo-my. By articulating long-term plans for theresearch, development and production of new mili-tary equipment, argued the MoD, the strategywould provide arms manufacturers with clarityabout future requirements and maintain afavourable environment for investment.
So, rather than address a broader global security con-text that reflects on the inter-related political, socialand environmental issues essential to the developmentof a peaceful world in the 21st Century, and the rolethat the UK’s manufacturing and technology basecould play within it; the MoD still defines security inexclusively military terms, despite the end of the ColdWar.
The whole thrust of the strategy is to continue thedrive for ever-more sophisticated and expensive mili-tary equipment, including up to £30 billion on areplacement for the Trident ballistic missile system,and to aggressively pursue increased arms sales abroad.
The rationale for a ‘world-class’ armaments industrycan be traced back to the end of the Second WorldWar as successive governments, both Labour andConservative, attempted to compensate for the loss ofgreat power status with the maintenance of a broaddefence capability and of a domestic military-industrialbase that could provide the armed forces with the fullrange of advanced equipment.
As a result the burden of military spending has beenhigh, measured in terms of the proportion of GrossDomestic Product, compared to other medium-sizedindustrial economies. Also, there have been a series ofscandals over major programmes, such as the NimrodEarly Warning Aircraft, that suffered severe technicalproblems and had to be cancelled after an estimated £1 billion had been spent.
This pattern of high military spending, cost-over runsand scandals continues to the present day, despite a
whole series of attempted reforms such as the intro-duction of competitive tendering.
It is time to challenge the outdated and dangerouslycomplacent views expressed in the DIS. If we had areal debate on the nature and meaning of security inthe 21st Century, then various alternatives could begiven serious consideration. For example, a focus onour contribution to a EU peacekeeping force that car-ried out the full range of UN-sanctioned interventionand long-term support for civil reconstruction, as thepriority for security expenditure, would be a welcomechange of direction.
Even more ambitiously, as part of this newInternational Security Industrial Strategy (ISIS) wecould seriously address global environmental chal-lenges.
Tony Blair was absolutely right to identify climatechange as the greatest threat facing the world throughits multi-faceted impacts on sea levels, extremes ofweather, destruction of complex ecologies, etc. A sim-ple test of the new strategy would be its effectivenessin contributing to reduced carbon emissions through aradical programme to quickly eliminate our depend-ence on external fossil fuel and uranium supplies.
The repercussions for the arms industry would be seri-ous as the focus moved from specialist militaryresearch and development but the sector has alreadyexperienced severe reductions in employment over thelast decade (military-related employment has declinedfrom 550,000 in 1990/1 to 305,000 in 2003/4) and fargreater economic opportunities exist for UK industriesthat pioneer civil technologies than through an armstrade that contributes to regional instability and to theindebtedness of developing countries.
Conclusion
How can the country best utilise its industrial andtechnological capabilities to play a leading role in anincreasingly interdependent world that desperatelyneeds new thinking for new security challenges?
Will the UK’s main contribution be a new ballistic mis-sile system that undermines the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and signals to other states that theyhave the green light for their own nuclear weapons
Page 7New Thinking for New Security Challenges
programmes, or will it be as a leaderin the drive for peacekeeping, disar-mament and sustainable develop-ment?
In thirty years time, with oil andgas supplies running low and ourall-singing, all-dancing, militaryplatforms lying idle in their basesfor lack of fuel, the UK might facesome calamitous environmental dis-aster; perhaps an unprecedentedtidal surge that swamps the Thamesbarrier, causing extensive floodingin London and the South East.
Future generations will look back
at the decisions we are making now, topour billions of pounds into arma-ments, with a combination ofincredulity and anger that such a nar-row interpretation of security contin-ued to dominate the psyche of ournational leadership.
Who knows, there may even be a sparecopy of the DIS floating out of theMoD, down the Thames, and into thebriny expanse of what was onceNorfolk.
Dr. Steven Schofield([email protected])
Freelance researcher
1. Replacement of Trident and the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT).
The 2005 NPT Review Conference made no progress,ending in stalemate. We consider that the main reasonfor this was the Nuclear Weapon States refusal tomake any further progress on fulfilling their nucleardisarmament obligations, as under Article V1,
‘Each of the Parties to the Treaty undertakes to pur-sue negotiations in good faith on effective measuresrelating to cessation of the nuclear arms race at anearly date and to nuclear disarmament, and on a treatyon general and complete disarmament under strict andeffective international control.’
2. Opportunity for the UK to decide against anyReplacement of the Trident nuclear weapon system.
In the NPT negotiations the UK has historically actedto bring widely divergent views to a middle ground.The government should continue this role, andexpand it, by deciding against any replacement ofTrident. This would unblock the NPT negotiations,including those on compliance and non-proliferation.
3. State of the world today.
The post World War 11 and Cold War world forwhich the UK nuclear deterrent was designed nolonger exist; the difficulties we face today, climatechange, competition over resources, terrorism, are notaddressed, but only intensified by our continued pos-session of nuclear weapons. If the UK Governmentdecides to Replace Trident that will worsen the exist-ing tensions in Iraq, Iran, the Middle East, India,Pakistan, Afghanistan, North and South Korea, Chinaand Taiwan.
If the Government decides NOT to replace Tridentthat will give a strong signal that HM Governmentintends her foreign policy to contribute to world gov-ernance by negotiation and consensus, which is a wayof peace. As our present nuclear weapon will last foranother twenty years, this gives the unique opportuni-ty for a gradual change.
The Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmamentapproaches the question of the replacement of Tridentfrom religious, moral (also legal) grounds; which wewould like to give another time. The above is a simplesubmission that the Government should take the wayof peace both with regard to the world generally andto the NPT.
Caroline Gilbert, Michael Pulham, Bob Russell, co-chairs the Christian Campaign for Nuclear
Disarmament
Submission to the Select Committee on Defence on the Replacement of Trident.
NewsPage 8
EEnter by the narrow way, literally, to StEthelburga’s, an ancient church squeezed
between the banks and financial institutions onBishopsgate; very easy to pass by in the roar oftraffic. You enter by a narrow passage at the side,and now find The Tent, a yurt with embroideredhangings and carpets and comfy circular seating, inthe courtyard beside the ancient church.
Here, Carol Naughton of ‘Come Clean, The Weaponsof Mass Destruction Project’, with St Ethelburga’s andwith a tiny input from CCND to try to get ourInterfaith platform to work against theReplacement of Trident, had organised adiscussion between Muslims, a Jew, aJain, various Christians and faith seek-ers…and of course those of no faith, onnuclear weapons.
Carol had deliberately set out to make itnon confrontational, although it seemedwe were all opposed to nuclear weaponsany how. Fr Gerry Hughes spoke forthe Christians, as he had at ourTheology Day in Oxford.
We may well be on the way towardssome co-operation between differentfaith groups to work against theReplacement of Trident. What wasstriking in the discussion was how mucheveryone there wanted to concentratethe deep core of their own faith opposi-
tion to violence. Winning the argument it was suggest-ed; one of the things, we, CCND, would like wouldbe exactly a forum for the discussion of nuclearweapons in the faith perspectives.
A Muslim offered his 2000 strong email list to publi-cise our, events, such as our Aldermaston Witness (seealso our AGM which comes directly from his enquiryas to whether we were having a theological conferenceat Douai, no sorry just sleeping in cottages … but seepage 2).
Faslane 365 Update
29 groups have signed up to the Blockading Rota sofar - many more are at various stages of mobilisation.Many more needed!
There are various types of groups involved so far;including 2 religious groups. There will be a Quakergroup there on 27 - 28 October and a Clergy/Ionagroup on 1 - 2 November. CND will be there on 5 - 6November and are organising transport. ContactCND on 020 7700 2393 for more information. Othergroups include cyclists, Women in Black, ScottishGreen Party and 12 geographical groups. The WMDAwareness Programme will be at the EdinburghFestival, 6 - 28 August. See events page for moredetails.
To find out which other groups are currentlyinvolved, see contact details below.
You can add your name as a supporter without goingthere (donations especially welcome). Statements ofsupport have been received from nearly 100 organisa-tions, 40 academics and authors, 25 parliamentarians(mostly MSPs) and many other individuals. There areonly two religious leaders though, including MarilynMcCord Adams, who of course, spoke at ourTheology Day School. If you know a senior religiousleader, why not contact them to ask if they wouldconsider adding their name to this cause?
For more information and a copy of their latest update,see http://faslane365.org/ or contact them [email protected] 01263 512049 Faslane 365, ValleyFarmhouse, East Runton, Cromer, Norfolk, NR279PN.
Interfaith discussion at Destruction and Interfaith at St Ethelburga’s, Bishopsgate,
Page 9News
Essex Christian CNDEssex CCND members have been helping distributeleaflets and petitions on Trident. Beryl Lankesterwrites:
“It was interesting to hear the views of the people ofBrentwood. They fell into four camps as it were.Firstly a number of people were very willing to signwithout coercion. The next group had no idea thatnuclear weapons were still an issue and in fact somedid not know wht Trident meant. The third groupwere quite hostile and in fact said we should investmore money into nuclear weapons for our defence,and the fourth group just couldn’t be bother to evenconsider the issue. I think there is a great need for edu-cation of the British public into all concepts of peaceand it would be a help if this was initiated at school. Iknow there are social studies classes; surely peacecould be incorporated (and may be reinforced) if it ismentioned. Very little coverage is given by the press.”
Essex CCND will be holding their annual service forHiroshima at 11.45pm on 5th August in the QuakerMeeting house in Leigh on Sea.
Other groups?Some CCND members have responded to suggestionsthat they may like to start up local groups. If you areinterested in contacting members in your area (theywill only be those who have agreed to have theirdetails passed on to other members) please contact theoffice and we will do our best to put you in touch. Ifyou don’t want your contact details passed on theywon’t be - it’s only if you’ve ticked the box on yourrenewal form!
If you didn’t tick the contact box, you can still get intouch with other members in your area by asking usin the office. A member in the Lytham St Annes areais interested in the possibility of a local group. If youhaven’t heard from him contact the office.
Local groups
The lighter side of disarmament
Whilst having a major tidy-up in the office recently,we unearthed some cartoons and drawings from a filemarked ‘graphics’. Here are some of the best ones!
Page 10 Summer Reading
MMichael and I were on our way to attend thefuneral of one of our members, Pauline
Condon, and called in at Rochester Cathedral. Wewere surprised and delighted to see that the bookrecommended by Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali forLent reading and prominently displayed, was‘God’s Politics’, by American evangelist and socialactivist, Jim Wallis. It is sub-titled ‘Why TheAmerican Right Gets It Wrong And The LeftDoesn’t Get It.’
The book addresses the two big social issues of ourtime, poverty and war, calling for a prophetic politicsinfluenced by Faith. There are fascinating insights intoGeorge Bush’s religious convictions and why they,though sincerely held, go wrong - and the dismissal ofFaith by the Left which also causes problems. Some ofthe topics covered are the Iraq War, terrorism, globalpoverty and a consistent ethic of Life.
I found it inspiring reading that shows how our single-issue campaign links with the great social questions ofour time. It is recommended by our own Chancellorof the Exchequer, Gordon Brown - (but don’t let thatput you off!) who says ‘… powerful reading for any-one interested in social change.’
I don’t know if Pauline found time to read this book,but I have to thank her for pointing me in the rightdirection!
God’s Politics’ by Jim Wallis. A Lion BookISBN-13: 978-0 7459-5224-6ISBN-10: 0-7459-5224-0
My second recommendation is ‘In Pursuit ofAlternatives to War’ by Owen Hardwicke. Owen hasserved as a priest in the Wrexham Diocese since 1954and is the founder of the Wrexham Peace and JusticeCentre.
Many of us became aware of the nuclear weaponsissue in the 1980s, and this book chronicles theupsurge in peace campaigning in local groups inWrexham and the surrounding areas at that time.
We first met Owen when we fell headlong into thePeace movement in 1982. our Chester Peace group fre-quently undertook join projects across the border inWrexham, North Wales so it is a particular pleasurefor us to renew our acquaintance with many oldfriends. I am sure anyone involved in local campaign-ing though, will enjoy and recognise many of theexperiences described.
What makes this book so valuable is the setting oflocal stories in the international context, which bringsthe world situation vividly to life: fascinating quota-tions from world figures, and lots of cartoons.(Michael was very pleased to see one of his included.)
‘In Pursuit of Alternatives to War’ by OwenHardwicke. Bridge BooksISBN 1-84494 -024-1
Patricia Pulham
RRageh Omar is familiar to most people as aTV news reporter. I casually picked up this
book in Oxford public library. It is quite excel-lent, very readable, gives an easy accessibleinsight in what being a Muslim in Britain is like.
I now understand the difference between Shia andSunni. I did get an idea from reading it that inMuslim countries there just isn’t the divide betweenthe secular and religious authority that we have hadfor the last few centuries. The Iraq war is evenworse now I realise just how central Iraq is toMuslim identity. Read it, buy it, give it to yourfriends and even better, ask for it at your locallibrary to make it as widely available as possible tofurther peace and understanding in our land in these
times. Your bit ofInterfaith work.
Only half of me -Being a Muslim inBritain by Rageh Omaar Viking an imprint ofpenguin books £17.99
Caroline Gilbert
August
Remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki and those stillaffected.
September
Give thanks for all artists, actors & musicians whouse their gifts in the cause of justice & peace - prayfor the MANA (Musicians Against Nuclear Arms)concert on 29th.
Michealmas Day ‘Those that are with us are morethan those that are with them.’ (2 Kings, 6, 16)
October
Pray that God will turn the hearts of those inpower away from the use of violence to the ways ofpeace and disarmament.
‘May they always considerthose whom they represent,make decisions with courageand integrity, and resist anytemptation to abuse the trustplaced in them.’ (WeeWorship Book, IonaCommunity)
November
Month of All Saints and All Souls.
Give thanks for all who have given their all overthe centuries to share God’s love, joy and peace.
‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be calledchildren of God.’ (Matthew 5, 9)
Pray for all those who have lost and are losing theirlives in the Wars of the World.
Page 11
How to join CCND Annual membership subscriptions are:
r Waged, individual: £12 (£15 household) r Unwaged individual £6, (£8 household)r Group affiliation: from £10
r I/we wish to be a member of CCNDr Please send a standing order formr I enclose a cheque/PO (payable to CCND) to include the
following: membership: £.................. donation: £................... TOTAL: £..................
Name.......................………...................................................
Address...................................................................................................................Postcode..................
Telephone...................................................................Email:……………………………………………………………..
Please return form to: Christian CND 162 Holloway Rd, London, N7 8DQ
Denomination/church position:
…………………………………………..(Optional)
r To help with local campaigning, I agree that my contactdetails can be passed on to other CCND members.
CCND will never pass members’ details to anyone who is nota CCND member.
Prayer DiaryThroughout each month let us try to support peace actions with prayer. Let all our actions be prayerful actions.
Saturday 5th August: Remember Hiroshima. A can-dlelit service for peace to be held at the Quaker MeetingHouse, Dundonald Drive, Leigh on Sea. 23.45. Hiroshima Remembrance Ceremony. 11am in VictoriaPark, Finchley by the Commemorative Cherry Tree onthe Putting Green. Organised by Finchley & DistrictPeace Campaign. Tel 020 8346 0331.Hiroshima Day Commemoration. Vigil in MalvernPriory churchyard, Church Street. Organised byMalvern Churches Justice & Peace Group. Contact: Joe,01684 576039.
Sunday 6th August: Hiroshima Day 2006. Lord Mayorof Coventry’s Committee for Peace and Reconciliation.Chapel of Unity Coventry Cathedral 2pm (note theservice is earlier than usual). Followed by a Peace Picnicon Unity Lawn outside the Chapel. Please bring foodand soft drinks to share All welcome. Contact PennyWalker on 024 7666 3031.Hiroshima Day Commemoration. Vigil in BirminghamCathedral Churchyard, 13.00 – 14.00. Contact WestMidlands CND, 0121 643 4617 [email protected] Hiroshima Day Commemoration at the Peace Pagoda,Willen, Milton Keynes. 8pm Buddhist and Christianprayers will be offered. At dusk candle lanterns will befloated on Willen Lake in memory of the lives lost atHiroshima and Nagasaki. Commemoration in TavistockSquare, London at 12noon. With Mayor of Camden,Kate Hudson, Tony Benn, and more. 020 7607 2302.
6-28 August: Get Up Stand Up! at the EdinburghFringe Festival with Come Clean – The WMDAwareness Programme. Featuring: stand up comedy,bands, political chat including: Tony Benn & BruceKent, short films. 5.00-7.00pm. The Three Tuns, 7Hanover Street, Edinburgh, Tel: 0131 255 8998, Prices:£2 - £3. WMD Awareness Programme, 63A Gt. RussellStreet, London,WC1B 3BJ. 020 7405 6661 [email protected]
Monday 7 August: Blockade. For more informationbefore the camp call 0845 45 88 361 e-mail: [email protected] website: www.tridentploughshares.orgPhone number at the camp: 0845 45 88 361
Wednesday 9 August: Nagasaki Day. Anniversary of the execution of Franz JägerstätterPeace walk from Westminster Cathedral (7.30pm) to theLondon Peace Pagoda in Battersea Park, followed by theFloating Lantern Ceremony. Phone 020 7228 9620.
25 - 28 August: Greenbelt Festival at Cheltenham.CCND will be there in the Peace Zone. GreenbeltFestivals All Hallows on the Wall 83 London WallLondon EC2M 5ND. www.greenbelt.org.uk/
7 - 10 September: International Peace Bureau Triennial
Programme. Helsinki. Details: Peace Union of Finland,[email protected] Fax: +358-147297, orColin Archer at IPB, 41 Rue de Zurich, 1201 Geneva,Switzerland. Tel +51-22-731-6429, [email protected]
Thursday 21 September: International Day of Peace;www.peaceoneday.org/ www.un.org/events/peace-day/2005/
Friday 29 September: The MANA Chamber Orchestraat St. James’s Church, 197 Piccadilly, London W1 7.30pm. Tickets: Reserved £12 (£10 concessions) Unreserved£ 9 (£ 7 concessions) Obtainable from MANAAdministration, 71 Greenfield Gardens,London NW21HU. Please enclose a SAE with ticket orders.
29 September - 1 October: Seven Steps on the Way ofPeace, Spiritual Search and Practical Peacemaking. WithGordon Matthews and Chris Clarke. HawkwoodCollege, Stroud. Contact Chris Clarke on tel: 02380552546, email: [email protected], or GordonMatthews on tel: 01386 446552, email:[email protected] For information aboutHawkwood College, Tel: 01453 759034, Fax: 01453764607, Email: [email protected]
Sunday 1 October: Day of Action Against NATO/USBases and Nuclear Weapons in Europe. Demonstrate atUSAF Lakenheath where the US holds over 100 nuclearweapons. For more information: Mell Harrison 01986892 723 or [email protected]
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CCND goodsT-Shirts With CCND logo. £12 each. Cotton bagsWith logo. £3 each.Picasso Greetings Cards. £2.50 for six.Other CCND items available: badges, window stickers,pens and a history of CCND. See your membership insert for details and an orderform. Send orders to:Christian Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament162 Holloway Road, London N7 8DTel: 020 7700 4200 Fax: 020 7700 2357Email: [email protected] Web: http://ccnd.gn.apc.org/
Diary 15 - 18 September: CCND AGM. Douai Abbey. A weekend of discussions, workshopsand prayer, followed, on Monday 18September, by a Vigil and Witness atAWE Aldermaston.
