Now we fast

I fasted this weekend. From Friday night to Sunday at 3pm.
I just got home from lobbying in Washington D.C. last Tuesday when 200+ women with W.A.N.D. organization lobbied to our reps. to bring home the troops and NOT to spend another $200Billion on this war.
I stood up in church as a new member to the U.C.C. church in S.D. and told my story of who I am and what I am up to recently, only to have one woman ask for the microphone (and be given it by the pastor) who lambasted me with the question “what is going to happen to all those people if we bring our troops home?” As she railed on and on I did not have a chance to answer even though she looked right at me and after the 3rd time she finally said “Yes, YOU! I am asking YOU. What is going to happen to them?”
But she railed on and I didn’t have a chance to respond. Many members began to leave. I only decided recently to become a member of the U.C.C. church because I have been serving as a pulpit supply pastor for the past 7 years in UCC churches in the Dakota’s after giving up my credentials in the United Methodist Church in 2000.
This is the first time I have allowed myself to enter into a convenant again with a group……and when it is met with such friendliness…….and in such Christian spirit of love and peace, (sarcasm) I do wonder why I would want to be a part of such.
My fast gave me much reflection. I realized that I am indeed apart of the “fat cats”……….all of our advertising focuses on food. We have food commericals, food channels, food shows, food, food, food. And mean while 2/3’s of the world is starving and we are killing innocent civilians in other countries where we don’t belong.
I can only pray for forgiveness as to my part in all this.
Jil J.

Fasting in Boulder report: there was a lovely peace service at the Open Circle UU congregation, followed by a candlelight vigil of 3 UU congregations, United Church of Christ, Quakers, Jews, Buddhists, and unaffiliateds. This evening, Fasters are invited to the local Islamic Center for a Break Fast. I’m excited as I have never been (except as a tourist). Peace, Asaalam, Shalom. Kathy

I’m not aware of any interfaith gatherings in the Portland, Oregon area, but am fasting today, on my own. It seems this event is about getting people together in an interfaith way, and I’m missing out on that aspect. As I write that, it occurs to me that I could go to my parents’ house and break fast with them (they are Muslims). Hmm. In any case, I wrote a post about the Interfaith Fast at my blog, and how it’s inspired me to be more mindful about the way I eat, and what others don’t have - on a daily basis. Have decided to fasting the 8th of every month for a while.

Four Interfaith Fasters, three of whom represented the three local UU congregations, broke our fast with the Islamic Center of Boulder. We were hosted most graciously, and engaged in a conversation that ranged from early Mideast history, to the origins of Unitarianism, to local zoning laws for congregations.

The Peace Circle, an interfaith group in and around Lansing, Michigan, fasted during daylight hours on Monday and broke the fast together after sunset at Haslett Community Church, with powerful prayers for peace and for forgiveness from local Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Baha’i, and Buddhist religious leaders.

At least forty people were nourished by shared food and were moved deeply by shared music. We are grateful to the Shalom Center for calling this fast for peace in Iraq - and to all who worked to make the event a powerful reality.

Margaret

Beth Blodgett and I are two US citizens who moved to Honduras 20 months ago to found a Methodist Monastery for women. We fast from one meal a week as a regular spiritual practice. This is the update I wrote about participating in the Interfaith Fast for Peace:

This past Monday, October 8, Beth and I joined other Americans in an Interfaith Fast for peace and an end to the war in Iraq. The fast was from dawn to dusk, and we decided to take the whole day as a special observance, creating special liturgy for our three regular prayer times.

We ate breakfast as soon as we got up at the first gray light of dawn. We ate our usual Monday breakfast of flour tortillas and beans, though this time we had fried some of the tortillas to get sufficient calories. We ate in silence, since we normally keep silence between evening and morning prayers. Our morning prayers, held as the sun rose, included scriptures, songs, and prayers, calling us to fast and to repentance - recognizing our personal contributions to the perpetuation of violence and war. Like every Monday, we went to Limón - walking an hour each way - to volunteer at the Centro de Salud (Public Health Clinic), get our mail, and buy groceries. It was a brief day at the clinic, so we left town before noon (recently, it’s been more like 2pm when we left). Instead of eating lunch, about halfway home along the road to La Fortuna we sat in the shade of a tree and had Quaker-style unprogrammed (silent) worship.

Our mid-afternoon prayer time included confessional prayer and intercessory prayer for all those affected by war, followed by half an hour of silent meditation. During the afternoon we did tasks like splitting firewood and worship planning and hymn-picking for the week (I regularly plan morning prayers and lead music, while Beth plans afternoon and evening prayers). We made our dinner: the Honduran specialty of baleadas - refried beans and crumbled cheese folded in a fat flour tortilla - and then read an excerpt on peace and justice as the sky turned pink and orange and we waited for dusk to come.

Evening prayers included some scriptures and hymns on God’s promise of peace, a future with out war, and our call to join in making that a reality. It was a blessed day.

I greet you all in the name of Jesus Christ.
it’s really good to know that our prayers to God are caught up and stregthened together in the spirit realm. The Lord has laid upon my heart the nation of Iraq and I’ve been praying for the christian workers there and the people of Iraq. Yes the peace of God is the only way to resolve differences.

I really believe in the power of God’s LOVE and Christ’s principle of repentance, his principle of resurrection. the victory has already been won on the cross! the principle of the CROSS represents death to unneccessary bagage sin and the rest of it hence renewal new opportunities new doors new people and prosperity and peace! The Christ model works all the time!! it trancends all and through things; anything and everything. As a warfare ‘missile’ weapon: powerful It destroys that which is sin, wicked and bad and leaves behind a debris of peace, joy,community spirit, boldness and healing in its aftermath!!! We christians need to arise declare Christ love,

satan has twisted,distorted and weakened God’s concept of Love and call it ‘love is blind’ NO God’s love gives Clarity. God’s love does not put one in a position of weakness or vulnerability it gives power, authority and discipline and service for others. God’s Love is the most powerful weapon underutilised in the spirit and physical realm.
Say shut up to Satan everytime he tries to define love to you because he is incapable of love, it is not his nature! All he’s capable of is deception, lies, conflict, pain, misery, confusion, death, weakness, greed the very thingss from which God tells us to repent so we can have power and over power the evil one. Jesus said himself ‘…I saw him thrown out of heaven.. ‘ (my parprahrase)LK10:18 why do we bother with this loser/reject anyway!

LOVE originates in God: God is Love: the very nature of GOD. He gives peace and freedom first to the person then it transcends on to the social and politicalnd realm. More importanly, LOVE is God’s Gift to all people on earth through Jesus Christ not satan the reject. Arise and know you are in God’s love and speak up and speak out!!!

Make it happen! Arise with boldness wherever you go and speak with authority! Declare NO MORE!!
All Glory to God

Please, let me introduce myself I am Fijian woman living in Fiji, we have a lot of Fijian men engaging in various ‘peace keeping’ capacities in Iraq.

I fasted last Tuesday to Thursday, from morning untill 3pm. thankyou for your diligence and love for peace in our world in particular Iraq. I agree Prayer warfare is God’s Gift to us It is indeed powerful and effective!

Bless you all.
Mere.