Due to the 3rd Monday being Presidents' Day, our February Living Graveyard will be on the 26th,

NOW IS OUR YEAR-END / NEW YEAR APPEAL

 

Mark Coplan, an elder at St. John's Presbyterian Church, who serves on the Board of Directors for the Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action (BOCA) and for EPI, will represent all three organizations on an Emergency Faith Delegation to Honduras from January 24 to January 30, 2108, planned by the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity.

Fundraising Potluck Dinner
6:00 p.m., Monday, January 22, 2018
St. John Presbyterian Church
2727 College Avenue, Berkeley
(510) 845-6830 for more information

Mark writes: I am seeking organizational and individual funding sources that will help sponsor my participation. Your donation will help me to reach a target of $1,200, the amount needed to cover my travel and expenses. Donations may also be in the form of Air Miles to cover travel (approximately 25,000 miles needed). In the event that donations exceed this amount, additional funds/miles will be used to purchase supplies to leave with our host organizations and to assist other delegate’s travel expenses on this trip.

Checks should be made out to “St John's Presbyterian Church,”, 2727 College Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94705, with “Mission & Justice – Honduras Trip” in the memo section. Or donate on line by clicking here:

Donate for Mark’s trip to Honduras

You may contact me directly with any questions or to pick up donations: markcoplanpio@gmail.com, or call (510) 472-3811

I will be responsible for documenting the work of the Faith Delegation, giving workshops in video field production/witness interviews to Hondurans and assisting in the production of a documentary and outreach once we return. These are some of delegation’s primary objectives, and the organizers are excited about my availability to take on this responsibility. I own all of the equipment I would need, and can work with others to ensure that we capture our experiences and witness. As a professional videographer and photographer, I will produce a documentary and provide media packages that can be distributed nationwide to our communities, and for press coverage all over the world.  With over 30 years of community involvement and media experience: from Nicaragua, where I produced 31 documentaries (1988-90); to the Berkeley public schools, wherein I produced hundreds of videos and hundreds of thousands of photographs (1995-2016); and into my retirement, continuing as a volunteer photographing and recording our communities’ important activities. Our travel destination is San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Background:

Honduras is in an extreme crisis following a flawed presidential election on November 26th. Social movements have been pouring into the streets for weeks protesting electoral fraud, repressed by Honduran security forces. Over 30 people have been killed and hundreds wounded and detained. The government imposed martial law, and days before Christmas, prematurely called the election in favor of the current president. The US government quickly recognized that call, despite OAS and others warning that the election did not meet standards.

Delegation Objectives:

– To accompany the Honduran human rights defenders and social movements as they mobilize and demand respect for the true results of the November presidential elections; and to lend support to the faith communities accompanying those most vulnerable;

– To collect testimonies and witness the repression against those involved in the peaceful demonstrations; and

– To return to the U.S. to share the findings, carry forth the "cry of the people" of Honduras for justice, and advocate for a just resolution to the crisis.

The dates of the delegation are from January 24th to the 30th. We will be traveling to San Pedro Sula, Honduras.

Items Requested to be left with Honduran Organizations:

– Working Laptops: Any age, as long as working with basic software and internet capacity

– I Phones: Used for recording video and photos by/from witnesses to live-stream or upload to the net

– Digital Cameras/Video Cameras: Used for recording video and photos by/from witnesses (should include memory cards and charging accessories)

Examples of work from Israel/Palestine Delegation:

Mark's Israel–Palestine Photo Sampler

All of the trip albums

Video: Tent of Nations Farm Palestine


More information:

The Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity

St. John’s Presbyterian Church

Berkeley Organizing Congregations for Action


Sincerely, Mark Coplan, PIO, Retired

READ LESS
Please give generously so that EPI may continue to serve

your community—and our world!
Just click on the photo below:

(Appeal letter)


Our Fall Dinner was fabulous. Sorry for those unable to attend.
See you all in the spring at Livermore.
Meanwhile, here are some photos taken by our own Mark Coplan
(audio recordings by Tony Scarr to follow shortly):

[Photo Gallery—grazie, Mark Coplan!]



With no Living Graveyard in January, the first L.G. of 2018 will be Monday, February 26.

      

 

                                

  

[If you wish, you may send us your donation the old-fashioned way, and send us a check. Quelle Idée!
EPI/CALC, P. O. Box 9334, Berkeley, California. 94709

  

 
 

By clicking on the Latop to your right, you may donate to a new computer for
EPI, for use by our webscribe, Daniel

“We who believe in freedom shall not rest. We who believe in justice shall not rest until it’s won”:

Links to connect with other prophetic voices: 350.org  ^  Christian Peacemaker Teams  ^  East Bay Sanctuary Covenant  ^  Friends of Sabeel  ^  Haiti Action Committee  ^  Haiti Relief  ^  Jewish Voices for Peace  ^  Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center  ^   Tikkun  ^  Tri-Valley CAREs

Prophetic Voices Past:  Abe Zwickel  ^  Jean Zwickel  ^  Father Bill  ^  Joan McIntyre   ^  Pastor Lee Williason  ^  Esther Ho  ^  Diane Thomas

Come join our Working Group and help EPI become even more vital and exciting!

Mission Statement: Ecumenical Peace Institute / Clergy And Laity Concerned (EPI/CALC) is a prophetic voice and witness, embracing all faith and earth-based traditions bringing to life universal values as we seek truth, work for justice, nurture compassion and courage, reach out to each other and to our larger communities of faith and tradition, bridge the divisions that wound the human family, transform ourselves and our world through dedication to nonviolence in education, advocacy, witness and action.

  

Estado de la misión: El Instituto Ecuménico por la Paz / Clérigos y laicos involucrados (EPI / CALC) es una voz profética y testigo, abarcando todas las tradiciones religiosas y terrestres que le dan vida a los valores universales a la vez que buscamos la verdad, trabajamos por la justicia, fomentamos la compasión y la valentía, nos conectamos los unos con los otros y con nuestras comunidades mayores religiosas y de la tradición, construimos puentes entre las divisiones que hieren a la familia humana, nos transformamos a nosotros mismos y a nuestro mundo a través de la dedicación a la no violencia en la educación, en la defensa, en el testimonio y en la acción.
Source: The above text was adapted from the Mission Statement of the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Church in Walnut Creek. The author(s) will be credited when their name(s) is/are learned. ¡Gracias! a Silvia Brandon-Pérez for the translation to Spanish.


Here are videos by our Vid Pro, Mark Coplan:

Good Friday Interfiath Service 2017
 Action at the Gate

 

You may order our book of poetry, On the Edge of Peace here:

Living Graveyard is normally held on 3rd Mondays, 12:00 noon to 1:00. Exceptions will be posted at the top of this page.

Please join us and let our congress and president-elect know that we are still working for peace. You can read the history of the vigil and the Living Graveyard in the most recent issue of EPI's newsletter, “Planted by the Waters,” which can be found on this website. And remember, rain cancels. We gather in front of the Oakland Federal Building, 1301 Clay Street, two blocks from 12th Street BART. Rain cancels! Details

You can still watch and listen to videos and audio tracks from our Fall Dinner with Norman Soloman.

View photos  ^  Listen to Audio
Michael Rufio Video  ^  Norman Soloman Video

For those of you wishing to re-visit our 2016 Good Friday Interfaith Service:

Flier in English  ^ en español  ^ Order of Worship ^ en español  ^ Photos  by Christina Tworek. (These files are large, so downloading may be slow.) ^ Homily by Rev. Deborah Lee: “Empire and the Cross: Sowing the Seeds of Hope”: PDF ^ mp3 ^ mp3s of the entire service


Home page postings are archived: 2015–2016 ^ 2012–2014 ^ 2010

[If you wish, you may send us your donation the old-fashioned way, and send us a check. Quelle Idée!

EPI/CALC
P. O. Box 9334
Berkeley, CA 94709

 

We remain in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Haiti. Here are two websites: HaitiSolidarity.net is the official site of Haiti Action Committee working to build a strong Haiti solidarity movement, and the best way to help directly is through the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund.

~ See Calendar for details and announcements of other events and actions....

Living Graveyard and Reading of the Names,
Third Mondays, 12:00 noon to 1:00 p.m.

Oakland Federal Building
1301 Clay Street
two blocks from 12th Street BART

Covered with sheets to represent the dead of the war of occupation on Iraq, people lie down on the city sidewalk in front of the Federal Building, This is legal, non-violent witness. People stop, look and think.

Participants lie at least three feet apart and do not block entry to the building.The names of some of the Californians who have died in Iraq and the names of some of the Iraqi dead will be read. People will hand out flyers, as we do each week at the Monday noon vigil.

Please bring a white sheet to cover yourself with. A pad to lie on is recommended.

Contact 510-527-8370.
sponsors include: Ecumenical Peace Institute,
Berkeley Women in Black, Women for Peace,
East Bay Coalition to Support Self-Rule for Iraqis,
Mustardseed Affinity Group.
Wheelchair accessible.


Background re the EPI-sponsored Vigil:

The only legal justification for one country to attack another is to prevent an attack so immediate that the United Nations Security Council cannot be called upon to act.

Some Historical Background:

Post WWI Iraq was ruled by a British-selected monarchy until 1958. In 1968, the Ba’ath party came to power with CIA assistance. Saddam Hussein was supported by both the U.S. and Britain until 1990, throughout the Iran-Iraq war.
In 1990 Iraq invaded Kuwait. Possibilities to negotiate a withdrawal were impeded by two false stories put out by the U.S.

  • Allegations that Iraq was poised to invade Saudi Arabia
  • The Incubator Fraud: "Nayirah" claimed that Iraqi soldiers had taken Kuwaiti babies from incubators and thrown them on the floor to die. Later it was discovered that "Nayirah" was the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to the U.S.

As the U.S. moved into Iraq in 1991, Shi’ites and Kurds were encouraged to rise against the Hussein government. When they did, the U.S. military stood aside and allowed the revolt to be suppressed by the Iraqi government. United Nations sanctions, imposed in 1990 to bring about Iraq’s withdrawal from Kuwait, were continued to bring about Iraq's disarmament with respect to weapons of mass destruction. On May 20, 1991, Secretary of State James Baker stated, "We are not interested in seeing a relaxation of sanctions as long as Saddam Hussein is in power." This remained the position of the U.S. through two subsequent administrations.
In January 1991, the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency reported on the widespread epidemic conditions caused by destruction of the water system under the sanctions in place since August of 1990. This analysis proved all too correct in the ensuing years as 5000 children died each month from water borne diseases. (UN figures)

In December 1998 the UN inspectors were withdrawn by Richard Butler in anticipation of the U.S. bombing of Iraq. They were not "thrown out". Hussein did not allow the UNSCOM inspectors to return without a plan to complete inspections and end sanctions. The International Atomic Energy Agency was allowed to continue inspections regarding nuclear weapons.

The road to Gulf War II

  • After the attack on the World Trade Center, September 11, 2001, the Bush administration attempted to find a connection between the Islamic fundamentalists and the secular Ba'athist regime of Saddam Hussein. None was ever found.
  • None of the allegations of current Iraqi possession of weapons of mass destruction has been accompanied with supporting data that holds up under examination. Aluminum tubes, African uranium experts and eyewitnesses have debunked all the stories. UNSCOM inspectors found nothing to indicate a current weapons program. Independent observations of alleged sites have turned up nothing.

End the Occupation ­­ Stop the War

Stop Killing Iraqi People
Bring Our Soldiers Home Alive

All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state ...

United Nations Charter
Article 2, Paragraph 4

Weekly Vigils

Wednesdays, noon in front of Boalt Hall on Bancroft Ave. on UC Berkeley campus. Teach-in against Torture.

Wednesdays, 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Castro Valley Peace & Justice Vigils, Castro Valley Blvd. & Redwood Rd.

Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30 p.m., El Cerrito vigil for peace, 1st, 3rd, 5th Weds, Del Norte BART, 2nd & 4th Weds in front of Target sign on San Pablo Ave.

Thursdays, noon - one, San Francisco Federal Building, 450 Golden Gate, peace in Iraq, San Francisco Friends

Thursdays, 4:30 - 5:30, Five Flags Park, Foothill, Jackson & Mission, Hayward, justice for Palestinians. South Alameda County Peace and Justice (SAPJC) & Tri-City Peace and Justice (TCP)

Fridays, noon - one, Berkeley, Telegraph & Bancroft, Berkeley Women in Black

Fridays at 3pm -5pm, at Camino Alto and E. Blithdale, Mill Valley.

Fridays, from 3:30 to 4:30, corner of Tiburon Blvd. and San Rafael Avenue, Tiburon. Rain cancels.

Fridays - 4 to 5 pm, Corner of Miller Avenue and Camino Alto in Mill Valley.

Fridays, 5:30 - 7 p.m., corner of Mowry & Fremont, Fremont.

Sundays, 3:00 p.m., walk around Lake Merritt for peace. Meet at the columns at the east end of the Lake, between Grand & Lakeshore Avenues. sponsored by Lake Merritt Neighbors Organized for Peace, LMNOP


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Ongoing Actions

Iraq Moratorium organizes a public witness for peace on the Third Friday of each month. To find one near you, visit http://www.iraqmoratorium.com/
In Berkeley, people gather at the northwest corner of Acton & University from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m .

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Many of the faithful have passed to another plane of existence. Here are several memorial Websites for our brothers and sisters:

¡Presente! all.

To contact us:

Ecumenical Peace Institute/CALC
P. O. Box 9334 • Berkeley, CA 94709
E-mail: epicalc@gmail.com; epicalc@lmi.net •
(510) 990-0374 or 510 99 00 EPI.

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