Clergy Discuss War Issues
Clergy discuss war issues About 80 clergy and laity attended the Wesley Institute gathering, "What's a Person to Do? Issues of War and Peace," held April 24 at First Morristown United Methodist Church. The event included Bishop Peter Storey as preacher as well as smallgroup dialogues and presentations by people of different perspectives.
"Everyone who was there was challenged in some way to see a different side," said the Rev. Kim Goddard, Wesley Institute director.
In addition to Storey, who helped give leadership to the church's antiapartheid struggle, participants heard from Chaplain Michael Charles, a Holston minister now serving the U.S. Army in Fort Bragg, N.C.
Charles showed a video of his wife, Capt. Melody Charles, explaining to her children why she was away, serving in Afghanistan. According to Goddard, another poignant image was shown by Storey: a photo of a severely burned Iraqi boy who lost his parents and arms during coalition bombing. "So we had two images showing us the hurt from both sides," Goddard said.
The gathering concluded with worship and communion led by Bishop Ray Chamberlain. "We can not quite grasp how six hours on a cross could save the world from sin because we would have done it a different way," Storey said in a messaged entitled, "Thinking the Foolish Thoughts of God."
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