New Peace Banner going up this weekend!
- Epworth Berkeley
- Oct 9
- 2 min read
Submitted by Melani Gantes, in collaboration with Doug Smith and Merrie Bunt
Martin Luther King Jr. wrote in his 1963 letter from the Birmingham Jail: “We will have to repent in this generation not merely for the hateful words and actions of the bad people but for the appalling silence of the good people.” I feel this point is so pertinent today, and I’m glad to be part of such a vibrant, action-oriented church that wants to speak out.
This week marks two years since the October 7 attacks in Israel and the unfathomable loss that has followed. In response, the Epworth Palestine Task Force received approval from the Epworth Church Council in September to raise a banner that reads “Love Demands [a] Permanent Ceasefire Now”.
The Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity, American Friends Service Committee, and 20+ faith communities from across the Bay Area have raised similar banners, stating: “As people of all faiths, we pray and work for a world where all life is treated as the sacred gift that we know it is. That is why our hearts have been breaking over the horrific violence perpetrated in Israel and Gaza…”“We believe that an immediate and permanent ceasefire is the only way to stop the killing of civilians, to gain the release of the hostages and political prisoners, to allow humanitarian aid and services to be restored to Gaza, and to give Israelis and Palestinians the opportunity to engage in a new diplomatic process towards peace and safety that continued violence cannot achieve.”
This action is grounded in our UMC Social Principles, specifically those related to “Church and Governments” and “Racism, Ethnocentrism and Tribalism”. It’s also aligned with the United Methodist Bishops’ call for cease-fire in Gaza in March 2024 and the UMC General Board of Church and Society's position statement In May 2025.
I’m grateful and proud to announce that we will be raising the banner this weekend!
The Epworth Palestine Task Force is one of many action groups at Epworth that are fighting for human rights and working to educate people on various social justice issues. If you would like to participate in the Epworth Palestine Task Force or be included in news or trainings, you are invited to reach out to Melani Gantes at mgantes@sonic.net.
