On Thursday, December 7th, the Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus celebrated a Eucharist in remembrance of all the dead in Iraq. The service that was held in front of San Francisco’s Phillip Burton Federal Building was the beginning of what Andrus promises to be a continuous effort to walk with others the path of peace.

The event began as Episcopalians from more than 40 congregations in the Diocese of California, joined Episcopalians from other dioceses, other Christians, Jews, Muslims, and other people of faith on the outdoor labyrinth at Grace Cathedral. After a greeting and prayer from the Very Reverend Alan Jones, Dean of Grace Cathedral (text below), the procession left the Cathedral and began the thirty-minute walk to the Federal Building. Jones, who did not join the procession to the Federal Building, said that he and Andrus were of the same heart about the war in Iraq, but not of the same mind about how to respond.

As they walked they sang songs and chatted with the people they encountered along the way. By the time the procession reached the Federal Building, more than 250 were in their numbers. Markley Morris of the San Francisco Friends Meeting (who is one of the organizers of a weekly vigil at the Federal Building) greeted the procession and invited them to join in a separate event.

Some members of the weekly vigil had begun to hold a Die-in in front of the doors of the Federal Building on the first Thursday of each month. On this day, the organizers waited until the Eucharist was over to begin the Die-in. Morris told those gathered that they were welcome to join the Die-in and gave them information about non-violent civil disobedience.

The Rev. Este Cantor, Associate at Church of Our Saviour, Mill Valley, first recommended the idea of the memorial service to Andrus. After attending the weekly vigil at the Federal Building, Andrus invited Cantor to serve as his chaplain in the memorial service, and asked her to oversee the planning of the liturgy.

In the liturgy of the word, the Hebrew Scripture was read by Cantor’s husband, Matt Cantor, who is Jewish, and the many names of Allah were read by Iftekhar Hai of the United Muslims of America Interfaith Alliance. Music for the march and the liturgy were led by actress and jazz singer Marcia Thomas-Cooke. Throughout the service, the names of U.S. and coalition soldiers and Iraqi citizens who have died in Iraq were read aloud.

The Eucharistic vessels were army issue canteens and mess kits, and the table was directly beneath the American flag that was flying at half-mast in remembrance of U.S. deaths at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Also present were family members of soldiers currently serving in Iraq, active members of the military, veterans from the current and past conflicts in Iraq, and Vietnam vets.

Following the Eucharist, Andrus, Morris, and others moved in front of the doors of the Federal Building where they proceeded to lie on the ground -- some covered with sheets -- and creating an unlawful assembly. At no time was access really blocked to workers inside the building as they moved to side doors for entry and exit. After several minutes, Homeland Security officers announced that the assembly was unlawful and ordered the Die-in participants to disperse -- all while participants in the Eucharist chanted "Stay with me, remain here with me, watch and pray, watch and pray."

After making the order to disperse three times, officers moved in and began arresting those who were directly in front of the doors. Twelve were arrested, including Andrus, and several Episcopal priests and deacons.

After being detained for a little over two hours, the twelve were cited and released. The amount of the citation was $125 each.

You can read blogs of other participants experiences below, and see the coverage from today's San Francisco Chronicle and from the Episcopal News Service.

Future Walking With Others the Path of Peace events will be posted at EpiscopalBayArea.org and BishopMarc.com.

Bloggers reports on the Eucharist in Remembrance of All the Dead in Iraq:

happening here?
Civic Center
meditatio
flickr photos from the event 
Episcopal Peace Fellowship 

Following is the text of a prayer delivered by the Very Reverend Alan Jones, Dean of Grace Cathedral, before the procession departed.

Let us pray. 

Lord of hope and compassion, Friend of Abraham and Sarah, who called our father and mother in faith to journey to a new future, we remember before you the country of Iraq from which they were summoned -- ancient land of the Middle East, realm of the two rivers, birthplace of great cities and of civilization.

May we who name ourselves children of Abraham and Sarah, call to mind all the peoples of the Middle East who honor them as father and mother: those who guard and celebrate the Torah, those for whom the Word has walked on earth and lived among us, those who follow their prophet, who listened for the word in the desert and shaped a community in the light of what he heard. Lord of reconciliation, God of the painful sacrifice uniting humankind, we long for the day when you will provide for all nations of the earth your blessing of peace.

But now when strife and war are at hand, help us to see in each other a family likeness, our inheritance from our one father Abraham, our one mother Sarah. Keep hatred from the threshold of our hearts, and preserve within us a generous spirit which recognizes in both foe and friend a common humanity. This we ask in the name of the one who came to offer us the costly gift of abundant life.

Amen