Church Joins Vigil For US/USSR Summit
Episcopal News Service. October 24, 1985 [85213]
NEW YORK, (DPS, Oct. 24) -- The Episcopal Church's Public Policy Network is mobilizing Church members to join a nationwide movement of prayer and vigil for the success of the mid-November summit meeting between President Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.
The Church's participation springs from a resolution of the General Convention assuring Reagan of the Church's prayers "for his forthcoming meeting with the leader of the Soviet Union... with the intent that a relationship for world peace may be established." The meeting, scheduled for Nov. 19-21 in Geneva, will be the first Reagan has held with a Soviet leader since coming to office in 1981.
In further support of the meeting, Presiding Bishop John M. Allin joined a host of other religious leaders in a Call for Prayer and Advocacy that launched the Oct. 19-25 Peace with Justice observances. The letter from the religious leaders urges the two world leaders to "take bold and courageous initiatives to reduce the nuclear weapons stockpiles which so threaten the gift of life which God has bestowed upon us."
In a Oct. 23 letter, the Rev. Charles A. Cesaretti, public issues officer and Nancy Deppen, network coordinator, asked that Episcopal congregations include a collect for the summit in their Nov. 17 worship and urged Episcopalians to join in the numerous vigils scheduled throughout the nation on Nov. 19 -- the eve of the summit -- in support of the freeze on nuclear weapons that most Churches -- including the Episcopal Church -- have backed.
Organizers of the events called the "Summit Sunday" a time to "focus on the important meaning the talks hold for all humanity... for a future for all God's children." The subsequent vigils are being viewed as opportunities to "pray and to demonstrate peacefully our hopes for real results from the Summit, such as a comprehensive test ban treaty or other steps toward a bilateral, verifiable nuclear weapons freeze."
The 2000 recipients of the network memo will be expected to approach the bishops, diocesan peace committees, regional leaders and heads of congregations in their area to enlist their support toward a strong Episcopal Church presence in the effort.