Dear Friends,

I'm just back from Florida (yes, I took a couple of R&R days), and I wanted to give you a very brief update, with more to come later, including postings from the presentations on the web site.

Approximately fifty of us gathered – from across the country, college-age to retired folks, from small towns and cities, clergy and lay, pacifists and those serving in the Armed Forces; mostly Presbyterian, but some of other denominations and faiths. We heard informative and inspiring speakers who helped us frame our agenda. We reflected on legal, ethical and theological issues; we got the facts on the psychological damage that torture causes in abusers and abused; we heard how torture endangers troops, as well as us as a country. It was not easy listening, but to hear hard words among those committed to respond is a great blessing. We prayed, sang, had communion on the beach where our sermon – words of challenge and hope – was comprised of the quotes from those who have been tortured and those who have spoken out against it. We cried, laughed, ate lasagna and slept on the church floor – and we STRATEGIZED to end torture.

We are forming community, both in Miami and on-line; this is necessary for a sustainable and successful movement, and it is church. We felt all of you "virtual participants" with us as a cloud of witnesses.

What will come of all of this? I will post more and invite others to do so. We will be reaching out to many different constituencies in different ways, but with a consistant, clear message. Three main groups organized: one reaching out to college students and young adults, one group working with those in the military and their families, one group focusing on congregations and presbyteries.

We also decided to try to hold similar gatherings in at least two other places in the next six months or so, perhaps the Midwest and California. Please let me know your thoughts on this.

In the immediate future I will be traveling to the "Theology, International Law and Torture" conference organized by George Hunsinger at Princeton. This is why this note is short! Until next week, this will need to do.

Again, I hope that others who participated will share their reflections with the group, and, always, I hope you will keep posting articles that you find and most especially share how you and others are organizing around this issue in your area. We need to set many fires to let people know that the light still shines in the darkness.

In Christ,
Carol