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BY MELISSA LAUBER

The United States spends $720 million a day on the war in Iraq, enough to fund the entire budget of The United Methodist church for four years and still have a surplus of $80 million.

This spending figure comes from a Nobel-award winning economist. But it is not the money that has United Methodists concerned.

“There are incalculable human costs at stake,” said Bishop John R. Schol And these costs, said the Rev. Darryl Fairchild, “are robbing us of our souls.”

Bishop Schol spoke at a rally outside of the convention center where the General Conference of The United Methodist Church is meeting in Fort Worth, Texas.

He was joined by Bishops Charlene Kammerer, Warner Brown, Nkulu Ntambo and General Secretary Jim Winkler of the Board of Church and Society. They gathered by a plot of grass filled with combat boots of soldiers from Texas who died in wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The worn boots were tagged with the names of the dead soldiers who had worn them. “Now that’s reality,” said one passer-by. “That’s the reality of war.”

Before the time of witness and prayer began, Bishop Schol knelt to consider the boots of Sgt. Joe Jesus Garza, 43. In doing so, he actually found himself praying over the boots of a man named Jesus.
The boots are part of the Eyes Wide Open exhibit.

Speaking to the more than 50 people at the gathering, which was coordinated by Fairchild, a member the American Friends Service Committee and the Methodist Federation for Social Action, Bishop Schol picked up the boots of another solider, Sgt. Reyes Ramirez, 23.

“Today we stand on hollowed ground,” he said. “These are sacred boots, which elevates this parcel of land to holy space. They represent in a real way, the men, women and children who have died in the killing fields of Iraq. … The people who wore these shoes were real. They were sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers.”

The bishops of The United Methodist Church “speak with one voice on this unjust war,” Bishop Schol said, and they call on U.S. leaders “to begin immediately a safe and full withdrawal of all military personnel form Iraq, with no additional troops deployed.”

The bishop also called on United Methodists across the globe to pray and work as peacemakers. (See the complete text of his statement below.)

The delegates at General Conference adopted a new statement on the war, which will serve as the denomination’s stance in the Book of Resolutions.

Winkler read the statement to those gathered. It recognizes United Methodists as followers of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace; calls for an end to the violence through the implementation of a immediate and safe withdrawal of all U.S. troops from Iraq; and promotes the rebuilding of Iraq in a way that brings hope to the people of that nation.

“We urge United Methodists throughout the world to pray for an immediate end to the war in Iraq,” Winkler said, and to “speak out for public policies that promote peace, justice and reconciliation.”

Statement on Iraq War
General Conference, April 29, 2008
Bishop John R. Schol
Washington, DC Area

Today we stand on hollowed ground. These are sacred boots which elevates this parcel of land to holy space. They represent in a real way, the men, women and children who have died in the killing fields of Iraq. These boots and shoes represent sons and daughters, mothers and fathers. The people who wore these shoes were real. They were sons, daughters, mothers, and fathers.

We, the Council of Bishops of the United Methodist Church call United Methodists to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. We call disciples to follow in the way of Jesus found in the beatitudes to be peace makers. (Matt. 5:9). We believe war is incompatible with Christian teaching and that the war in Iraq is an unjust war.

This war has cost us much.

• It has cost us lives. Today I stand with the boots of…
• It has cost us relationships with nation partners who have lost trust in our motives and actions.
• It has cost us dollars that has robbed the poor of housing, education and jobs.
• And now, as we fail to act to end the war, it is costing us our soul.

Every day the war continues more soldiers and innocent civilians are killed with no end in sight to the violence, bloodshed and carnage. The bishops of The United Methodist Church speak clearly – and with one voice – on this unjust war. We continue to call on the President and Congress of the United States and the leaders of all the nations in the Coalition Forces:

• To begin immediately a safe and full withdrawal of all military personnel from Iraq, with no additional troops deployed;
• To declare that there will be no permanent military bases in Iraq;
• To increase support for veterans of the Iraq war and all wars;
• To initiate and give strong support to a plan for the reconstruction of Iraq, with high priority given to the humanitarian and social needs of the Iraqi people, such as healthcare, education and housing;

THE COUNCIL OF BISHOPS calls United Methodist people throughout the world:

• To pray for peace and to have regular prayer vigils for congregations and communities;
• To care for all impacted by the war, including combatants and noncombatants by honoring the dead, healing the wounded and calling for the end of the war;
• To be peacemakers by word and deed that we may be called the children of God.

As we stand on this hallowed ground, these shoes are a vivid reminder to walk with Jesus and to be peacemakers so that we may, indeed, be called the children of God.