On April 13, upon a parched piece of land,
members of Madison [Wis.] Christian Community grieved the loss of human
life resulting from the war in Iraq.
Madison
(an ecumenical partnership of Community of Hope, United Church of
Christ, and Advent Lutheran Church, ELCA) held an observance of
mourning and hope on the prairie land adjacent to its building. The
prairie had been burned earlier in the week.
The observance was
open to all people who desired to publicly affirm that God values human
life and grieves the deaths of all U.S. and allied soldiers, citizens
of Iraq killed by friendly or enemy fire, or the victims of what is
called “collateral damage.”
Parishioners made nearly 800 small
crosses that were placed in the prairie soil in remembrance of the
deceased. Stones were set among the crosses to honor the many Muslims
who died, as stones are used in Iraq to mark the graves of the deceased.
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