General Board of Church and Society of the
United Methodist Church

100 Maryland Ave. NE

Washington DC 20002

Dear General Church and Society of the United Methodist Church,

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

I am writing to you as a concerned and distressed Christian. My name is INSERT NAME and I am a member of INSERT NAME. Over the past months, I have spent much time and effort praying, contemplating and working to send messages of peace to the President of the United States. I firmly believe that this war is against the teachings of not only pacifist churches such as the Mennonites but is against the teachings of the United Methodist Church regarding just war and the bishop’s stance on preemptive strikes. I am deeply distressed that two members of the United Methodist Church, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America and Richard Cheney, Vice President of the United States of America, have not been disciplined for their actions.

The actions of these two men reflect on the body of Christ wherever it is found. And their actions have sent a message that war, war without provocation is acceptable to the churches of Christ throughout the world. As such, these two men, who have used biblical imagery throughout their threats of war, and continue to do so, have placed Christians everywhere in a precarious position. – a position in which we all must take a stand, to the right or to the left, with the sheep or with the goats.

I therefore humbly and prayerfully plead with you in the name of our blessed Savior Jesus Christ, who taught us not to return evil for evil, to turn the other cheek and that we are blessed when we are peacemakers to completely distance yourselves from this war and excommunicate George W. Bush and Richard Cheney from your fellowships. They have left the Gospel at this hour.

The Churches in Germany at the time of Hitler did not take a stand against aggressions and war and the result has been a blemish on Church history ever since. Likewise the Catholic Church never excommunicated Hitler, and this too has been cause for reproach from Jews and others who justifiably have seen a complicity in this failure to act at a crucial moment: to act for justice and truth.

I am a Christian, I love my enemies and I love my enemy George Bush and Richard Cheney. Because I love them, I do not wish to give them the false impression that they have the sanction of the Churches of God in any way shape or form. This matter affects all of us in the body of Christ and I ask therefore that you take this matter of the utmost importance.

Grace and peace to you in the name of Jesus,

INSERT NAME