CPC Church Leaders Call for Ceasefire, De-Escalation, and Restraint

This past week, the CPC UCC Board agreed to send the following letter on conference letterhead to federal Congressional members from Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and to the White House. They also agreed to submit it to The Oregonian, The Columbian, and The Idaho Statesman as a letter to the editor. This is an open letter, and members and churches of the CPC UCC are invited to share it widely (without editing).

As the Board says in their letter, “We choose not to remain silent.”

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As a people of faith committed to peace with justice for all, who deeply mourn the historical and current violence and injustice in Israel and Palestine, we call upon the United States government to: 

1. Publicly call for ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint by all parties;


2. Expand readiness and capacity for a desperate humanitarian response;


3. Call on all parties to abide by the laws of war, including the Geneva conventions, customary international law, and international human rights law;


4. Prioritize steps to secure international protection for civilians and the immediate release of hostages and prisoners unjustly held; and

5. Suspend military aid to Israel until a ceasefire is declared and a political solution guaranteeing security and autonomy for both Israel and for Palestine is pursued by all parties.

Even as we deplore Hamas’ vicious attack of October 7th, we decry Israel’s disproportionate war of vengeance, resulting in the deaths of more than 25,000 Gazans, the displacement of nearly 2 million, and the specter of widespread starvation and illness.  We cannot sit idly by while this tragedy unfolds.

As The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, "In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." We choose not to remain silent.

The Rev. Lea Mathieu, Moderator
with the Board of Directors
Central Pacific Conference of the United Church of Christ