Back from the Brink

Rev. Rachel and Joe Scarry traveled to Milwaukee last year to attend the 2019 national convention of the United Church of Christ. Joe, a social justice activist, was one of the presenters of a resolution that the assembly passed, supporting a nuclear disarmament campaign called “Back From the Brink.”    

As we remember the first use of atomic weapons against people in Hiroshima and Nagasaki 75 years ago, we hear two readings during worship on August 8. The first is the story of Jesus calling people to help him change the world. The second is a letter from peace workers in Hiroshima (reprinted below) to all of us in the UCC who are supporting the effort to pull “back from the brink” of nuclear war, here and now. Joe is providing the August 8 sermon, entitled, “Hearing the Call, Daring to Hope.”

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A Message of Solidarity from Hiroshima                                                                              July 7, 2020

2020 — the year that marks the 75th anniversaries of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — is a a year in which, more than ever, we are reminded that we are joined in a global community, and that we share a common fate. Although this year’s memorial ceremonies will be held on reduced scales, our commitment shall remain unshaken or, for that matter, become even stronger due to the current pandemic crisis; our continuing work based in Hiroshima is to urge people in every country to assure that the inhuman nuclear weapons are never used again.

We are deeply heartened by the commitment of the United Church of Christ, as embodied in its “Resolution Calling for the United States to pull ‘Back From the Brink’ and Prevent Nuclear War” passed at the UCC 2019 General Synod.

Synod calls US to pull back from brink of nuclear war https://www.ucc.org/news_synod_calls_u_s_to_pull_back_from_brink_of_nuclear_war_06252019

In every part of the world, we are coming into an understanding that safe living conditions and healthy communities require us to challenge the systems and structures of violence and oppression we have inherited from the past. Your commitment (as expressed in the UCC mission statement) — to “build a just world for all” — is one we must all share and act upon as we confront the realities before us.

We sincerely hope that we will overcome the unprecendented difficulties caused [by] the current pandemic soon to work together for our common objective of abolishing the nuclear weapons.

With warmest regards,

MORITAKI Haruko
Co-director, HANWA
Hiroshima Alliance for Nuclear Weapons Abolition

KAZASHI Nobuo
Director, NO DU Hiroshima Project