17 March 2024

Contact: Kay Coughlin, 614-426-8062, Kay @ FacilitatorOnFire.net

Christians Call Sherrod Brown to Support Ceasefire in Gaza

EVENT TEASER — Christians for a Free Palestine ask Senator Sherrod Brown to support a lasting ceasefire in Gaza on Monday, March 18, at 11 AM. The ecumenical Christian community of mid-Ohio is holding a vigil outside Brown’s office in downtown Columbus to denounce Christian Zionism and the U.S. supply of military aid to Israel. In solidarity with Jewish and Muslim leaders, they are meeting with Brown’s staff to urge Ohio’s elected officials to end the siege, fund the UNRWA to provide humanitarian assistance, and prevent further loss of life.

WHAT: Ohio Christians Demand a Ceasefire in Palestine

WHEN: Monday, March 18, 11:15 AM, ET

WHERE: Senator Sherrod Brown’s office, 200 N High St., Columbus

WHO: Christians for a Free Palestine, Dominican Sisters of Peace (Justice Promoter Sr. Gemma Doll, OP), Catholic Diocese of Columbus (Monsignor Joseph Hendricks), Pax Christi USA (Project Director Michelle Sherman), Israel Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A., and an ecumenical coalition of Christians in central Ohio

WHY: The crisis in Gaza and pending full invasion of Rafah demands immediate public action and witness. In addition to the 31,000 killed since October 7, 2023 in the Israeli government’s vengeful and increasingly deadly hostilities against Palestinians, which includes people killed while seeking aid, at least 27 Palestinians have died from starvation just recently. For Christians, nonviolent witness includes urging a just peace and liberation, especially now as our Muslim family members recognize their holy month of Ramadan.

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We are Christians mobilizing against the weaponization of our theology and our tax dollars by Christian Zionists to perpetrate the genocide of the Palestinian people.

Please sign our petition here!

This document has a list of Christian organizations that have made statements opposing genocide or in support of the Palestinian people. Please note this list is not nearly as comprehensive as we’d like – please send an email to Kay @ FacilitatorOnFire.net if you have additional statements to suggest.

This direct action is being supported by:

Facilitator On Fire

Here 4 The Kids Cbus

 Christians for a Free Palestine

*Updated February 23, 2024 

We will educate elected officials and their staff on the role of Christian Zionism and its ties with White  Christian Nationalism. We will demand they reject Christian Zionism, and support a permanent ceasefire and an end to military aid to Israel.  

We seek to amplify the teachings of Jesus by directly confronting the powers of imperialism through nonviolent direct action. Nonviolent direct action (NVDA) goes beyond institutional methods of change to nonviolently pressure institutions or institutional leaders to change. NVDA has been used by people of conscience, including Christians, throughout history to change laws, stop wars and violence, and overthrow dictators. It follows Jesus’ parable of the Persistent Widow, who’s direct action pushes the unjust judge to say, “Because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice!” (Luke 18:5)

 We believe in the power of nonviolent direct action to mend and transform our communities. In Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words, NVDA is “the sword that heals.” Our role is to mobilize Christians and people with Christian lineage to take nonviolent direct action in solidarity with all those struggling for a free Palestine, to interrupt and challenge Christian Zionism, and to resist empire in all its forms.

Ceasefire Petition to Columbus City Council, here

Saturday, March 30, 4 pm, Goodale Park Columbus, Land Back solidarity march, sponsored by PSL Columbus