So I should have thought of putting this up here when I first got it last week…

Will you take the day off on Monday 23 February this year and come to central London for SPEAK’s annual Day of Action?

We are mobilising people to pray and campaign for an end to government support and promotion of the arms trade. The day will include a rally, a procession and a huge symbolic prayer action outside the Defence Export Services Organisation (DESO). This is a government agency in the Ministry of Defence responsible for marketing and promoting UK arms exports overseas on behalf of companies. DESO often pushes arms sales in extremely volatile situations and to countries engaged in bloody conflict, such as India and Pakistan. All this comes at cost to the taxpayer of £16 million every year!

Our aim is to have 600 people there to match the number of people employed worldwide by DESO. For the prayer action we will be kneeling in a makeshift war trench to pray and stand in the gap on behalf of the land and repent of the bloodshed caused by UK arms exports (Ezekiel 22v 30). We see this as the perfect opportunity to put SPEAK’s radical ethos into practice and combine campaigning, prayer, sharing our hope in Jesus, and repentance for our nation’s sins.

We want to model a different way of campaigning that comes out of hearts of love for Jesus and others, be they victims of British arms exports, or DESO employees. Together we can bring a clear and powerful message of peace to our government, the public and the media, that we do not want our taxes to be spent helping DESO to fuel conflict worldwide.

It promises to be an exciting and creative prophetic action. Please book the day off now if you can! What would be even more amazing is if you could invite some friends - just forward this e-mail on. We need lots of help from God and you to get 600 people along, so let us know if you can help mobilise more people.

When?	Monday 23 February, 9.45am - 4pm
Where?	Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, 235 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, WC2.
How?	Pledge to be there on the website, or by contacting Beccie (020 7249 4309; beccie@speak.org.uk). You’ll need a packed lunch and to wear black clothes for the procession.
More information	www.speak.org.uk

Thanks so much for thinking and praying about this. I really hope that you can be there.

God bless

PS - SPEAK’s annual gathering, Soundcheck, exploring God’s heart for justice is happening the weekend before this (20-22 February 2004) in London. It’s always an inspiring time and it would be great to see you there as well.

Landslides happen when small stones start to move - David Alton