PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Esther Pank
May 15, 2005 (703) 904-8287
epank@comcast.net

The cairn at the UU Congregation of Fairfax, VA

Iraqi Civilian Dead: 24,106 US Military Dead: 1,580 *As of April, 2005

Unitarian Universalists Dedicate Iraq War Memorial Cairn

Event Recognizes Civilian and Military Fatalities

On Sunday, May 15, 350 members of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax (UUCF) gathered together in quite reflection to construct and dedicate an Iraq War Memorial Cairn.

The children and adults of UUCF are a community dedicated to the free and responsible search for religious truth and meaning. Our mission is to support each other as we pursue spiritual growth and challenge ourselves to transform the world through acts of love and justice.

The Iraq War Memorial Cairn theme was selected based on a Scottish tradition describing soldiers going into battle. Each soldier would carry one stone. Soldiers would pile their stones together near an expected battleground site. When a battle ended, the surviving soldiers picked up one stone and carried it home. The remaining stones at the battleground served to count and to memorialize the fallen soldiers.

UUCF’s Interim Minister, Rev. Richard Nugent, led worshipers in prayer before UUCF members constructed the Cairn. Tom Finnell, a UUCF member, provided bagpipe music.

“We gather here today to remember those who died in the Iraq War for two reasons. First, many members of our Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax hope to begin a public dialog, especially among people of faith, about the consequences of the Iraq War. The impact on tens of thousands of families grows much larger as the number of deaths continues to rise, sadly, with no end in sight,” Rev. Nugent said.

“And, second, several members of our Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fairfax sought an appropriate way to memorialize both civilian and military casualties. Constructing an Iraq War Memorial Cairn is a fitting and a proper way for our members to reflect upon the lives lost during this conflict in this beautiful setting among the trees.

“This memorial and this dedication are not pro-war or anti-war events. Rather, this is our humble way to understand the facts about this war and the increasingly heavy impact it has on our community, our Nation, and our world,” Rev. Nugent added.

A sign adjacent to the Cairn will display the count of civilian deaths as well as U.S. service members killed since the war began on March 19, 2003. UUCF plans to update the count each month. The Cairn sign will also display the current estimates for Iraqi civilian dead

Unitarian Universalist members with family members deployed to Iraq as well as military veterans are scheduled to participate in this solemn event. The dedication ceremony is sponsored by the UUCF Social Justice Council and the UUCF 50th Anniversary Committee.

UUCF strives to meet the spiritual, intellectual, and community needs of more than 1,000 children, youth, and adults in our area. UUCF, founded in 1955, is a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (www.uua.org).

Unitarian Universalism is a religious centered on the open-ended quest for meaning in life and shared effort to put our best values into practice in our daily affairs.

UUCF members are currently sending letters and care packages to family members serving in the Iraq War, and UUCF members plan to send humanitarian aid to Iraqi civilians later this year.

Pastoral Letter from the Rev. William G. Sinkford

Unitarian Universalist Association
25 Beacon St. | Boston, MA 02108 | 617-742-2100