Shemitta, the Hebrew word for 'release' or 'liberty,' is taken from the verb shamat which means literally "to let alone" or "to allow to rest." In our day, many of us yearn for release and rest. Many captives in need of liberty from social, economic and political violence are struggling in Sudan, Bosnia, Somalia, Cuba, Haiti, and the Middle East, where war and intranational conflicts have had a devastating effect upon the lives of the majority of the populations. Millions have been killed, millions more have been wounded and/or forced into refugee camps. Even in the US, one of the richest nation-states on earth, over 38 million citizens have no health insurance of any kind, over three million are homeless and countless others yearn to provide basic necessities for their families. God through Christ calls us to bring release to those among us who are captives of the wanton disregard for human life, of warfare and societal apathy and oppression.

The 1989 Annual Conference statement Church and State affirms that "The church is to be concerned about the fate of the world and its inhabitants because of two convictions about God: God is sovereign and God is loving." The Church of the Brethren has a long-standing tradition of opposing war, of advocating for nonviolent social change and of responding to human need. M.R. Zigler worked closely with religious and governmental agencies that provided a means for conscientious objectors to respond nonviolently to the military draft. Dan West pioneered relief efforts such as Heifer Project International that continues to provide much needed humanitarian assistance across the globe. Ralph Smeltzer, a former director of the Washington Office, played a leading role as an advocate for nonviolent change within the civil rights movement in the US.

Another means through which the church seeks to provide release to the captives is through the ministry of the Washington Office. When the very first Brethren Washington Office was established by the 1949 Annual Conference its director, Paul H. Bowman, suggested that the effort is based in part on the following understandings of our church relationship with the government: "The Brethren seek to be constructive, creative, and distinctly Christian in relation to their government. We shall aim to develop among our people an intelligent participation in government without reference to political parties or partisan issues. The Brethren are committed to the realization of a peaceful world through love, brotherhood, and justice."

The ministry of the Washington Office is perhaps best seen as a bridge between members of the church and public policy makers. This role is fulfilled when members of the church are informed and encouraged to promote national and global efforts for a world with greater peace, justice and stewardship of God's creation. Central to this effort is the Washington Office Network (WON) through which members are kept informed by our concisely written monthly newsletter — "Witness to Washington" — and other office publications such as "Backgrounders" and "Legislative Updates."

All of the work of the Washington Office is based upon the official policies of the church as clarified in our Annual Conference and General Board statements. In this sense, our work can also be described as advocacy, which means literally to speak on behalf of another. When Washington Office staff endeavor to provide a Christian witness to Congress or the administration, we seek to speak on behalf of sisters and brothers who are not able to personally voice their concerns. We do so because we are members of God's family which knows no borders. When members of the church are informed and encouraged to put their faith in action by letting their convictions be heard in the halls of Congress, we as a church demonstrate our support for the honorable functions of government and by so doing assist in defining and shaping those functions.

This ministry is dependent on the active involvement of the church. Please join us by writing or calling the office to become a member of the Washington Office Network. Together we can better hear and respond to God's call to provide release to the captives of our world.