Beyond Bethlehem

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-11-17T17:42:00.000-08:00

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, November 17, 2011

We pray for the Palestinian Leadership as they frame their next phase of struggle toward recognition and statehood, after the rejection of the application for full membership in the UN Security Council. We pray for their safety and clarity as they bear the weight of responsibility to care for the whole of Palestinian society. We pray too, that the world community will soon live up to its stated ideals, and respond with real action to the worsening plight of the Palestinian people and land. Lord in your mercy...
We praise God because every person is uniquely and wonderfully made. We mourn the way stress and oppression can weaken the body and damage the soul. We give thanks for the community program about 'alternative medicine' at Sabeel Jerusalem this week, an event that will feature stress management and healing techniques in the context of the occupation. We pray for God's healing touch on the lives and bodies of each participant. Lord in your mercy...
Our memories are a way of cherishing the things we love, who we are, and the things we never want to lose. Sabeel will gather the community in Nazareth this week, in a program entitled, "Nazareth in people's memories." In this cultural event, they will also celebrate 18 years of Sabeel's work in Nazareth. We pray that the community's memories of coexistence, justice, and peace will once again become reality. Lord in your mercy...
Martin Luther King Jr. once preached, "faith is taking the first step, even when you can't see the whole staircase." We give thanks for the steps of the Palestinian Freedom Riders this week. Just as young people in the southern United States boarded buses in an effort to end segregation in the 1960s, a number of Palestinians plan to board Israeli-only buses this week in an attempt to end segregation in the West Bank. We pray for their safety and determination under great pressure. Lord in your mercy...
We rejoice in God's provision of wonderful, visionary leadership for Sabeel in Palestine and its Friends around the world. We are grateful for the faithfulness of members of Sabeel's current Board and Executive Committee. We join in prayer for the elections for the new Board and Executive Committee members, in Ramallah, on Friday. We also pray for the search process taking place for Friends of Sabeel North America. We pray for wisdom and contentment for all involved. Lord in your mercy...
With the World Council of Churches we pray for:

Cameroon, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, November 10, 2011

As the world approaches a population of 7 billion human beings, we echo the Psalmist, stating our belief that "the Earth is the Lord's and everything in it." We ask that the Spirit of God, loving and merciful, help us turn toward one another, towards life-giving activity, and away from destruction of God's full world. We pray for each family, culture, and environment in which each of the 7 billion of us exists. Many of the world's population are children; we ask God to strengthen the adults to work continually so that the young may grow up a more just and healthier world. Lord in your mercy...

The right-wing Jewish extremist group "Price Tag" continued its attacks this week. They defaced the home of a staff member and threatened to bomb the offices of the Israeli organization, "Peace Now." At such a time as this, when the Israeli government approved 60,000 new settlement units, Peace Now plays an important role because they oppose settlement building in the Occupied Territories, and they demand the protection of Palestinian human rights. We pray that the perpetrators of the "Price Tag" crimes will be held accountable for their actions, and we pray for an end to such violence. Lord in your mercy...

We pray for the local programming of Sabeel. We are grateful to offer a lecture in Arabic about the book, Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land. We hope that the discussion spurs many to action. We pray for peace in this land and every land. Lord in your mercy...

From Birmingham, Alabama in the United States to Bethlehem, West Bank in Occupied Palestine, children of God have nonviolently protested the denial of their civil and human rights. We pray for the conference talking place in Atlanta, Georgia this week, honoring the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States and examining the many dimensions of nonviolent struggle for justice and peace in Palestine/Israel. We pray for the conference organizers, speakers, and participants. Lord in your mercy...

Congo-Brazzaville, Gabon, São Tomé e Príncipe

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, November 3, 2011

We watch with anticipation as the world community responds to the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations. We are glad so many nations voted in affirmation for Palestine's admission as a UNESCO member, recognizing the unique role that Palestine's history and culture have for global education and science. We are sad that the United States reacted to this vote of confidence with decision to financially starve this important UN initiative. We pray for the rest of the UN deliberations, that they may result in what is truly best for our world community. Lord in your mercy...
We pray for the thousands of Catholics and others that will gather in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (United States) for the "Call to Action 2011" conference this weekend. We are grateful for the way this conference gathers those who are willing to take on the hard questions facing the church. We pray for Naim Ateek and all of the conference presenters. We pray that this weekend will provide spiritual renewal for Christian activists, and catalyze further loving action. We honor the Ho-Chunk Nation who lived in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area before the Europeans arrived. Known as "People of the Big Voice," we pray for their communities as they continue to exist, even though suffering from displacement and prejudice. Lord in your mercy...
We mourn the recent violence in Gaza and the retaliatory rockets fired across the border into Israel. Reports note that drones, which are remote controlled military planes, carried the bombs that were dropped on Gaza. We thank God for the growing movement around the world that protests the use of drones in warfare. We pray for all families affected and frightened by the violence. We pray for a ceasefire. Lord in your mercy...
As Jesus noted, though the harvest is plentiful, the workers are few. We pray for the small staff at the Sabeel office in Nazareth. We are inspired by their energy and creativity. We pray for their upcoming programs, especially the youth meeting and the children's olive picking this week. Since 1993 Sabeel Nazareth has worked tirelessly to preserve the Palestinian Christian heritage in the Galilee. We ask God to uphold them, give them strength, and volunteers. Lord in your mercy...
With the World Council of Churches, we pray for:
Burundi, Congo, and Rwanda

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 20, 2011

We pray for all people released in the prisoner exchange between Israel and Palestine. The one Israeli soldier exchanged returned to his home. Around 1,000 Palestinians will be released, though not all are allowed to return to their homes. We pray for the successful reintegration of former prisoners into their families and societies, and that their freedom will release a collective wave of nonviolent struggle for justice in this land. Lord in your mercy...
Christian Zionists from all over the world came to Jerusalem this week to state their belief that "Israel is a light to the nations." We are concerned that Christian Zionists, such as the 10,000 that gathered here for the Feast of the Tabernacles, are not interested in addressing the injustices Israel and nationalistic Zionism perpetrate against Palestinians and surrounding nations. We pray that their eyes will be opened and that they will have the courage to understand that the message of Jesus is love for all, not a specific ideology. Lord in your mercy...
We yearn for the day when everyone will be able to sit under their vine and fig tree, and no one will make them afraid. Yet despair creeps in as this week the Israeli government announced a plan to expand illegal settlement building across the Green Line in Palestine. Over 2,500 new units were approved this week. We pray for a freeze in settlement building, especially at this moment while the world debates Palestinian statehood at the United Nations. Lord in your mercy...

We are grateful for the pastors, priests, and ministers who participated in the clergy retreat last week. Through prayers, challenging Bible studies, and discussions, they reaffirmed the need for church leadership to take a stand for truth, justice, and peace, regardless of the cost. We ask God to bless clergy members with spiritual strength, and we rejoice that their retreat was filled with laughter and space to develop stronger ecumenical relationships.
We are glad that youth and young adults are learning about justice and Palestine. From university clubs in the United States, to #Occupy movements around the world, to the upcoming young adult retreat hosted by Sabeel Nazareth, young people are experiencing the love of God, and receiving an invitation to work for true liberation in Palestine and around the world. We pray for their spiritual growth and wellbeing. Lord in your mercy...
With the World Council of Churches, we pray for
India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, October 12, 2011

In the worst sectarian violence since former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak was ousted, 24 Coptic Christians were killed in clashes with Egyptian security forces. The march was in protest of the demolition of a church built without a permit. Coptic Christians make up ten percent of Egypt's population, and have had a long history of both cooperation and difficulty with their Muslim neighbours. We pray that the messages of peace, justice and forgiveness, present in both religious traditions, will quell the provocation to violence. We pray for all Egyptians as they do the hard work of reorganizing their country, together. Lord in your mercy...

Jesus proclaimed release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind. We watch with great expectation of God's mercy on over six thousand Palestinian political prisoners held in Israeli jails. More than 300 incarcerated men and women joined in a hunger strike since the beginning of the month. Their demands are for their basic human rights to be respected. They wish to see an end to routine humiliation during roll-calls and transfers, the arbitrary denial of their family's rights to visit, and the inhumane use of solitary confinement. Others across Palestine, Israel, and internationally have joined the hunger strike. We pray for the release of all Palestinian prisoners of war. Lord, in your mercy...

On the Jewish Day of Atonement for sins (Yom Kippur), dozens of gravestones in Christian and Muslim cemeteries in Jaffa were desecrated by extremist settlers. Some tombs were smashed and many carried racial epithets including "Death to Arabs." We are grateful that at least a small group of both Palestinian and Jewish Israelis went together to protest the ongoing violence of this Jewish right-wing movement which was also responsible for the mosque burning in Tuba Zangria last week. We pray that the perpetrators be brought to justice. Lord in your mercy...

We give thanks for the optimism, energy, and commitment of the many women who participate in Sabeel programming, from the grassroots to the board level. This week we especially remember the women's meeting on Friday, October 14th, hosted by the Nazareth branch office of Sabeel. May the meeting be an encouragement to them, as they continue to deal with the stress of being second-class citizens in their own land. May God grant them power and prophetic vision. Lord in your mercy...

We pray for safe travels and invigorating conversations for Sabeel's founder and director Naim Ateek as he begins his United States tour with a Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) board meeting. We thank God for the ongoing work of FOSNA, and we pray for wisdom in its deliberations. We pray for sustenance and encouragement for all of Sabeel's friends around the world, as they continue to magnify the voice of the Palestinian people calling for justice, peace, and reconciliation. Lord in your mercy...

With the World Council of Churches, we pray for
Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, September 22, 2011

It has been confirmed that Friday the 23rd of September, the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Mr. Mahmoud Abbas, will submit to the Secretary General of the United Nations the Palestinian bid for the recognition of Palestine as a member state. We pray that the member states will support that bid wholeheartedly for the sake of peace for both the Israelis and Palestinians, recalling the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "We are tied together in a single garment of destiny; we are caught in a network of mutuality. And I can never be who I ought to be until you are who you ought to be."Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers

As the Witness Visit comes to an end, we pray for the safe travel of all the participants. May they return home refreshed by the truth, and may they be inspired to share their witness with others so that they can open their eyes and hearts to the harsh realities of the occupation. We pray for Nora Carmi who could not accompany the Witness Visit for the Contemporary Way of the Cross as she lost her husband during this past week. We offer Nora and her family our heartiest condolences.Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers

We pray for the runners of Silwan, especially those supporters from abroad who run in order to raise awareness to the grave and violent circumstances in which the children of that neighborhood of East Jerusalem pass their childhood, as homes continue to be confiscated by Jewish settlers. We pray for a successful campaign as those runners are trying to help raise funds for the creative center built by the Silwan community for their children. Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers.

Now that the summer holidays are over, the Sabeel staff are once again busy planning for the various community programs. We pray for the safety of the participants, women and young adults, as they hike in the depopulated town of Lifta and Ein Jiddi during this coming week end, and for the youth as they join other youth groups in Ramallah for fellowship. Lord in Your Mercy, hear our prayers.

With the Prayer Cycle of the World Council of Churches, we pray for:

Belarus, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, September 15, 2011

The 21st of September is the day the UN General Assembly starts its new session for 2011. Let us keep this date in our thoughts and prayers, especially that the Palestinian Leadership will be submitting its bid for the recognition of Palestine as a member state. We pray that all UN decisions will be made on the basis of Justice, and that the powerful will refrain from applying double -standards that discriminate against the weaker states.
Israeli settlers on the West-Bank have accelerated their aggression in the past two weeks. They set fire to three mosques in villages around the city of Nablus. They also painted graffiti abusive to Islam and the Prophet Mohammad on the walls of the mosques. In the West-Bank town of Bir-Zeit, settlers sprawled abusive graffiti on the walls of Bir-Zeit University and one of the mosques in town. Israeli settlers also physically attacked a Bethlehem University lecturer and a female student on their way to University. We pray that the Government of Israel will take measures to put an end to such attacks, and that the settlers would realize that they cannot continue to occupy another people's land forever.
We pray for the upcoming conference in the Netherlands starting on the 15th of September. The conference is being organized by the "Netherlands Kairos Palestine Group" to discuss, promote and spread the "Kairos Palestine- Document "A Moment of Truth". We pray for all those attending the conference -speakers and participants- that they will speak a word of truth for the glory of God, and for the sake of peace in Palestine and Israel.
The Human Rights organization, B'tselem, draws the attention to the way the Israeli army, violently, deals with peaceful demonstrations on the West-Bank, especially most recently, in the West-bank village of Nabi-Saleh near Ramallah. B'tselem fears that this is an indication of the way the Israeli army plans to deal with further peaceful demonstrations the Palestinians may hold to express the affirmation of their rights to statehood and self-determination. We pray that the Israeli government will itself recognize Palestinian rights and the right of people to demonstrate peacefully.
With the Prayer Cycle of the World Council of Churches, we pray for:

Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-09-08T10:56:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-08-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-07-14T11:23:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-06-16T15:47:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-06-03T13:33:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-05-05T11:45:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-04-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-04-14T11:16:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-04-07T12:02:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-03-31T14:17:00.000-07:00

Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the Eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Following the 2006 Sabeel International Conference, the Friends of Sabeel coordinators met and discussed the idea of "Waves of Prayer." The premise is that in their respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with "Friends of Sabeel" worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and on around the world we will pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer for Thursday, March 31, 2011

► We hold in prayer everyone whose life has been affected by the recent wave of violence in the past weeks. We especially remember all of those injured or killed by the unclaimed bomb in West Jerusalem last Wednesday, by the Israeli air strike bombings of Gaza, by projectiles fired from Gaza into Israel, and by the continued settler and military violence and harassment of Palestinians in the West Bank. We pray for the time when children can play, students can go to school and people can live their daily lives without fear.

► We pray for the ongoing nonviolent resistance to Israel's illegal occupation, colonization, and expropriation of land as people in Israel, Palestine and around the world commemorate Land Day on Wednesday, March 30, remembering the 1976 general strike and protests against massive land expropriation in which Israeli security forces killed six young Palestinian citizens of Israel. We also pray for equality for all of the citizens inside the state of Israel who suffer from growing racism and discrimination, most recently evidenced through newly-passed laws, including a law making it illegal for any body receiving public funds to commemorate the Nakba (the Arabic word for "catastrophe" by which Palestinians remember the events of 1948); a law allowing small communities in Israel to screen potential new residents who do not "fit with the social fabric" of the community; and a law enabling Israel's Supreme Court to revoke the citizenship of anyone not considered loyal to the state.

► We continue to pray for all those calling for greater freedoms and reforms, especially for the people of Syria and Jordan as government responses to protests turn more violent and deadly. We pray that Jordan's announcements of future reforms and the Syrian cabinet's resignation on Tuesday will be followed with more serious reforms and democratic changes.

► Ten leaders from Kairos Palestine, including Rev. Naim Ateek, will be travelling around South Africa in the coming week in order to inform South Africans about the work of Kairos Palestine and to share with each other their respective Kairos moments. We pray for smooth travels to and in South Africa, and that this will be an enlightening and inspiring time to learn from each other's work for equality in their own contexts.

With the Prayer Cycle of the World Council of Churches, we pray for:

Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore

http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/prayer-cycle.html

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-03-17T11:57:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-02-17T10:14:00.000-08:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-02-03T11:42:00.000-08:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-01-13T13:40:00.000-08:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2011-01-06T17:10:00.000-08:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2010-12-30T11:34:00.000-08:00

CMEP Advent Reflections: Christmas

2010-12-30T11:24:00.000-08:00

“Prince of Peace” 2010 Advent and Christmas Sunday Reflections
Blessing Every Effort for Peace

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness — on them light has shined. You have multiplied the nation, you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as people exult when dividing plunder. For the yoke of their burden, and the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For all the boots of the tramping warriors and all the garments rolled in blood shall be burned as fuel for the fire. For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His authority shall grow continually, and there shall be endless peace for the throne of David and his kingdom. He will establish and uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time onward and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.
- Isaiah 9:2-7 (NRSV)

In their Christmas message this year the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem praised God’s desire, shown through the birth of Christ, for the heavenly light of peace to prevail on Earth over the darkness of sin. They see the role of the Church as encouraging all people to build bridges of understanding, not walls of separation. Just as we seek to break down walls that separate us from God, so we must work to take down the walls of fear that separate us from each other in our daily lives.

A passive desire for peace in the Holy Land cannot be effective. The faithful hope for peace requires active participation from each of us. The Churches in Jerusalem and Christians across our country are working together with a diversity of faith groups and ethnicities. Strong bridges are being built to overcome the darkness of indifference, despair and conflict.

Strong leadership is essential. Both good people and good institutions are needed to break down walls of distrust and develop better ways of cooperation. Heads of state and government need support from churches and civil society organizations if they are to succeed. As one step toward this goal of cooperation and trust, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem are now participating in the Council of Religious Institutions of the Holy Land, which includes Jewish and Muslim leaders in Jerusalem. This is a blessing. May God bless every effort for peace.
- Warren Clark
Executive Director, Churches for Middle East Peace

For Meditation
What are the blessings of peace in your life? What are the blessings for which you pray that you may receive and for which you pray that others may receive? What are the differences between the two?

Prayer
Lord, help me to work for the blessing of your peace.
Lord, help me to recognize your peace when it is in me and around me.
Lord, help me to desire peace for my neighbor as much as for myself.
And, for all the help I know you give. Thank you.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2010-12-21T11:53:00.000-08:00

CMEP Advent Reflections:Week Four

2010-12-16T12:50:00.000-08:00

“Prince of Peace” 2010 Advent and Christmas Sunday Reflections
Do You Believe that God Fulfills Promises?

Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet: “Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
- Matthew 1:18-25 (NRSV)

Matthew tells us about the birth of Jesus with a focus on Joseph, while elsewhere in scripture, Luke compliments the telling of the story with more of the perspective of Mary.

Observant of the law and concerned about his own reputation according to the customs of his time, Joseph came to face the troubling matter of Mary being with child before they were married. We’re told that Joseph was both a just and compassionate man who was not hasty to judge or react with hurt or anger. Instead, we learn that he intended to carry out the righteous act of leaving Mary in a merciful way, leaving her quietly.

But the angel of the Lord reminds Joseph, “do not be afraid” and guides Mary and Joseph to an understanding that “God is with us” in the midst of their troubling reality. The angel of the Lord leads both Joseph and Mary to deeper understanding of their own lives and to a new and different path upon which to journey as they go forth together with their soon-to-be-born son whom, “you are to name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

Through the message of the angel to Joseph, we too are given the confidence to go forth in the midst of our troubling reality as we face obstacles, barriers, lack of safety and mistrust. Perhaps the angel of the Lord is calling us to be free from the customs of our time that might hold us back. Could it be that the guidance of the angel to Mary and Joseph might also remind us of the promises of God foretold by the prophets of old, that even today “God is with us” as we face our apparently troubling matters?

As Joseph and Mary were guided toward a new path in the work entrusted to them, bringing forth new life, so too may this same God guide us all into an intimacy with God that is beyond all understanding and an awareness that propels us to act in communion with our sisters and brothers who are in need, to free the oppressed and the oppressor, to act justly and to walk tenderly with our God.
- Brother Jack Curran, FSC, PhD
Bethlehem University in the Holy Land, Vice President for Development

Prayer
Oh God,
Continue to send your angels
into my path.
Dispel my fears and stir in me the grace of your Spirit.
Lead me and guide me in my efforts to be of service for those you entrust to my care.

For Meditation
Are you ready to believe in the promises of God, even when you face perplexing circumstances and what may seem like insurmountable problems? Is there something that is holding you back from being more attentive to the promptings of the Spirit of God? Do you hear the angel of the Lord leading you today?

CMEP Advent Reflections:Week Three

2010-12-16T11:59:00.000-08:00

“Prince of Peace” 2010 Advent and Christmas Sunday Reflections
Patience is Not Waiting

Be patient, therefore, beloved, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious crop from the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also must be patient. Strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. Beloved, do not grumble against one another, so that you may not be judged. See, the Judge is standing at the doors! As an example of suffering and patience, beloved, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Indeed we call blessed those who showed endurance. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
-James 5:7-11 (NRSV)

Having been raised in rural Ohio, I felt a small-town kinship when I first moved to the Palestinian village of Beit Jala, just south of Jerusalem. Connection to the land came from the sense of purpose and fulfillment that working the land gives people. Being in close relationship to the Creator through cultivating a harvest and providing for one’s family and community can give people who do this work a profound fulfillment.

Being close to the land entails a patience that is different from what many of us in the modern U.S. understand as waiting. If you have ever planted a field or had a garden you know there is much to do beyond planting and sowing. Preparing the ground, weeding, being watchful of unhealthy pests and many other tasks are activities that take place year-round.

All people plant with the expectation of harvest. However, we are not necessarily planting in fields of earth. In today’s text James is talking about farming to people who understood that patience and waiting are not the same things. Patience understands that there are things in our lives which take preparation, effort and investment of resources. Waiting doesn’t have to meaning killing time. We wait for what takes time, and in the meantime we prepare. We prepare our hearts and minds to be at peace while we work for peace. We work at building relationships with other people that will not only help peace find a home in our world, but relationships that are themselves the fruits of peace.

This past October I led a band of pilgrims to the Holy Land of Israel and Palestine. There were two activities that were at the core of our experience and exemplified the intersection of our faith, politics and personal journeys. For several mornings we picked olives with Palestinian Muslim and Christian farmers in Beit Jala. We also celebrated Shabbat with Jewish Israelis in Jerusalem. We will continue our work while we wait, expectant and ready, for peace.
- Reverend Doris Warrell

PrayerAll are blessed by having endurance and patience.
All are blessed by finding strength in God and in the children of God.
All are blessed by having faith that the rains will come, and peace will prevail.

For MeditationWhat are the actions I need to take to prepare for peace? Do I follow my calling as a peacemaker in not only what I do but how I do it? How do I avoid grumbling against others while doing my work as a peacemaker? Am I in touch with the source of my strength?

CMEP Advent Reflections:Week Two

2010-12-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

“Prince of Peace” 2010 Advent and Christmas Sunday Reflections
Living With Division

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope. May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus, so that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
-Romans 15:4-6 (NRSV)

Last week we were asked to consider if we thought we could ascend to the mountaintop. Is it possible to for Israelis and Palestinians to realize that violence is not the means to a better future? Yes it is, and in fact many people already do see that the violence caused in the name of their nations has yet to achieve the security and justice sought by either peoples. But not everyone thinks this way.

So how do we, as followers of Jesus, live in the spectrum of perspectives, ideas and the people that hold them? How do we ascend to the mountaintop holding tight our expectation of peace while knowing that the reality of our disagreements and divergent perspectives make a challenging journey even more difficult?

How? We put one foot on the ground before us, and then the other foot. We stand grounded in God who gives us strength through scripture. We stay connected to the people who help us grow in faith and understanding, and even help us stay on the trail up the mountain. We work together, with grace-filled, forgiving hearts knowing that if Palestinian and Israeli peace advocates can walk together then certainly we Americans, who do not live under the daily threats and realities of violence in the Holy Land, can reach across what divides us and walk up the mountain together.
- The Reverend Doris Warrell, CMEP Field Director

PrayerMay the God of steadfastness and encouragement guide us to live in harmony with one another, in accordance with Christ Jesus. May we together with one voice glorify God, our Father/Mother, our brother and Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit which transcends all. Amen

For MeditationWhere do I tolerate division from another person in my life? How can I expect others to do what I will not? What can I do this week to remove the division from me and my neighbor? What do I need to do to build up my community for peacemaking and not warmaking?

CMEP Advent Reflections:Week One

2010-12-02T12:24:00.000-08:00

"Prince of Peace" 2010 Advent/Christmas Sunday Reflections

Advent is a time of expectations. Biblically we return to scriptures that tell us the story of God coming to dwell with us through the birth of a baby while politically we work and prepare for the birth of peace. How timely it is then that this year CMEP’s Advent theme is “Prince of Peace.”

We hope that these selections of scripture and reflections will help you be more centered on the religious reasons we celebrate and our shared work and hope for peace in the Middle East. These reflections were written by individuals from a variety of Christian traditions represented on CMEP’s Board of Directors. With the connection between our faith and our call as peacemakers it is important that we acknowledge and celebrate our being and working as Christians by being vigilant in keeping our efforts rooted in faith.

We encourage you to read these reflections to deepen your spiritual life and your connection with people in the Holy Land. We also encourage you to share these reflections with others you know who are working for peace in the Middle East. You can either send this PDF document or refer them to www.CMEP.org.

Reflections
First Week of Advent reflection by The Reverend Canon Robert Edmunds, Chaplain to the Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, Canon Pastor of the Cathedral of St. George. Canon Edmunds, and his wife Deborah, serve as Appointed Missionaries of the Episcopal Church on the staff of the Right Reverend Suheil Dawani, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

First Sunday of Advent

Seeking the Mountain Top
The word that Isaiah son of
Amoz saw concerning Judah
and Jerusalem. In days to come
the mountain of the LORD’s
house shall be established as
the highest of the mountains,
and shall be raised above the
hills; all the nations shall stream
to it. Many peoples shall come
and say, “Come, let us go up to
the mountain of the LORD, to
the house of the God of Jacob;
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his
paths.” For out of Zion shall go
forth instruction, and the word
of the LORD from Jerusalem. He
shall judge between the
nations, and shall arbitrate for
many peoples; they shall beat
their swords into plowshares,
and their spears into pruning
hooks; nation shall not lift up
sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more.
O house of Jacob, come, let us
walk in the light of the LORD!
-Isaiah 2:1-5 (NRSV)

Whenever mountaintops are mentioned in the Bible, we do well to pay
attention. The high places were often associated with important events,
revelations and visions from God's very hand. Moses at Mt. Sinai, Jesus in prayer
on various mountains and the Transfiguration all come to mind. In this passage
the holy mountain of Jerusalem, referred to as Zion, is brought into sharp focus
as God's dwelling place from which all the nations are invited to come and learn
to walk in the light of the way of the Lord.

This vision is inspiring to all who work, pray and hope for peace, both here in
Jerusalem and throughout the world. The power of all people coming in humility
to learn of God's way of life to turn away from division, violence and war towards
God's way of light provides a vision of hope for the future of all creation.
However, the historical record since Isaiah's vision suggests that war has indeed
been learned and learned too well over many centuries. Blood has run through
the streets of Jerusalem in times past and politically inspired violence continues
in many of her neighborhoods even now. Despite Isaiah's vision; despite the
tears Jesus shed as he overlooked the Holy City; despite centuries of prayers in
the holy places by faithful people, Jerusalem has yet to experience the peace
which Isaiah envisions.

Is the mountaintop too high to ascend? Is it possible to ask people to set aside
old agendas? Is it possible that religious and political leaders can walk together
"in the light of the Lord"? Is it possible for old enemies to no longer learn war
anymore?

Christians in the Land of the Holy One continue to believe, with all evidence to
the contrary, that all things are possible for those who love the Lord because if
peace is possible here in Jerusalem, peace is possible for everyone.
- The Reverend Canon Robert Edmunds, Chaplain to the Anglican Bishop in
Jerusalem, Canon Pastor of the Cathedral of St. George

For MeditationWhat will it take to make Isaiah's
vision real? Who continues to gain by
keeping the status quo? Who loses
without peace in the Land of the Holy
One?

Prayer
Lord, help me want to see the
mountain top.
Spirit, guide my feet.
Creator, pick me up when I fail and
give me the strength of will to take
one more step up the mountain.
Amen.

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Sabeel's Litany for Gaza

In the early morning, on May 31, 2010, Israeli forces intercepted a flotilla of 6 ships bound for the Gaza Strip, carrying nearly 700 people and a cargo of medical supplies, pre-fabricated homes, building supplies, and educational materials. The ships were attempting to break the internationally condemned Israeli blockade that, since June 2007, has prevented virtually all people and goods from entering or exiting the Gaza Strip (with the exception of insufficient humanitarian supplies and some aid workers). As the Israeli forces boarded the ships, at least 9 flotilla participants were killed while nearly 60 participants and 10 soldiers were injured. Eventually, all the ships were rerouted and the flotilla participants were arrested or deported. The siege on Gaza continues.

Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Centre in Jerusalem will hold a day of fasting and prayer on Monday, June 7, for the members of the flotilla, the people of Gaza, and for peace in Palestine and Israel. This litany is offered as a resource for individuals and congregations to use, in part or in whole. It can be adapted and read by 2 or 3 voices. We encourage pastors to use the litany in their Sunday services.

Thus says the Lord: Do not let the wise boast in their wisdom, do not let the mighty boast in their might, do not let the wealthy boast in their wealth; but let those who boast boast in this, that they understand and know me, that I am the Lord; I act with steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth, for in these things I delight, says the Lord. [Jeremiah 9:23-24]

Eternal God, arbiter of justice and champion of peace, reach into the deep pit of violence, despair, and ruthlessness that shapes the lives of so many in Palestine and Israel. The nations are in an uproar, kingdoms totter, people cry out.

You, O God, are our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. [Matthew 5:9]

Grant, O God, healing to the men and women injured during the Israeli military assault. Bring grace and consolation to those who mourn the dead.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be filled.

Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. [Hebrews 13:3]

God who has proclaimed release to the captives and freedom to the oppressed, may all who have been taken prisoner for their involvement in the flotilla return safely home. We remember these and others who are unjustly detained.

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, who has sent me to proclaim release to the captives...and to let the oppressed go free.

"Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations, I am exalted in the earth." [Psalm 46:10]

Lord of all, make known to all in Palestine and Israel that your love extends to all people, that might is not right, that fear begets fear, that love conquers all. Give hope to the many who, in love, speak and act boldly for justice.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.

From the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, "Peace, peace," when there is no peace. [Jeremiah 6:13-14]

God of Justice, we pray that the nations of the world will no longer stand idly by, but uphold the rights of the oppressed in Gaza, the West Bank, and around the globe . We, the peoples of many lands, "reaffirm [our] faith in fundamental human rights, in the dignity and worth of the human person, in the equal rights of men and women and of nations large and small." [UN Charter: Preamble]

Your judgements are just, O Lord, you will hold all nations accountable for what they have done, and also for what they have left undone.

Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. The effect of justice will be peace, and the result of righteousness, quietness and trust forever. My people will abide in a peaceful habitation, in secure dwellings, and in quiet resting places. [Isaiah 32:16-18]

God who offers life in abundance, break the chains of injustice that shackle the people of Gaza. May the blockade that limits food and medicine, toys and cement, culture and trade, friendships and families be swiftly ended. May the people of Gaza and of the West Bank be brought together in unity.

They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. For like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. [Isaiah 65]

"In everything, do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets." [Matthew 7:12]

God of equity, who knows no distinction between race or creed or colour, help us to be ever impatient in our encounter with injustice and abuse. As ambassadors for Christ, do not allow our hearts to be hardened, but let us live your message of justice, peace and reconciliation.

God, in your grace, transform the world.

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Pacific Sabeel Conferences

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In coming weeks, many Pacific Coast Progressive Christians will gather to contemplate what justice requires of US in Israel and Palestine. Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA) is hosting conferences in the Pacific Northwest, Hawai'i and Northern California for the next few weekends.

Friends of Sabeel regional conferences are an effective tool for broadening awareness among western Christians on the issues relevant to the peoples of the Holy Land. Drawing on a rich pool of expertise in the fields of theology, biblical scholarship, church social justice teaching, regional history, international law, foreign policy and political currents, these educational events are able to attract wide participation from an ecumenical audience. Our speakers are individuals who represent the Palestinian Christian and Muslim communities as well as the Israeli Jewish community--religious leaders, scholars, writers and activists. American presenters come from all three religious traditions and from secular strands within the Sabeel movement.

FOSNA is an American affiliate of Sabeel, the Palestinian Liberation Theology organization founded by Anglican Canon, the Rev. Naim Ateek. Among the speakers headlining all of the conferences are Mohammad Alatar, Naim Ateek, Anna Baltzer, Mark Braverman and Jeff Halper:

Mohammed Alatar - Filmmaker and human rights activist from town of Jenin in the West Bank. Nominated for the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for Humanity in 2002 for his work campaigning for human rights. Films include The Iron Wall and Jerusalem: The East Side Story.

The Rev Naim Ateek The Rev. Naim Ateek is an Arab Israeli citizen, founder and leader of Sabeel, (Arabic for 'the way'), and a former canon pastor of the Episcopal Cathedral of Jerusalem. He is the author of many books and articles including Justice and Only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation and, most recently, A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation. He has been called the Bishop Tutu of Palestine.

Anna Baltzer - Jewish-American granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. Fulbright scholar and volunteer with International Women’s Peace Service, where she documented human rights abuses. Author of Witness in Palestine: Journal of a Jewish American Woman in the Occupied Territories.

Mark Braverman is a Jewish American clinical psychologist, founder of Crisis Management Group Associates in Maryland, and activist for justice. Mark focuses on the role of religious beliefs and theology in the current discourse on Israel/Palestine and the future of interfaith relations. He has recently published Fatal Embrace: Christians, Jews, and the Search for Peace in the Holy Land.

Jeff Halper is coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) and an Israeli-American peace activist. He is also a professor of anthropology, an acclaimed speaker and a 2006 Nobel Prize nominee. He is the author of Obstacles to Peace: A Re-framing of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict and An Israeli In Palestine: Resisting Dispossession, Redeeming Israel.

The first conference is this weekend in Seattle, WA February 19 and 20. Additional speakers include Neve Gordon, Kathleen and Bill Christison and Cindy and Craig Corrie:

Neve Gordon is a senior lecturer on Politics and Government at Ben Gurion University, the author of Israel's Occupation, and editor of From the Margins of Globalization: Critical Perspectives on Human Rights.

Kathleen and Bill Christison: Kathleen is a former CIA political analyst and has worked on Middle East issues for 35 years. She is the author of Perceptions of Palestine and The Wound of Dispossession. Bill is also formerly with the CIA. Kathleen and Bill have just published Palestine in Pieces: Graphic Perspectives on the Israeli Occupation.

Cindy and Craig Corrie are the parents of Rachel Corrie and founders of the Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice

Among the weekend's workshops is one offered by blogger, Richard Silverstein:

... media panel on Saturday, February 20th at 3:15 PM:

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in the Media

Richard Silverstein, author of Tikun Olam, Israeli-Palestinian peace blog
Bruce Ramsey, Seattle Times editorial writer
Larry Johnson former foreign editor, Seattle Post Intelligencer and author, Looking for Trouble, foreign affairs blog

The panel will examine the nature and quality of reporting on the conflict in both the U.S.:

Getting more & better coverage into the media
Making coverage more accessible to the average American
the collapse of print media: how does it alter the landscape for coverage
Where do people get their coverage of the conflict?
Critique of media coverage of I-P conflict: why is so much, so bad?
Political issues that should be covered and aren’t?
Improving communications between Israeli, Palestinian and U.S. media and peace activists
Role of digital media, social networking in expanding access to news about the conflict

The next conference is in Honolulu, HI February 26 and 27:

What Does Justice Require of US?
Peace with Justice in the Holy Land

a conference presented by Friends of Sabeel Hawai'i

Conference Goals: Educate others about the conflict in Palestine/israel; Provide a venue for discussion and dialogue; Empower U.S. citizens to become effectivde advocates of a just and peaceful solution.

Cathedral of Saint Andrew
Episcopal Diocese of Hawaii
229 Queen Emma Square
Honolulu, HI 96813

The last conference is in Marin County, March 4 and 5:

A Time for Truth, A Time for Action:
Palestine/Israel & the U.S. at the Crossroads

First Presbyterian Church of San Anselmo

Additional workshops are offered by guests such as Omar Barghouti, Mads Gilbert, Paul Larudee, Barbara Lubin, Edward Peck and Stephen Zunes:

Omar Barghouti - Independent Palestinian researcher, commentator and human rights activist committed to upholding international law and universal human rights. Founding member of the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) and of the Palestinian Civil Society Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign against Israel. Holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering from Columbia University, NY.
...
Dr. Mads Gilbert - Norwegian doctor specializing in anesthesiology and emergency medicine. Solidarity worker with a range of international experience, including in Lebanon and Palestine. Provided emergency medical support in Gaza during Israeli attacks in December 2008 and January 2009. Has written and lectured about this experience.
...
Dr. Paul Larudee - Human rights advocate for peace and justice in Palestine. Active in the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), a Palestinian-led movement dedicated to nonviolent resistance to the occupation. Was wounded in 2002 by Israeli gunfire in an attempt by ISM volunteers to help Palestinian families. Cofounder of Free Gaza Movement, whose boats became the first in 41 years to enter Gaza by sea, breaking the Israeli naval blockade. Founder of the Free Palestine Movement. Holds a PhD in linguistics from Georgetown University.

Barbara Lubin - Life-long peace, justice and disability rights activist and leader. Cofounder of the Middle East Children’s Alliance (MECA), which has delivered more than $17 million in food and medical aid to children in Palestine, Iraq and Lebanon and provided support for hundreds of community projects in the West Bank and Gaza. Has led nearly .20 delegations of North Americans to the Middle East.
...
Ambassador Edward Peck - Career Foreign Service officer who has held senior posts in Washington and abroad, including service in Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt. Was ambassador in Mauritania, chief of mission in Iraq, deputy director of Covert Intelligence Programs, director of the Office of Egyptian Affairs and special assistant to the under secretary for political affairs. Served as deputy director of the White House Task Force on Terrorism in the Reagan
Administration. Currently president of Foreign Services International, a consulting firm working with governments, businesses and educational institutions.
...
Dr. Stephen Zunes - Professor of politics and international studies and chair of the program of Middle East Studies at the University of San Francisco. Author of numerous articles on U.S. policy, the Middle East, nonviolence and human rights. Has received several awards for his work. Author of Tinderbox: U.S Middle East Policy and the Roots of Terrorism.

The conferences last for two days, but it is possible to attend just one day or the other. So if you missed today's session in Seattle, it is still possible to make tomorrow's. Sabeel conferences are great opportunities not only to learn, but to meet other activists. A few of us in the Bay Area are planning a get together for I/P bloggers after the Marin Sabeel Conference (contact me, rustdotypipesatyahoodotcom, for details).

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

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Wave of Prayer for Thursday, January 7, 2010

As we begin a new year, we pray that the work of Sabeel and its friends will continue to illuminate the need for justice in our world. May we find new and effective ways to meet the challenges that we face in trying to bring a just peace and reconciliation in Palestine and Israel.

In spite of Israel's "settlement freeze," Jerusalem municipal officials have confirmed the approval of 4 new settlement apartment blocks in Palestinian East Jerusalem. This blatant disregard for international law and for the assurances given to negotiators demonstrate Israel's hostility toward a negotiated peace. We pray that Israel's government officials will experience a change of heart and honestly pursue a just peace.

Recently, scores of Israelis have taken part in demonstrations to highlight the need for justice in Palestine and Israel. In Sheikh Jarrah, weekly marches against settlement expansion have resulted in many arrests. Demonstrations along the border with Gaza have also commemorated last year's atrocities and the ongoing siege. We give thanks for the courage of Israelis who stand up against their own government in the name of justice. May these actions prick the consciences of others.

It appears that rival Palestinian political parties, Hamas and Fatah, are close to reaching a reconciliation deal after nearly three years of tension. We pray that Palestinians of all beliefs and backgrounds will find ways to cooperate with one another peacefully. The rebuilding of Gaza and ending the Israeli occupation are great challenges that require unity to overcome.

This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:

Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

SABEEL CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2009

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The Message of the Manger

This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom God favors!'
Luke 2:12-14

In the Christmas story, the sign for finding the Christ-child was this: He would be wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. There are three important messages that emanate from the manger:

1.God in Christ has become accessible. Jesus Christ was born in a manger making God approachable, reachable, and available to all people. This is the great sign of God's love.

2.The manger stands for a different kind of a Messiah. The seemingly contradictory sign that the Christ is lying in a manger does not bode well for the birth of a great leader who was supposed to come from the line and lineage of his great ancestor David. The manger is the way of meekness and humility, the way of sacrificial love, the way of nonviolence.

3.The Christ of the manger brings peace through justice and not through violence. Luke takes the titles that people attributed to Caesar - liberator, savior, lord, and god - and gives them to Jesus Christ. The contrast between the two figures, in the eyes of the world, was huge. For the early Christian community, and for us, Jesus Christ is the authentic Savior and Lord. Caesar brought peace through military means that were tremendously costly in terms of human life and property, and such peace is always shaky. Christ can bring peace through justice and love that, when applied and practiced, is more stable and permanent. This is what Christ teaches and that is why, from Christ to this day, we dare to defy the Caesars.

Reading the Christmas story through Palestinian eyes, and in light of our daily experience, is revealing. We live in the shadow of empire, of which the modern state of Israel is part. It is easy for Palestinians to contrast their oppressive situation under the Israeli occupation with people of Jesus' day who lived under the brutal occupation of the Romans with its daily oppression and humiliation.

Empire always talks about peace but its peace is false and temporary. Its peace is imposed and, therefore, an extension of its oppressive military power. It can never last because it is built on injustice. Israel's peace rhetoric is a mirage that quickly disappears and people are hit with the glaring reality of injustice, violence, and humiliation. Such peace cannot be trusted.

Christ's peace is built on justice and is acquired through nonviolence and love. It can be trusted. Therefore, the unjust and illegal Israeli occupation must come to an end. Doing justice to the Palestinians ensures the achievement of peace through justice. At this Christmas season we need to re-commit ourselves to the liberation that Christ brings; and to continue to walk the way of peace through justice and nonviolence.

Sabeel wishes all its friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
May the message of the manger inspire our activities throughout the coming year!

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

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Each week at 12:00 in Jerusalem Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to celebrate the eucharist, to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, and to pray for the specific needs of this region. Our hope is that in our respective time zones, individuals and groups around the world will pray together at 12:00 on Thursdays, in solidarity with Sabeel in Jerusalem and with “Friends of Sabeel” worldwide. Starting in Australia, passing through Palestine, and continuing on around the world we pray for Peace with Justice and focus on specific issues each week.

Wave of Prayer, Thursday, December 17, 2009

December 27 marks the one year anniversary of the start of Israel’s massive campaign against Gaza that resulted in over 1400 deaths and the destruction of much of Gaza’s infrastructure. Today, Gaza remains under siege. It is our prayer that this inhumane captivity will be brought to an end. May we see increased nonviolent resistance to this oppression.

Last Friday, settlers set fire to the mosque in Yasuf, near Nablus. This, and other attacks, demonstrate the strong backlash among settlers to Israel’s discussions of enforcing a settlement freeze. We pray that all the people of Israel realize that a halt to settlement construction is a step forward toward a just peace.

We give thanks for this past weekend’s launch of the Kairos, “Moment of Truth”, document in Bethlehem in which Palestinian Christians called on Christians around the globe to join them in working to end the Israeli occupation. Respondents from worldwide churches, as well as Jews and Muslims, expressed their support for the document. May this timely document move people of all faiths to work for justice and peace in Palestine and Israel and in their own countries as well.

For more information on the Kairos document, visit: www.kairospalestine.ps

Sabeel is hosting its annual Christmas dinner in Jerusalem this Sunday. The event will bring various Christian communities together to celebrate Christ’s message of love. We pray that this will be a blessed time of fellowship and recommitment to our witness for a just peace.

This week we join with the World Council of Churches in praying for:

Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo

CMEP Fourth Week of Advent: Forefeast of the Nativity of Jesus Christ

2009-12-22T18:14:00.000-08:00

A record of the genealogy of
Jesus Christ the son of David,
the son of Abraham: Abraham
was the father of Isaac, Isaac
the father of Jacob, Jacob the
father of Judah and his brothers,
Judah the father of Perez and
Zerah, whose mother was
Tamar, Perez the father of
Hezron, Hezron the father of
Ram, Ram the father of
Amminadab, Amminadab the
father of Nahshon, Nahshon the
father of Salmon,Salmon the
father of Boaz, whose mother
was Rahab, Boaz the father of
Obed, whose mother was Ruth,
Obed the father of Jesse, and
Jesse the father of King David.
David was the father of
Solomon, whose mother had
been Uriah's wife, Solomon the
father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam
the father of Abijah, Abijah the
father of Asa, Asa the father of
Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the
father of Jehoram, Jehoram the
father of Uzziah, Uzziah the
father of Jotham, Jotham the
father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father
of Hezekiah, Hezekiah the father
of Manasseh, Manasseh the
father of Amon, Amon the father
of Josiah, and Josiah the father
of Jeconiah and his brothers at
the time of the exile to Babylon.
After the exile to Babylon:
Jeconiah was the father of
Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of
Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel the
father of Abiud, Abiud the father
of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of
Azor, Azor the father of Zadok,
Zadok the father of Akim, Akim
the father of Eliud, Eliud the
father of Eleazar, Eleazar the
father of Matthan, Matthan the
father of Jacob, and Jacob the
father of Joseph, the husband of
Mary, of whom was born Jesus,
who is called Christ.
-Matthew 1:1-16 (NIV)

In this scripture reading describing Christ’s birth, Matthew first gives Christ’s genealogy. This listing of names reminds us of the importance of connections, especially the deep connections we have with both the Jewish people and the Christians who live in the Holy Land today.

Abraham was the father of the Hebrews, and David was Israel’s greatest king. Christ was descended from them through his mother Mary. Today Christians in the Holy Land live among the Jewish people in Israel and in the West Bank under the Israeli occupation. These verses remind us of the original connection between our two faiths and the importance of maintaining that bond from both religious and practical standpoints. Our Christian heritage includes Jewish people, and the fate of Christianity in the Holy Land greatly depends on their government. Our prayer for peace should include healing the frayed connection between our two peoples.

We must also pray for the strength and patience of the Christians in the Holy Land today who represent our connection to the land where Christ was born and are the living witness of our faith there. Because of the difficulties caused by living under occupation, many Christians are leaving. We pray for peace so that they may stay in their homes and jobs and continue to be the living stones in the land of Christ’s birth.

-Marilyn Rouvelas, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

Prayer
Holy God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, ever faithful to your promises and ever close to your Church: the earth rejoices in hope of the Savior’s coming and looks forward with longing to his return at the end of time. Prepare our hearts and remove the sin that hinders us from feeling the joy and hope that his presence will bestow. May we rediscover Your image within our hearts and live in its peace for all days. Unto to You be all honor and glory now and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

-Greek Orthodox Prayer of Preparation for the Nativity

For Meditation
Am I praying for healing in the hearts of all the people in this conflict? Does that prayer include asking that all parties will be able to forgive as Christ asked us to do? Do I understand and respect the common, positive religious connections the Abrahamic religions share?

Advent Reflections are reprinted with permission from Churches for Middle East Peace

Third Sunday of Advent: Something to Be Joyful For

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Rejoice in the Lord always.
I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be
evident to all. The Lord is
near. Do not be anxious
about anything, but in
everything, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to
God. And the peace of God,
which transcends all
understanding, will guard
your hearts and your minds
in Christ Jesus.
-Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)

The news I hear always seems to be bad …job losses, increasing hunger, more settlements in Palestine, flooding. I could fill this entire page with the weight of sorrows and lists of reasons that do not justify rejoicing.

Many times I turn to a prayer of Julian of Norwich, which in part is “All shall be well and shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.” This brings me comfort and becomes an active reminder that I am a servant of Christ.

It is through the sincere acknowledgement of the sorrow and pain I see in our world that I more fully recognize the truly great gifts God gives. The love I have for my neighbors both close and far, the ministry that God has given to do good, do no harm and to deepen our relationship with God, and the awareness of God’s love present and active in our lives…these are reasons to rejoice in the Lord.

In the letter to the Philippians, and in many places in Scripture, we are told to rejoice, but not in just anything, rejoice in the Lord. As we count the days until Christmas some people may feel the pressures of holiday expectations, but at the core of these days is the anticipation of salvation. Like a race car preparing for the start of a race the engine roars as we look for a sign that God is with us always and we are ready to go, to act on God’s call. These are reasons to rejoice in the Lord.

And regardless of the success or failure of our efforts, we can act with the calm and gentleness of the Spirit and rejoice for Christ has died, Christ has risen, Christ will come again. These are reasons to rejoice in the Lord.

-Rev. Doris E. Warrell, Deacon, Dumbarton United Methodist Church

Prayer
When I am tired of doing what
God has called me to do,
When my efforts seem in
vain,
When I feel I am the only one
trying,
I will have a glad heart and
rejoice in the Lord.
For You, oh God,
have called me by name,
given me the gift of thought
and action, and
have blessed me with a
community, the Church, that
is the body of Christ.
Indeed, You are great and
wonderful, and I will rejoice!
Amen.

For Meditation
How do you cultivate the peace of God so that it “guards your hearts and
your minds in Jesus Christ?” Daily reading of Scripture? Writing a gratitude
journal? Using prayer beads? Fasting? How can this practice be deepened
so that when the sorrows of the world, especially those coming from the
Israeli/Palestinian conflict are felt, you can rejoice through the peace of God?
Does it need to be done more regularly? Is something new or additional needed?

Advent Reflections are reprinted with permission from Churches for Middle East Peace.

Second Week of Advent: Prepare the Way

2009-12-11T15:08:00.000-08:00

In the fifteenth year of the
reign of Tiberius Caesar—
when Pontius Pilate was
governor of Judea, Herod
tetrarch of Galilee, his brother
Philip tetrarch of Iturea and
Traconitis, and Lysanias
tetrarch of Abilene— during
the high priesthood of Annas
and Caiaphas, the word of
God came to John son of
Zechariah in the desert. He
went into all the country
around the Jordan, preaching
a baptism of repentance for
the forgiveness of sins. As is
written in the book of the
words of Isaiah the prophet:
"A voice of one calling in
the desert, 'Prepare the way
for the Lord, make straight
paths for him. Every valley
shall be filled in, every
mountain and hill made low.
The crooked roads shall
become straight, the rough
ways smooth. And all
mankind will see God's
salvation."
-Luke 3:1-6 (NIV)

Only when John, the son of Zechariah, filled with the Word of God, began to preach the Word of God was he noticed, and heard by some. He preached a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The people in the desert heard him; Jesus heard him. The powerful, the leaders of Empire, high priests of the Temple did not heed the Word being proclaimed. One of the leaders did hear and killed the messenger.

The same Word of God calling for repentance is being proclaimed by the poor and oppressed of our world. The imprisoned, ignored and oppressed people of Gaza, of Darfur, are speaking in the desert of powerlessness and hopelessness. The leaders of empire continue to assert their power, or to ignore and support other leaders in their ignorance and arrogance.

Advent is a time when believers in the Jesus announced by John are reminded that the Word of God is calling them to proclaim the same baptism of repentance. Clergy and laity alike will indeed be noticed when Empire is criticized, nonviolence proclaimed, and military solutions to conflict challenged. The hope of repentance by our leaders will grow in response to our own repentance.

We prepare the way of the Lord and make straight his paths when we take the time and make the effort to seek the truth of conflicts rather than repeat the sound bites of media entertainers.

We fill in the valleys and level the mountains when we call our Congress people to accountability for their ideology-driven decisions and support them in their justice and peace initiatives.

The crooked roads shall become straight and rough ways smooth when we serve and speak for the powerless, the immigrant, the jobless, the homeless, the abandoned and impoverished women and children of our own country, and our world.

Then we will be heard, noticed and criticized for being too political, less patriotic, unrealistic in the ways of the world and just plain naïve.

Then all men and women including ourselves, will see God’s salvation; then we will celebrate Advent.

-John Sullivan, MM, Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Prayer
Oh God,
My voice is yours,
Give me the courage to use it.
Oh God,
My will is yours.
Help me to bend it to your call.
And be with me when I fail to do either.
Amen.

For Meditation
What are the circumstances that cause you to silence your own voice when you have the opportunities to speak to people in power? Remember a time when you did speak, and name what gave you the will to not only to want to speak, but actually do it.

Advent Reflections are reprinted with permission from Churches for Middle East Peace.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-12-10T10:45:00.000-08:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-12-03T17:20:00.000-08:00

First Sunday of Advent: The Peace of Jerusalem

2009-12-01T12:48:00.000-08:00

The days are coming,'
declares the LORD, 'when I
will fulfill the gracious
promise I made to the
house of Israel and to the
house of Judah.
In those days and at that
time I will make a righteous
Branch sprout from David's
line; he will do what is just
and right in the land.
In those days Judah will
be saved and Jerusalem will
live in safety. This is the
name by which it will be
called:
The LORD Our
Righteousness.'
-Jeremiah 33:14-16 (NIV)

At the risk of his life, Jeremiah prophesied that Jerusalem would be overrun by the Babylonians. Yet God did not leave the people without hope. Jeremiah foresaw the coming of a ruler in the line of David – a “righteous Branch” – who would bring peace to a rebuilt and glorious Jerusalem. Jeremiah’s prophesy helped form the developing belief in the coming of the Messiah.

Christians believe that this Messiah is Jesus. The promise of a renewed Jerusalem becomes the hope of a perfected people of God, described as “the Holy City, the new Jerusalem which comes down out of heaven from God.” (Revelations 21:2). And God’s chosen community is expanded to encompass “a great multitude that no one could count from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Revelations 7:9).

But what, then, is in store for temporal Jerusalem? Is it also promised peace?

The great work of the Messiah is to remove the barriers between humankind and God and among people. It is a work of reconciliation and of the righting of relationships which we call justice.

In Jerusalem, Israel, and the Palestinian territories today, we find three faith communities – Jews, Muslims and Christians – and two nationalities – Israelis and Palestinians. Tragically, they are not at peace and they are not in right relationship with each other.

The Messiah is at work to bring these diverse, divided and often hostile peoples together – in peace, justice and security. When we allow ourselves to be instruments in God’s hands to advance this work of reconciliation and justice, we are participating in the fulfillment of “the gracious promise” of God to Israel, Judah, the Palestinian people and all the peoples of the earth.

-Martin Shupack, Church World Service

Prayer
Show me the way God,
for at times the path is full of
barriers and challenges.
Show me the way Jesus,
for this was also your road
that you prepare me to travel.
Show me the way Spirit,
because with a true heart I
want to call all people
Children of God.
Amen.

For Meditation
What are the fruits of right relationships? Where can they be found? What do
people do to have such wonderful rewards? Seeing and knowing this how
can we individually and together incorporate one more action, attitude or
learning into our lives that will bear such fruit?

Advent Reflections are reprinted with permission from Churches for Middle East Peace:
Advent is a time of waiting, not sitting back waiting, but a time of anticipating and preparing for what is coming. This season we are all like Mary, waiting for the fulfillment of hope, the coming of God incarnate. And like Mary and Joseph we are sitting idly by, we have things to do.

We hope that these selections of Scripture, reflections by members of CMEP's Board of Directors and staff, prayers and questions for meditation will help you not only center on the promise and hope of Christ's birth, but also on our shared work and hope for peace in the Middle East. With the connection between our faith and this part of God's creation so intertwined it is important that we acknowledge and celebrate our call to this work for peace that is rooted in our faith.

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-11-24T14:31:00.000-08:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-11-19T12:43:00.000-08:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-11-12T09:20:00.000-08:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-11-05T10:22:00.000-08:00

Israeli Arab School Teachers Unpaid

2009-10-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

Elias Chacour has faced many obstacles over the years in his efforts to create opportunities for Jewish, Christian and Muslim children to grow and learn together equally and peacefully in Israel. In his books, Blood Brothers and We Belong to the Land, Bishop Chacour tells of how he started the project of educating children of the village of Ibillin in kindergartens and summer camps and struggles along the way as the Mar Elias Educational Institutes grew. At one point, the only way that he was able to receive the permits from the Israeli government for a high school building was through the intervention of then Secretary of State, James Baker.

Mar Elias' latest challenge is that a related school in Dabourieh has been denied state funding for teachers' salaries since June. Israel's unique system for funding schools was part of Chacour's impulse for building his first high school in Ibillin, as he writes in We Belong to the Land:

Elementary schools in Israel are provided by the government. However, secondary schools, grades nine through twelve, are all private, belonging to local municipalities, synagogues, rabbis or churches. Financial support comes from private donations and from a complicated "quota system" through the Israeli Ministry of Education. Teachers' salaries can usually be paid from government money if a school qualifies for a good quota rating. The school building, furnishings, textbooks, and any extra supplies must be financed privately. By law, students pay no tuition in a secondary school, although there can be fees for special books and tools.

The whole political and social situation of the Jews vis-a-vis the Palestinians is mirrored in Israel's secondary school system. Jewish youngsters have ready access to secondary schools that often are financed through worldwide Jewish support, a municipality or religious organizations. In contrast, Arab Israeli young people, especially those living in the villages, have limited access to secondary schools because there is little outside support.

Certainly no Jewish towns with nine thousand inhabitants would be without secondary schools for long, but no outcry is heard in Israel when Arab Israeli villages have none. In general, Arab villages do not receive the kind of help from the Israeli government that Jewish towns and villages receive, so their municipal resources to provide secondary schools are limited. Furthermore, a Jewish town would be granted a building permit for a secondary school immediately; and Arab village is denied a permit. (pp 130-31).

The United Methodist liason, Janet Lahr Lewis, has sent out this request concerning the teacher salaries which the Israeli government cut off this past June:

Friday, October 30, 2009

Dear Friends,

Please read the letter below to the Ministry of Education and fax a copy of it to them immediately. A recent Volunteer in Mission team heard about this on a recent visit to Mar Elias Educational Institutions, one of our Advance project. They were upset enough to want to go and protest. I felt that a protest by 13 people would not even be noticed by the government offices so I suggested starting a protest campaign that might have more affect.

After several calls to Bp Chacour to get all the details I composed this letter, had it approved by the team and the bishop, and made it available to the director of the school so that the many international groups who visit could also sign it and send to the Ministry of Education. These fax campaigns usually have more success than others.

As of this writing no funds have been received. The officials continue to lie to the bishop saying “You will have the money tomorrow.” Meanwhile families go without, teachers continue to teach without pay and the amount due has increased to over 9 million shekels (around 3 million dollars!)

I urge you to sign the following letter and fax it immediately to the office of the Minister of Education. The one thing Israeli officials must try to avoid is negative publicity. Knowing that this information has now gone out to the world may prompt them to action.

Thank you for your support.

Janet Lahr Lewis

UM Liaison in Israel and Palestine
Mr. Gideon Sa’ar, Minister of Education

Ministry of Education

34, Shivtei Yisrael Street

Jerusalem 91911

Fax: 972 2 560 2223

Dear Mr. Sa’ar,

Recently it has come to our attention by way of supporters of Mar Elias Educational Institutions that a grave injustice is being committed with regards to the suspension of student subsidies used to pay teachers’ salaries at one of the educational facilities inside Israel.

Archbishop Elias Chacour, whose life-long goal has been to provide a good education for children regardless of race or religion, in an atmosphere of peace, respect, and love for one another, has built one of the most successful educational institutions in Israel. These facilities are held up by the international community as an example of how peace and reconciliation is possible in the Middle East. Because of the success of Mar Elias Educational Institutions’ academic and social achievements, the archbishop was approached by a number of people from the village or Dabourieh, including the local authorities, the parents of many students, and a large number of teachers, to help them improve the quality of education for their children.

The archbishop agreed to open a new high school, but not before complying with the government’s requirement of applying for a permit from the Ministry of Education. Applications were submitted repeatedly to which there was no reply whatsoever from the Ministry office. In the meantime, a list of new students was sent to the Ministry of Education. One month before the school was scheduled to open they received the subsidies for the students in order to pay the salaries of the teachers. This action of the payment of subsidies by the Ministry of Education was a concrete step connoting their approval to open the school. Since the Ministry of Education continued to pay all the subsidies for the students of Dabourieh it was then registered as a branch of Mar Elias Educational Institutions (MEEI) with the expectation and understanding that the school in Dabourieh would eventually operate independently.

The second year the school was in operation the Ministry of Education continued to pay the subsidies until June, 2009. Suddenly without any prior notice, the Ministry office froze all the payments for all of Mar Elias Educational Institutions, a situation which continues to this day. The Ministry of Education office thence ordered that MEEI disassociate itself from the school in Dabourieh. The Ministry office also ordered MEEI to stop registering students from Dabourieh as a condition for the Ministry office to reinstate the payment of subsidies for the other Mar Elias institutions. MEEI immediately complied and yet, to this date, the Ministry of Education office has continued, against the advice of its own legal department to illegally withhold funds due to MEEI which currently amount to an excess of 9 million shekels.

This non-payment of subsidies by the Ministry of Education has resulted in over 200 teachers and their families being forced to suffer without income since that date in June, 2009.

As internationals we find this intentional withholding of funds and non-action on the part of the Ministry of Education to be a serious and blatant misuse of power, causing undue suffering of hundreds of people who hold Israeli citizenship. For a country that prides itself on being a democracy, this type of action is considered to be not only discriminatory, but a violation of the internationally recognized Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 26 which states: “ (1)Everyone has the right to an education. (2) Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups…” MEEI has proven to be and is internationally famous for being a successful example of this statement.

Therefore, we strongly request that the Ministry of Education immediately comply with the law and provide all overdue payments of the student subsidies to MEEI and reinstate the regular payments of such, so that the teachers can receive the salaries which they so rightly deserve and to ensure that their families will no longer be forced to suffer from this injustice.

Respectfully submitted,

(Signature)___________________________________________________________________________

(Country)____________________________________________________________________________

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-10-29T09:14:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-10-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-10-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

Ethnic Cleansing in the South Hebron Hills

2009-10-09T14:22:00.000-07:00

Reprinted with Permission from Christian Peacemaker Teams

REFLECTION
At-Tuwani: Ethnic Cleansing
by Jan Benvie
September 2009

“We must expropriate gently the private property on the state assigned to us. We shall try to spirit the penniless population across the border” (Theodor Herzl, one of the founders of Zionism, from 'Righteous Victims'
by Benny Morris, p21-22)

From its inception there have been those within the Zionist movement who supported the expulsion of the indigenous Arab population of Palestine in order to create a Jewish state. This ethnic cleansing has been supported overtly and covertly by successive Israeli governments from the first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, to the present incumbent, Benjamin Netanyahu.

"In many parts of the country new settlement will not be possible without transferring the [Palestinian] Arab fellahin.. . . Jewish power … will also increase our possibilities to carry out the transfer on a large scale.” (Ben Gurion,1937, from 'Righteous Victims' Benny Morris, p143)

These words echo daily in my mind as I live and work in the South Hebron Hills. Here the Palestinian farmers (fellahin) have resiliently defied attempts to 'spirit' or 'transfer' them from their land.

Sometimes the 'transfer' is manifest, as in November 1999, when the
Israeli army forcibly expelled around 700 residents of this area, loading their belongings onto trucks, sealing their cave homes, destroying their cisterns and scattering their flocks. ('Means of Expulsion'
http://www.btselem.org/Download/200507_South_Mount_Hebron_Eng.pdf)
More often the 'transfer' is furtive. Since the establishment of the
settlements in this area in 1981, Palestinians have faced a constant
struggle to remain on their land. The nearby settlements and outposts
control large swathes of land, far in excess of their built up area*.
Almost daily, armed Israeli settlers, soldiers and police collude to expel Palestinian shepherds from their grazing lands.

“This is Israel,” the soldiers frequently say, gesturing to indicate all the land in sight.

Recently a Palestinian shepherd told me, “Today they tell me I can't graze here, tomorrow it will be over there.” pointing to the next valley, nearer his village. “After a while we will be forbidden to leave our homes.”
Before the arrival of the Israeli settlers the Palestinian communities of the South Hebron Hills were self-sufficient. As Herzl and others proposed, settlers have expropriated much of the valuable land. Denied the ability to grow crops or access their grazing land, the Palestinians of the area have been rendered 'penniless', with many dependent on food aid. Some villages have been abandoned because of settler violence, their populations forcibly 'transferred'. Nevertheless, despite economic hardships and Israeli settler and military violence, many villagers remain, a testament to their continuing non-violent resistance.

*See 2008 report 'Access Denied, Israeli measures to deny Palestinians access to land around settlements', by the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem.
Also 2006 report by Israeli group Peace Now, 'Breaking the Law in the West Bank', which reports that nearly 40% of the land on which Israeli settlements have been built is private Palestinian land.
Further information on how the Israeli state has taken control of
Palestinian land see B'Tselem.

Crossposted at Booman Tribune and Street Prophets

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-10-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-10-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-09-24T11:14:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-09-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-09-10T09:05:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-09-03T09:37:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-08-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-08-20T10:12:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-08-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-08-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-07-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

Sabeel Wave of Prayer

2009-07-02T08:40:00.000-07:00