Israel/Palestine Sunday January 27

Shalom from Jerusalem!  We have experienced so much in the past few days that it is hard to take it all in. We continue to meet wonderful people both Arab and Jew. It is an interesting time to be here as they just had their elections this past Tuesday -lots of conversations with Israeli's about this. 

We spent Friday morning at the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem - Yad Vashem -Memorial and Name. This is a memorial to those who lived through and died during the holocaust along with those who risked their lives to help the persecuted. Our tour of the museum told a story of the lives of the Jews before the Nazi's came into power. What struck us as we saw the holocaust unfold was the millions of lives that were exterminated and never allowed to begin - the generations that would never be.
 We then spent the afternoon in old Jerusalem and prayed at the Western (Wailing) Wall. It was a holy experience. It was fascinating watching all of the religious Jews and their different degrees of orthodoxy. We spent the evening with a local family for Shabat dinner.  Shabat is the Jewish Sabbath which lasts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. They had a traditonal Shabat dinner with all of the blessings, singing, and the following of the laws required by observant Jews. This family opened their home and welcomed 14 of us to share in this ceremony that they joyfully embrace each Friday evening.

We spent today in Bethlehem meeting with Palestinian Christians. People, who over and over again have experienced oppression; injustices that have made their everyday life difficult. But what we have heard over and over again was a hope, a hope that comes out of our Christian values of equality, justice and freedom. A hope that comes out of God's call to be peacemakers. A hope that we can love one another as Christ told us to do.

We started this trip with a devotion from Matthew 22:37-39, " Jesus replied, ' Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  With every story we hear, our hearts return to this commandment.

Shalom, Salome,

Debbie Manning

Israel/Palestine: Blessed Are You

We began our day in the coastal city of Haifa, reconnecting with our dear friend, Archbishop Elias Chacour of the Melkite Church. He had visited us in Minnesota in September, and so having the chance to pay him a visit in his own context was an immense privilege for us. Following our time at his residence, we spent time at the House of Grace, a ministry to former prisoners run by the Shehada family, a Christian Israeli Arab family. In addition to hearing about this unique 30 year-old ministry, we were also given a glimpse into the unique challenges of being Arab, Christian, and Israeli.

We then embarked on a drive that took us on a loop that would eventually culminate in an evening arrival in Jerusalem.

Much of our time was spent around the Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, and the Mount of Beatitudes...places with familiar names that now take on a new sense of fresh, palpable reality. The juxtaposition of the ordinariness of the places we saw with the holiness and significance of their history was at times overpowering. Interspersed throughout the day were readings from the gospels that connected the ancient story to our current story. Whether it was the place in Luke chapter 4 where Jesus taught in the synagogue, or the hillside where he delivered his Sermon on the Mount, or the place along the shore where, according to John's account, following the resurrection, Peter was restored, we were drawn into a whole new appreciation of "incarnation."

At nearly 700 feet below sea level, the Sea of Galilee is in some ways symbolic of the ironic movement of Christ's incarnation and atonement.

I end this entry with what for me is the quintessential text of St Paul, describing the mystery of the incarnation.
"Have the same mindset as Christ, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death--even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
~Philippians 2:6-11.

Israel/Palestine: the journey begins

We begin our journey to the Holy Land in much the same way we begin most days: waking up, checking off items from our To Do lists, doing triage to determine which unfinished tasks will just have to remain unfinished until we return.
We are a group of eleven very different people, all committed to understanding with an open mind the context of Israel and Palestine. Although we're all well read, our aim is to set aside our preconception of the situation, and learn.
Farewell, Minneapolis.

Paul Tshihamba

Israel/Palestine: CPC Travelers depart soon!

This month Christ Presbyterian Church (CPC) will travel to Israel/Palestine with a group comprised of CPC leaders. The purpose of the trip is to learn from organizations that are seeking to build peace in the region. The team will leave on Tuesday and be traveling through January 31st.

The group will post updates, photos, and reflections throughout the trip. Stay updated by following this blog.