Several hundred people online joined a few dozen worshiping in person Saturday at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus, for “Christ in the Rubble,” a service of lament for the people of Gaza. Several partners of Christmas Lutheran Church, including the PC(USA)’s Israel/Palestine Mission Network, carried the 90-minute service, which can be seen here, here or here.
More than 400 participants logged in to watch the first in a scheduled series of webinars devoted to the ongoing crisis in Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. Rabbi Alissa Wise, the lead organizer of Rabbis for Ceasefire, and the Rev. Fursan Zu’mot from the Arabic-speaking Congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan & the Holy Land (ELCJHL), led participants through an hour-long discussion that touched on humanitarian issues, differences between Christian Zionism and antisemitism, and the school of hatred seemingly being perpetuated from the ongoing conflict.
“If we get killed, tell your communities that Palestinians are peaceful humans struggling only for peace …”
These are the words of Presbyterian Hunger Program partner Rajeh Abbas, founder and director of the Palestinian nonprofit Improvement and Development for Communities Center (IDCO) based in Gaza.
The Presbyterian Mission Agency’s World Mission ministry, in collaboration with the Office of Public Witness and the Presbyterian Ministry at the United Nations, is launching a webinar series dedicated to the current crisis unfolding in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank. The first webinar, scheduled for 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday, Dec. 12, is titled “Jewish and Christian Voices for Peace.”
Presbyterian hymn writer and pastor the Rev. Carolyn Winfrey Gillette has written “Now There Is War” to help Presbyterians as they sing, pray and act for peace.
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has a new online landing page that will allow users to engage with the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict more easily using digital resources.
Individuals who want to gain a greater understanding of the civil rights movement and how it continues to be impactful can sign up for a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) travel study seminar that will include visits to three southern states next spring.
Presbyterian Disaster Assistance, in collaboration with World Mission and the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, has awarded nearly $100,000 in grant funding to support relief efforts in Israel-Palestine. The now month-long conflict continues to escalate and exact a heavy toll on civilian casualties along with crippling home and property loss in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem.
The Presbyterian Peacemaking Program within the Presbyterian Mission Agency is collaborating with World Mission and global partners to develop a new resource focused on solidarity with Ukraine. The resource is called “A Sowing of Peace in Ukraine” and will feature multiple installments released individually.
The PC(USA)’s Militarism Working Group has assembled resources that can aid congregations and individuals in reflecting on the costs of war this Veterans Day.
