We met at dusk for a worship service at the Wall. This outdoor service needed a little light. During the opening words, the presider invited the security guard in the tower that loomed over us to turn his searchlight on us so we could see the words on our bulletin. When that did not happen we resorted to candle light.
I joined two ministers, Lisa serving the Lutheran church in Sweden and another from the church of Scotland in reading alternate words to O little Town of Bethlehem. Mine were:
While morning stars and evening stars
Shine out in your dark sky,
Despair now stalks your troubled streets
Where innocents still die.
And Jesus, Child of Mary,
Whose love will never cease,
Feels even now your pain and fear,
Longs with you for your peace.
After scripture, hymns and a choir from the Bethlehem Bible College, a sermon, and an exchange fo olive branches and candles, we walked out to “We are walking in the Light of God” to plant an olive tree on behalf of Kairos. Our midweek evening Advent services are around the theme of light, so I felt you were all with me as we worshipped here this night, holding up our candles of faith hope and love in front of the Wall of separation.
Peter
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Sunday, December 4, 2011
We Are Pilgrims - Posts From Bethlehem
How often does one get to spend the second Sunday in Advent in Bethlehem? I am staying for the week in the Bethlehem Hotel, a half hour walk from the ancient Church of the Nativity. This morning Barbara Lloyd, the other United Church representative, and I got to the Church before the tour bus onslaught.
I had to bend in half to squeeze in the tiny door of the church. Here was a reminder at the door to humble oneself when entering. This for me is one of those "thin places" in this land. That's what the Celts called these places where the threshold to the holy was more translucent than usual.
We had arrived at the end of what may have been an Armenian service of worship. Sun streamed in the upper windows casting the pillars in lovely tones of light and shade. The atmosphere was thick with incense and radiant with large chandeliers and freshly placed prayer candles.
We took a seat just emptied as the worshippers had gone forward for communion. They streamed by us with pieces of bread in hand. For what purpose? To share with family members who could not attend? To take to relatives in hospital? We felt a bit disconnected to what was taking place in a language that we did not understand. We were visitors but we were not just tourists. We were pilgrims, as we told the Security officers when we entered the country yesterday.
A woman walked by us with her two children. She turned and with a smile offered a piece of bread. Her son did the same.At that moment we felt part of that Bethlehem Advent service.
These Christians in the Holy Land have gone from 10% of the population to less than 2% but they are still here and they have a story they want to tell. That's why we are here this week.
Peter
I had to bend in half to squeeze in the tiny door of the church. Here was a reminder at the door to humble oneself when entering. This for me is one of those "thin places" in this land. That's what the Celts called these places where the threshold to the holy was more translucent than usual.
We had arrived at the end of what may have been an Armenian service of worship. Sun streamed in the upper windows casting the pillars in lovely tones of light and shade. The atmosphere was thick with incense and radiant with large chandeliers and freshly placed prayer candles.
We took a seat just emptied as the worshippers had gone forward for communion. They streamed by us with pieces of bread in hand. For what purpose? To share with family members who could not attend? To take to relatives in hospital? We felt a bit disconnected to what was taking place in a language that we did not understand. We were visitors but we were not just tourists. We were pilgrims, as we told the Security officers when we entered the country yesterday.
A woman walked by us with her two children. She turned and with a smile offered a piece of bread. Her son did the same.At that moment we felt part of that Bethlehem Advent service.
These Christians in the Holy Land have gone from 10% of the population to less than 2% but they are still here and they have a story they want to tell. That's why we are here this week.
Peter
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Apocalypse And An Unlikely Saviour
The film Melancholia fits with the apocalyptic images in the scripture texts for the first Sunday in Advent. Our cinephile group saw this at the Bytowne on Friday night. Kirsten Dunst was brilliant and I can see why she won best actress at Cannes.
Danish director Lars von Trier who was banned from Cannes after jokes about Jews and Hitler, has a bleak view of relationships and the fate of the world. He conveys the brokenness of the humanity in ways that has the audience shaking their heads and groaning.
The weight of the world which as been on Justine (Kirsten) begins to shift onto us. We feel the sadness, the inability to escape fate. And then there is this moment when an unexpected Christ figure steps forward.
It is a small thing in the larger scheme of things but an act of compassion occurs. Sometimes that is all that is available to us.
Some of the group are lobbying for a more cheerful film next time.
Peter
Danish director Lars von Trier who was banned from Cannes after jokes about Jews and Hitler, has a bleak view of relationships and the fate of the world. He conveys the brokenness of the humanity in ways that has the audience shaking their heads and groaning.
The weight of the world which as been on Justine (Kirsten) begins to shift onto us. We feel the sadness, the inability to escape fate. And then there is this moment when an unexpected Christ figure steps forward.
It is a small thing in the larger scheme of things but an act of compassion occurs. Sometimes that is all that is available to us.
Some of the group are lobbying for a more cheerful film next time.
Peter
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Remembering The Past
This morning our community of faith began to meet at 9 am. That was the time that veterans, their spouses and/or children sat down for breakfast with some of the youth of Emmanuel. Parents of the youth and the teenagers served the meal. It is a lovely tradition.
Conversations took place as the young people got to hear from these veterans what life was like for them as they went off to war as young people. And our older members showed an interest in these young people, asking them about their lives. Some of the youth had been to memorials in Europe and spoke about them.
The vets, families and youth then walked in to the sound of the bagpipes played by James Ritchie, a grandchild of Jean MacDonald. A young child walked in with her grandfather dressed in his uniform, looking up at him and wondering what it all meant.
This is one of the ways we show respect for the story of our congregation members. This story includes suffering, sacrifice, and grieving. It is not an easy Sunday. Emotions are close to the surface.
And as I look out over the worship gathering, I see those who have been in war zones in Afghanistan, El Salvador and countries in Africa. These wars have all left their scars and we hope that our children will not have to experience this in their lives. And so we pray for peace and we work for a more peaceful world.
Peter
Conversations took place as the young people got to hear from these veterans what life was like for them as they went off to war as young people. And our older members showed an interest in these young people, asking them about their lives. Some of the youth had been to memorials in Europe and spoke about them.
The vets, families and youth then walked in to the sound of the bagpipes played by James Ritchie, a grandchild of Jean MacDonald. A young child walked in with her grandfather dressed in his uniform, looking up at him and wondering what it all meant.
This is one of the ways we show respect for the story of our congregation members. This story includes suffering, sacrifice, and grieving. It is not an easy Sunday. Emotions are close to the surface.
And as I look out over the worship gathering, I see those who have been in war zones in Afghanistan, El Salvador and countries in Africa. These wars have all left their scars and we hope that our children will not have to experience this in their lives. And so we pray for peace and we work for a more peaceful world.
Peter
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Looking For Inspiration - Look At Our People
I have spoke to several people this week whose commitment to being part of this community amazes me.
There’s a woman who takes three buses to attend one of the midweek programs at our church. And she brings children along with her.
Three woman that I have spoken with recently have to battle their way through the difficulties of the morning to get themselves ready for a 10 am service.
Another person just does not have the support to make that time in the morning but devotedly listens to the live-streaming on the web.
And I am sure that is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the inconveniences that individuals overcome and the sacrifices that people make to connect and contribute to this community of Emmanuel.
All I can say is, Wow! That is inspiring!
Peter
There’s a woman who takes three buses to attend one of the midweek programs at our church. And she brings children along with her.
Three woman that I have spoken with recently have to battle their way through the difficulties of the morning to get themselves ready for a 10 am service.
Another person just does not have the support to make that time in the morning but devotedly listens to the live-streaming on the web.
And I am sure that is just the tip of the iceberg as far as the inconveniences that individuals overcome and the sacrifices that people make to connect and contribute to this community of Emmanuel.
All I can say is, Wow! That is inspiring!
Peter
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Thinking And Acting Outside The Box
Don’t we love to think of ourselves as unique, free thinking individuals who make our own decisions?
Bill Bishop, not the fighter pilot one, wrote The Big Sort, a book on how we pick our neighbourhoods. Bishop says that we have a tendency to choose to live among those who are politically ‘like us.’ By choosing politically like-minded parts of the country or city, we become a little less likely to encounter other points of view.
Knowing how power works, it should be no surprise to us that the political machinery is well aware of their constituencies and who is living in their neighburhoods. Not only do they know where we live, they know how to design their message to appeal to our self-interest.
Here again, Christians and all those who care for their neighbours, need to be ‘as wise as serpents and a harmless as doves.” Those who do think of the needs of those who are different from us, have a greater responsibility to speak and act for the common good.
Peter
Bill Bishop, not the fighter pilot one, wrote The Big Sort, a book on how we pick our neighbourhoods. Bishop says that we have a tendency to choose to live among those who are politically ‘like us.’ By choosing politically like-minded parts of the country or city, we become a little less likely to encounter other points of view.
Knowing how power works, it should be no surprise to us that the political machinery is well aware of their constituencies and who is living in their neighburhoods. Not only do they know where we live, they know how to design their message to appeal to our self-interest.
Here again, Christians and all those who care for their neighbours, need to be ‘as wise as serpents and a harmless as doves.” Those who do think of the needs of those who are different from us, have a greater responsibility to speak and act for the common good.
Peter
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Right Battle
I was on a study leave event this weekend and I heard a story about Dietrich Bonhoeffer that I had never heard before. Apparently there was a time when a number of the German pastors were present at a meeting with some important Nazi officials.
The highest ranking Nazi rose to his feet and shouted out, “Heil Hitler.” Bonheoffer and others pastors who were resisting the Nazi regime stood up and joined the salute.
One pastor remained seated. Bonhoeffer leaned over and said, “Stand up you fool. This is not the time. This is not worth dying for.”
Bonhoeffer as we know did die for his faith but this was not to be the time or place or issue. Which raises the question , what is the issue that is worth going to the wall for? If we decide to make a stand, then let it be for an issue we can look back on and feel good about. Let it be carefully considered rather than a reaction.
On our journey of transformation, we are all in the process of learning what this means. How as a community do we move together? How do we make truthful and loving decisions? We are all learners and we are all teachers in this process.
Peter
The highest ranking Nazi rose to his feet and shouted out, “Heil Hitler.” Bonheoffer and others pastors who were resisting the Nazi regime stood up and joined the salute.
One pastor remained seated. Bonhoeffer leaned over and said, “Stand up you fool. This is not the time. This is not worth dying for.”
Bonhoeffer as we know did die for his faith but this was not to be the time or place or issue. Which raises the question , what is the issue that is worth going to the wall for? If we decide to make a stand, then let it be for an issue we can look back on and feel good about. Let it be carefully considered rather than a reaction.
On our journey of transformation, we are all in the process of learning what this means. How as a community do we move together? How do we make truthful and loving decisions? We are all learners and we are all teachers in this process.
Peter
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