Weihnachtsmarkt and Arabic Congregations's
Christmas Bazaars
St. Lucia celebration
Diana's birthday Party and farewell to Ecumenical Accompanier Team
Bethlehem's Christmas Lutheran
Dar Al-Kalima Kindergarten's Christmas Party
Hope Lutheran School's Christmas Programme
St. Lucia celebration
Diana's birthday Party and farewell to Ecumenical Accompanier Team
Bethlehem's Christmas Lutheran
Dar Al-Kalima Kindergarten's Christmas Party
Hope Lutheran School's Christmas Programme
At the time of writing our Advent article for the Kitchener Record, December started out with little indication that Christmas was near, unlike at home where Christmas preparations usually begin as soon as Hallowe’en is over!
There had been a bazaar of Bethlehem vendors held in the Jerusalem Hotel in East Jerusalem in mid November that offered a few Christmas items. However, it wasn’t until the first of December when the Christmas bazaar, a Weihnachtsmarkt, held by the German-speaking congregation at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, combined with a flea market gave us our next glimpse of the approach of Christmas.
Our first opportunity to enter the familiar world of Christmas trees and decorations came when Bob Granke, the Executive Director of Canadian Lutheran World Relief who was in Jerusalem for Board meetings, treated us to dinner at the American Colony Hotel which was all decked out for Christmas for its international visitors.
With the beginning of Advent, the weekly volleyball and potluck gatherings at the Stone House, were replaced by Wednesday night Advent potluck/devotional gatherings held in people’s homes.
Then on the second Sunday in Advent, the Arabic-speaking congregation of the Church of the Redeemer held their Christmas bazaar after the Sunday service, and, later that afternoon, Pastor John Setterlund, a retired pastor from Chicago who has been volunteering in Beit Jala for the last year and a half, gave an organ concert there that included some advent and a hint of Christmas music. The decorations and lights in the church promised the approach of Christmas.
Since then some of the stores in the old city and downtown East Jerusalem have started to sell small imitation Christmas trees and decorations and a few lights have appeared. In Bethlehem, with its larger Christian population, some lights and decorations make it look more like home. The Muslim community is celebrating its largest festival now as well: Eid Adha commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Ishmael to follow Allah’s command—an interesting parallel to the story we’re familiar with.
On December 13, we attended the St. Lucia’s celebration at the Swedish Theological Institute. A candle-light procession of choir members robed in white and carrying candles was led by “St. Lucia” to a balcony in the courtyard where we were treated to a programme of beautiful Swedish music; after the concert, everyone was invited inside for a glass of mulled wine or juice and some Swedish pastries.
We also had the pleasure this month of attending a birthday party in Beit Hanina for Diana, one of the Ecumenical Accompaniers. Diana (pronounced Deeana) and her husband Jakob are a young couple from Germany. She lived here in the Guest House with her team and was most generous in including us in group potlucks here. Jakob is working as the vicar in the Arabic Lutheran congregation. It was also a farewell for the Ecumenical Accompaniers team. We’ve had to say goodbye not only to Diana but to the other young women from the team: Michaela from Poland, Maria from Sweden, Hilda from Norway, and Krista from Finland. We’ll certainly miss their bubbly and friendly presence here. The Guest House seems empty without them.
Last Sunday we attended a choral concert by the Star Chorus at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. The beautiful music combined with the decorations in the church brought home how near we are to Christmas.
This week Sister Sylvia and I attended the Kindergarten’s Christmas programme at Dar Al-Kalima School in Bethlehem, and the Hope School’s Christmas programme at Hope Lutheran Church in Ramallah. It was just like being home—except for the language, of course.
From now until Christmas we’ll have the pleasure of attending our last Wednesday-night Advent gathering, an Palestinian Rock and Roll Christmas Concert, Augusta Victoria Hospital’s Christmas/Adha dinner, the SABEEL Christmas programme and dinner—see http://www.sabeel.org/ for details about the organisation—and another concert in Bethlehem.
On Christmas Eve, we’ll attend the 5:00 p.m. service at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem and have a chance to wander around Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. On Christmas morning, we’ll celebrate at the Redeemer service, followed by a Christmas potluck/brunch at the Holman’s—the home of our warm and generous pastor and his wife.
To finish off the day, the folks living at the Guest House will be having a joint turkey dinner complete with all the trimmings. We’ll definitely miss our celebrations with friends and family at home, but we’ll be together in our hearts and minds. A most blessed Christmas to everyone!
There had been a bazaar of Bethlehem vendors held in the Jerusalem Hotel in East Jerusalem in mid November that offered a few Christmas items. However, it wasn’t until the first of December when the Christmas bazaar, a Weihnachtsmarkt, held by the German-speaking congregation at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, combined with a flea market gave us our next glimpse of the approach of Christmas.
Our first opportunity to enter the familiar world of Christmas trees and decorations came when Bob Granke, the Executive Director of Canadian Lutheran World Relief who was in Jerusalem for Board meetings, treated us to dinner at the American Colony Hotel which was all decked out for Christmas for its international visitors.
With the beginning of Advent, the weekly volleyball and potluck gatherings at the Stone House, were replaced by Wednesday night Advent potluck/devotional gatherings held in people’s homes.
Then on the second Sunday in Advent, the Arabic-speaking congregation of the Church of the Redeemer held their Christmas bazaar after the Sunday service, and, later that afternoon, Pastor John Setterlund, a retired pastor from Chicago who has been volunteering in Beit Jala for the last year and a half, gave an organ concert there that included some advent and a hint of Christmas music. The decorations and lights in the church promised the approach of Christmas.
Since then some of the stores in the old city and downtown East Jerusalem have started to sell small imitation Christmas trees and decorations and a few lights have appeared. In Bethlehem, with its larger Christian population, some lights and decorations make it look more like home. The Muslim community is celebrating its largest festival now as well: Eid Adha commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Ishmael to follow Allah’s command—an interesting parallel to the story we’re familiar with.
On December 13, we attended the St. Lucia’s celebration at the Swedish Theological Institute. A candle-light procession of choir members robed in white and carrying candles was led by “St. Lucia” to a balcony in the courtyard where we were treated to a programme of beautiful Swedish music; after the concert, everyone was invited inside for a glass of mulled wine or juice and some Swedish pastries.
We also had the pleasure this month of attending a birthday party in Beit Hanina for Diana, one of the Ecumenical Accompaniers. Diana (pronounced Deeana) and her husband Jakob are a young couple from Germany. She lived here in the Guest House with her team and was most generous in including us in group potlucks here. Jakob is working as the vicar in the Arabic Lutheran congregation. It was also a farewell for the Ecumenical Accompaniers team. We’ve had to say goodbye not only to Diana but to the other young women from the team: Michaela from Poland, Maria from Sweden, Hilda from Norway, and Krista from Finland. We’ll certainly miss their bubbly and friendly presence here. The Guest House seems empty without them.
Last Sunday we attended a choral concert by the Star Chorus at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. The beautiful music combined with the decorations in the church brought home how near we are to Christmas.
This week Sister Sylvia and I attended the Kindergarten’s Christmas programme at Dar Al-Kalima School in Bethlehem, and the Hope School’s Christmas programme at Hope Lutheran Church in Ramallah. It was just like being home—except for the language, of course.
From now until Christmas we’ll have the pleasure of attending our last Wednesday-night Advent gathering, an Palestinian Rock and Roll Christmas Concert, Augusta Victoria Hospital’s Christmas/Adha dinner, the SABEEL Christmas programme and dinner—see http://www.sabeel.org/ for details about the organisation—and another concert in Bethlehem.
On Christmas Eve, we’ll attend the 5:00 p.m. service at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem and have a chance to wander around Manger Square in front of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. On Christmas morning, we’ll celebrate at the Redeemer service, followed by a Christmas potluck/brunch at the Holman’s—the home of our warm and generous pastor and his wife.
To finish off the day, the folks living at the Guest House will be having a joint turkey dinner complete with all the trimmings. We’ll definitely miss our celebrations with friends and family at home, but we’ll be together in our hearts and minds. A most blessed Christmas to everyone!
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