Advent Four Message

Mark Holman, of the ELCA, is the pastor of the English-speaking congregation of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City in East Jerusalem. His wife Marcia and he arrived from Minnesota a month before us to begin a four-year term here in this position. This was Mark’s sermon given on Sunday the 23rd, the Fourth Sunday in Advent. As the four of us have had the same reactions to what we have been experiencing, we felt that he expressed our feelings so well. Mark has kindly given us permission to include his message in our blog.

There is a columnist who writes for my favourite newspaper. I don’t often share this writer’s opinions, but I respect his views and appreciate his writing style. David Brooks, writing in this week’s NY Times, was commenting on the front-running candidates seeking their party’s nomination for President of the U.S. I won’t address the political issues here, but I do want to lift up one of Brooks’ apt images.

He sounds a warning to us and to the candidates. He says that Presidents are too often buffeted by over-the-top flattery, criticism and betrayal. They become isolated and exposed. They are, as he says, “puffed up on the outside and hollowed out on the inside.” It is that image of being puffed up on the outside and even more being hollowed out on the inside that’s been rattling around in my soul.

For the image is not only apt for international leaders – but it is apt for our celebration of Christmas … and the living of our lives…. as well.

I suspect you have already received many greetings from friends and family. Sometimes they come by mail – more often by email. With many of these greetings (especially to those of us who will celebrate our first Xmas here in Jerusalem), the disconnect between what people think we are experiencing – and what we are actually experiencing is amazing.

Sometimes it is amusing – and sometimes it is sadly serious. Here & now, in the age of instant communication, it is staggering to realize how mis-informed so many bright people are.

Let me illustrate – This week Marcia and I heard from a dear friend, Betty, and she gave expression to similar sentiments we have heard from others. Betty wrote, “What is it like to BE in the area where Jesus was actually born? I just cannot imagine how incredible it has to be!!! Are there many celebrating his birth with you? Is there much opportunity to witness the Gospel to those not sharing the Christian faith? How is Christmas celebrated there? … (IN CONCLUSION) May the Jesus whose birthday we celebrate – touch your hearts and souls like never before.”

Betty is a wonderful and loving friend and I don’t mean to dismiss – for a second – the sincerity of her greeting. But, what she imagines it’s like here – and what it is really like, is quite different.

We also received a note from David, a former classmate, recent Bishop’s assistant and now serving as Sr. Pastor for one of the largest Lutheran churches in Ohio. “I took my first (and only) trip to Israel just 2 years ago and was really moved by the trip. It was sponsored by the Cleveland Jewish Community Federation and included Christians and Jews; we met with Palestinian and Jewish leaders, but it was mainly looking at the political situation from the Jewish viewpoint. This Christmas will be so different for you, probably in every way, unless you keep some of the food traditions!"

I am quite certain that David’s tour did not include Bethlehem – the place we go tomorrow – the place of the Saviour’s birth. Many tour groups of the type he was on, understand Bethlehem to be a forbidden place, a place of danger. You just don’t go over there to visit the birthplace of the Prince of Peace.

Now, there is nothing wrong with the views of Betty and David and people within your circle of friends and family. It simply shows that we all have a lot to learn. For everyone of us, learning is a life-long task. And for us, we have the particular opportunity and responsibility to teach – not only current events – but, what we are coming to know as Christmas in this place, this dark place of the Savior’s birth.

In many ways Xmas gets so puffed up and hollowed out that it is hard to see anything of the simplicity, natural loveliness, holiness and the raw earthiness of that moment when God became flesh – Emmanuel – flesh to dwell among and save people like you and me and ALL people.

Perhaps the ultimate puffery is demonstrated in the “living nativities” that seem to be the current rage in some of the largest mega churches. Right after Thanksgiving, Travis visited one such living nativity near Chicago:

“That night I and a couple of thousand others were enthralled by the spectacular staging of the beautiful and inspiring story of the first Christmas told reverently in pageantry, music, and scripture. It featured multiple-set tableaus, live animals, and swelling musical orchestration; but perhaps the most notable component of this particular scene, as I observed was in the audience’s response to it. As soon as the curtain pulled back to reveal the full set of the nativity, the stage began to sparkle with the strobing flashes from countless digital cameras. It was the one and only point at which the audience was willing to transgress the venue's explicit rule to not take flash photos. Suddenly, the stage lights came up and the beautiful Xmas story unfolded. It was almost as if we were there."

When the story of the nativity is PUFFED UP in a full multi-media extravaganza, it is hard not to feel a bit hollowed out. It happens a lot – the puffing, that is – this time of the year, and understandably; it is the greatest story ever told. But, when you try to square all of that with the first pitiable stable with its cold-stone manger, and its young Mary and bewildered Joseph, it’s hard to put it all together.

And, tomorrow, when so many will walk through checkpoints and then pass through the awful “Wall” – it will be hard to imagine that this is the birthplace of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Prince of Peace. With that disconnect, many of us might be feeling more than a bit hollowed out. But, that’s okay. In fact, it is a good place to be to celebrate Xmas and consider its meaning for your life.

Think of old Joseph. If anyone had the feeling of being hollowed out, it was him…His betrothed, Mary, was pregnant. That could only be viewed as a terrible shame, a tragedy. For Joseph, it would be hard to image anything worse. Incredibly, though, he had enough…What? Integrity? Love? Compassion? Matthew calls it righteousness… Anyway, he had enough of it to quietly dismiss Mary – and very possibly save her life if not her reputation. There was nothing puffed about old Joseph. He was hollowed to his core. The only thing that was left was his honourable plan.

Today’s gospel tells us that it may be okay to be hollowed out. It’s an okay place to celebrate Xmas. It’s an okay place to consider what you are doing with your life, and what values guide it. When something – or someone – is hollowed, there is new space created.

For Joseph, God entered the hollow and gave him something so much better than his noble and well-conceived plan. God gave purpose and mission.

For those going to Bethlehem on Christmas Eve tomorrow, God can enter the hollow and give something so much better than even the loveliest live nativity in Chicago. God can give deepened faith through the flickering of a candle or through a familiar carol heard again “for the first time”.

For those of us in the late-stages of crafting a new plan for our own lives, we may be surprised (like Joseph) that God has a different (and better idea.) This year, let’s step aside from the stuff that puffs up Xmas – it’s really not necessary. But let’s step toward – even embrace – the experience of being hollowed out. The Saviour of the world wants to be born in that sacred space...

A Review of Israel Shanak's JEWISH HISTORY, JEWISH RELIGION: THE WEIGHT OF 3000 YEARS

The bottom line of the decades-long conflict regarding the ownership of this land is that both the Jews and the Palestinians believe that they have “divine right” to the land that we know today as Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.

According to Israel Shanak in his book, JEWISH HISTORY, JEWISH RELIGION: THE WEIGHT OF 3000 YEARS, a good many Israelis, as well as Jews living in other parts of the world, believe that Jews have a divine right to part of Egypt right up to the outskirts of Cairo, all of Jordan, a chunk of Saudi Arabia, all of Kuwait and a piece of Iraq, all of Lebanon and Syria, some of Turkey, and the whole of Cyprus, because the biblical boundaries of Israel included these areas. Of course, Israel does not have the strength to re-occupy these countries, but it does have the strength to occupy all of the West Bank and Gaza. However, the dream of “getting back biblical Israel”, Shanak writes, is very strong among the orthodox Israeli Jews who have a great deal of influence with Israeli policy-makers.

The Palestinians, on the other hand, through an ownership trust called “waqf”, lay claim to almost all of Israel, the West Bank, and Gaza which have been given in trust to the Supreme Muslim Council. This land is theoretically inalienable, meaning that it may not be sold. In short, both Israelis and Palestinians have an historic and theological claim on the land in question.

Shanak points out something else that we non-Jews need to grasp in order to understand what underlies Israeli policy. When a group of settlers seizes a Palestinian property, they aren’t stealing the land; they are “redeeming” it. Any land that was part of “greater Israel” and that now belongs to a Gentile (a Muslim, a Christian etc.) is "unredeemed" and there for the taking. The commandment “Thou shalt not steal” for an orthodox Jew means “Thou shalt not steal from another Jew”.

What is even more disturbing is Shanak’s observation that, according to orthodox Judaism, a Jew is under no obligation to protect or spare the life of a Gentile (Muslim, Christian). A Jew will do so only if, by not doing so, some harm could come to the Jewish people. In a word, according to Jewish law, a Jew may do all that is necessary to rid the land of Gentiles. Conversely, Muslims have deemed Jews and Christians to be “people of the book” and, until recently, recognized them as “dhimmi”, that is, “protected” people, although with fewer privileges than the Muslim population. However, some radicals in Islamic theocracies cannot abide the presence of non-Muslims.

The point that Shanak makes in his book is that Israel puts on a good act for the West and makes token “efforts" to come to terms with the Palestinians. He writes that Canada and the United States are the most gullible of all western countries in the face of Israeli subterfuge. He says that Canada is particularly taken in, but that the US is a greater stumbling block to peace in the region because of the billions of dollars in aid that the US gives to Israel each year, allowing Israel to carry out its policies of expansion.

Shanak wants the West to see through Israeli action, and he wants Israelis to free themselves from the shackles of their history and religion so that they can play a more responsible role in today’s world.

DECEMBER IN THE WEST BANK

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

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!

Advent Article in Kitchener/Waterloo Newspaper "THE RECORD"

This article appeared in the Faith Section of the Kitchener newspaper "The Record" on Saturday, December 15, describing our early Advent observations here in East Jerusalem. (To see the article as it appears printed in the newspaper, select "View Newspaper PDF". )

http://news.therecord.com/Life/faith/article/283229

http://news.therecord.com/Life/faith

PEACE INITIATIVES

After our return from Jordan with the East Michigan group, we were fortunate to be part of a dinner meeting with the group at the home of Mark and Marcia Holman.

An aside: Mark is the pastor of the English-speaking congregation of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City of Jerusalem where we are members during our stay here. They are from Minnesota; Marcia left a position as a Behavioural Consultant and will be offering her services here in the ELCJHL schools during their 4-year stay here. They were also part of the group from here who along with us joined the folks from East Michigan on their side trip to Jordan.

After a wonderful catered Palestinian meal, we were privy to a moving presentation by two representatives from “Parents’ Circle – Families Forum” (Bereaved Families Supporting Reconciliation & Peace), a non-political organisation. The Forum was established in 1995 and in 1997, Palestinians joined. They donate blood for each other, provide summer camps for Israeli and Palestinian students to get to know each other, give lectures in high schools—they’ve talked to 30,000 students, both Israeli and Palestinian. They sponsor a radio programme where Israelis and Palestinians can talk to each other, and promote the use of bumper stickers, “It won’t stop until we talk”.

Rami, an Israeli, told his story of the devastation suffered by him and his family when his 14-year-old daughter was killed by a suicide bomber in 1997. He struggled with his hatred and feelings for revenge until, nine years ago, when at the age of 47, he joined the organisation. It was the first time in his life that he had actually met a Palestinian. Although he said that he could never forgive the person who committed this atrocity, he came to the realisation that “we are not doomed; we can break this cycle of revenge through dialogue & listening; reconciliation can make cracks of hope in the wall of fear”. He now has the support of his whole family. His wife, a professor at Hebrew University, and his whole family are involved in peace activities.

Shireen, a Palestinian lawyer, told of a number of family members—in particular, an uncle, and a brother—who have been killed by Israeli bullets. She also has another brother still in jail. Her family and friends support her or at least don’t interfere with her work in the organisation. When asked what we can do, “Be pro-peace and reconciliation; don’t take sides. Promote respect and convey the basic values of humanitarianism.”

You can find out more about this organisation at http://www.theparentscircle.org/ .

A TRIP TO JORDAN

We and three others living in East Jerusalem had the opportunity from Nov. 25 to 27 to join a group of nine from Michigan on the part of their tour that took them to Amman and Petra. The group consisted of Lutheran pastors, wives, and lay people who were here on a study tour to learn as much as possible about the situation here and to visit the Lutheran ELCJHL churches.

We left on Sunday around noon after church, taking a minibus to the border crossing at the Allenby Bridge, named the King Hussein Bridge in Jordan, a trip from Jerusalem of about 45 minutes.

Having never crossed a border by land here before, we weren’t prepared for the security that we experienced! After we were finally cleared by both the Israeli and Jordanian military, we finally boarded another minibus to take us to Amman after being assigned an armed Tourist policeman who accompanied us most of the time while we were in Jordan.

We finally arrived at the Jerusalem International Hotel in Amman around 3:45 p.m. After settling in, we were met by Pastor Samer Avar, the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Good Shepherd Church who gave us a tour of Amman; unfortunately it was already dark by 5:00 but we had some excellent night views of the city.

We arrived at the Good Shepherd Church for the service at 6:30 p.m. Because Jordan is mainly a Muslim city, stores are open on Sundays and so the Lutheran church holds its Sunday service in the evening to accommodate those members who have to work. Pastor Samer translated parts of the service and the sermon which was delivered by Pastor Fred Harms from Michigan. The Michigan church and the Amman church are twinned and the pastors have exchanged visits before. After the service and coffee hour, we were treated to a delicious traditional Middle Eastern meal hosted by the Good Shepherd church.

The next morning, we left at 6:30 a.m. for the 2 ½ hour drive to Petra, the Rose-Red City which was discovered in 1812 by a Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt on his way from Damascus to Egypt. Petra was the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, a people made wealthy by the caravan trade around 312 B.C. However, its independence ended when it was annexed in AD 106 by Rome and the Nabataeans fell into oblivion.

Our group hired a guide for a 4-hour tour of the main parts of Petra—he told us that one needed 5 days to see the whole city properly. We walked through the canyons, marvelling at the beauty of the cliffs with their amazing coloured stratification and shapes hewn by raging floods and natural erosion. The homes, stairs, tombs, and temples that had been carved by the Nabataeans were breathtaking. We followed the Siq, a natural narrow gorge among the rocks, 120 metres long, with the rocks reaching 100 metres high, opening out into the highlight of the tour, the Treasury or royal tomb of Al-Khazneh, probably built during the first century B.C. Who can forget the awe felt as we watched Indiana Jones ride through the opening in the narrow passage to view the Treasury towering before him! It was even more awe-inspiring in real life.

After our amazing day, we had dinner and spent the night at the Grand View Hotel in Petra, very aptly named, and proceeded back to Jerusalem the next day. It was certainly a trip not to be missed!

A VISIT WITH FRIENDS

What a wonderful couple of days we had when Kathleen and John Lambert spent three nights in Jersualem on their trip to the Holy Land.

Originally we’d planned to see each other first on the Mount of Olives in the Augusta Victoria Hospital compound. Their itinerary had them scheduled to visit the church and tower of the Ascension Church which offers a panoramic view of Jerusalem. However, their guide changed the itinerary at the last moment, likely because Israelis are told it is too dangerous to enter East Jerusalem. What a shame as it was a beautiful day and the view would have been amazing.

However, we got together the next evening, meeting them at their hotel, The Renaissance at Rupert Bridge and Heizl St. in West Jerusalem, where we had a lovely visit and dinner together at their hotel. We also relieved them of the containers of maple syrup which they kindly brought for us, having lugged them around with them on their travels!

The next day we met each other around 1:00 p.m. in front of the Damascus Gate to the Old City and spent a delightful afternoon wandering up and down Sultan Suleiman and Salah al Din Streets in East Jerusalem. The weather was perfect, sunny skies, around 20 degrees.

Later, we treated them to the experience of riding a Palestinian bus up to our Guest House on the Mount of Olives. They got to see the Church of the Ascension and the tower from the outside at least—unfortunately it closes at 1:00 p.m. to visitors. We enjoyed sitting in the garden at our Guest House sharing some wine together before taking a “Servisse” (special taxi/bus) back down to the Old City around dusk. We had time to wander leisurely through part of the Old City before our reservation at Nafoura’s, an Armenian restaurant, near the Jaffa Gate where we enjoyed a delicious meal together.

All too soon, we had to say goodbye as they had to pack for their return flight to Canada the next morning. Khalid, our taxi driver returned them to their hotel and drove us back “home”. Their visit had been the highlight of our week! We extend the invitation to family and friends to come and see us while we’re here. Remember, the clock is ticking, only seven months left for an unforgettable experience. We’d love to show you around!