Today someone from my group called me the "Don Corleone" of Tantur. With my many contacts, from Palestinians Christians to Muslim taxi drivers, from the Medical Director of a Community Clinic to the Regional Director of the Lutheran World Federation, I have referred people to get medical treatment and procured taxi rides to a museums.
This week Wednesday I have invited folks to a weekly volleyball game across from Augusta Victoria Hospital.
Last week Friday, I heard marvelous unison, two-part and four-part singing by women at St. Mary Magdalene Church (Russian Orthodox) on the Mount of Olives, because my college friends attend there. One of these friends, who works for the American Consulate in Jerusalem, is arranging the motorcade for Condolezza Rice's visit today.
Yesterday I introduced eight of our Tantur friends to Bishop Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land, and before worship began at the Church of the Redeemer helped two of those friends get Israeli currency (the New Israelis Shekel-NIS) from a moneychanger I know.
Last night, Kari and I stopped by at our friend and adopted Palestinian mother Jihan Azar. Her son-in-law Michael and daughter Sana Younan also came to see her (Michael is Bishop Younan's brother). Kari and I heard how severe the crisis is for Palestians since many American funding sources have been halted since the election of Hamas. Michael's business supplies maps, and one of his publications shows the shrinking size of Palestine due to Israeli settlement on land owned by Palestinians, but who have been pushed out. With the funding streams drying up, Michael's business, along with many others, has been unable to function.
Michael wondered whether I might bring those from my congregation to see not only the pilgrimage sites, but also to see the plight of those who are struggle to live on this land claimed by so many groups. I said that I would be glad to. What do you think?
Tomorrow I will be leading Evening Prayer for our group of 17, using many of the resources from Renewing Worship. Together we will pray for those we know to be in need, for our own safety and continued learning. And in Jerusalem, which is literally translated as the City of Peace, we will bask in scriptural images of how we might build and rebuild to the glory of God and the healing of nations.
Oh, that our vision could match those of John of Patmos, who is exile wrote of the enduring and lasting beauty of this City of Peace, which you see,
comes from above (Revelation 21:10-11): 10And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city
Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. 11It has the glory of God and a radiance like a very rare jewel, like jasper, clear as crystal.
May God in Christ, through the Spirit, breathe peace to all who seek to live in Jerusalem, and desire a new Jerusalem.
Christ the King Lutheran Church, 3 Lutheran Drive, Nashua, NH 03063 (603) 882-6142
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