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Journeying with Real People Towards the Real Bethlehem Could Transform Christmas for You and for Your Friends

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Journeying with real people towards the real Bethlehem could transform Christmas for you and for your friends. This is a precious book - precious to keep and precious to give away. Very Rev Dr A. Mclellan, Convener, World Mission Council, Church of Scotland. This book takes the traditional Advent themes of faith, hope and love and looks at them through the lens of ordinary Palestinians, who live in the land we call holy. We hope that it will both inspire you and challenge you as you make the journey towards Christmas. Maggie Lunan, Co-Chair, nativity. The traditional themes of Advent - light out of darkness, hope out of despair, the struggle to give birth to new life in the midst of difficulty and suffering - are here given a reality that is both vigorous and challenging. These reflections from people living on a knife-edge enlarge our vision. Kathy Galloway, Head of Christian Aid Scotland. World Mission Council 121 George Street Edinburgh, EH2 4YR © COS257 10/12 Scottish National Charity Number: SC0 11353 nativity supports Kairos Palestine and is involved dignity. For these reasons we support the rights of all in this resource because we want to encourage people Palestinians and Israelis to live in safety and security, to reappraise Christmas and look at all the celebrations and believe their rights are indivisible from each other. around Christmas with fresh eyes, to challenge the sentimentality of it and offer alternatives that incorporate Christian Aid welcomes the Kairos document as an ‘Just God’. As part of the bigger picture this resource important way of engaging the churches in the UK and offers the opportunity to consider the reality both of Ireland with peace and justice in Israel and the occupied Christmas past and Christmas present in Bethlehem. Palestinian territory (IoPt). As a document which is from Christians in the occupied Palestinian territory to the church world-wide, we would encourage churches to read Christian Aid is a Christian organisation that insists it and engage with it in a way that is most appropriate the world can and must be swiftly changed to one where for them. everyone can live a full life, free from poverty. We work globally for profound change that eradicates the causes As such Christian Aid welcomes this resource as a way of poverty, striving to achieve equality, dignity and for individuals and Churches to engage with the issues, freedom for all, regardless of faith or nationality. We are discuss the perspectives presented and make their own part of a wider movement for social justice decision on what action to take. For a full account of Christian Aid’s policy and position IoPt please see Christian Aid was established in the aftermath of the www.christianaid.org.uk/iopt Second World War to help European refugees, including Jewish refugees, who had lost everything. In the 1950s, as our work expanded all over the world, we provided The Church of Scotland started work in historic aid to Palestinians displaced by the war following the Palestine in the 1860’s when a young Scottish doctor creation of the state of Israel in 1948. started a clinic in Tiberias. It inherited Tabeetha School in Jaffa, in 1912, and St Andrew’s Church was dedicated in Since then we have joined in partnership with more Jerusalem in 1931. The General Assembly of the Church than 20 Israeli and Palestinian organisations to protect of Scotland has encouraged church members to promote human rights, help people access services and resources, justice for Palestinian and Israeli alike and encouraged and build a peace based on justice for all. We believe church people to visit the land to meet the different that all people are made in the image of God, and that communities and offer support and solidarity to the each person deserves a life of freedom, opportunity and contemporary Christian communities. Foreword In this Advent season our thoughts are drawn In this historic, promising land, that has been defiled and instinctively towards the small spot in the violated, there are still signs of hope, for people of different world connected with the babe in the manger faiths are connected in heart and respect the humanity of of Bethlehem that witnessed the birth of a “the other”, trying to see the divine image in each person. “Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” This Advent Resource offers us a unique opportunity to Enjoy reading about the peacemakers who are present journey in “prayer and mind” beyond Bethlehem in order at checkpoints, those who dare break unjust laws and to share with the “Living Stones”, an enriching spiritual walls in order to overcome racism and discrimination, and understanding of the true message of love. bereaved parents who can share the same suffering with “the others”. However, even the good will of the people If you accept the call of Kairos Palestine to “come and see” is not enough. They need YOU to be bold and creative through this booklet of stories, drawings and prayers, you in speaking out the truth, and daring to take action, so will meet Kemal, the shepherd; Khitam, the empowered that we can all remain “a witnessing, steadfast and active businesswoman; Daoud, in the “tent of nations” who refuses church in the land of Resurrection” (Kairos Palestine to be enemies with the settlers trying to grab his land; 4:2.1) Asma, the 6-year old girl from Gaza treated for cancer at the Lutheran Augusta Victoria hospital in Jerusalem; Iman, This Advent resource offers more! Let us not miss this the student from Qurtuba School in Hebron; Yusef, the olive chance to renew faith, hope and love, the three pillars wood worker longing for family reunification; and Claire, of the message that was sent out from the manger in stifling in a house surrounded by the separation barrier. Bethlehem promising a just peace that yet has to prevail. In twenty eight days, you will get exposed to the grim Nora Carmi. realities of life under Israeli occupation and the impact that it has on ALL Palestinians. But, despite the suffering, you Nora Carmi is a Palestinian Christian community-builder will discover their genuine aspiration for equity and justice involved in peace-making. Currently, she is the part-time and their non-violent firm resilience in trying to preserve Project Coordinator with Kairos Palestine. humanity and sanctity of life, with dignity. Letter to the Reader “Come all you faithful” is an invitation to journey, coalition of grassroots indigenous Christians who trace longing for ‘peace’ in your own heart is shared by other during this season of Advent with the Christian their Christian heritage back to the time of Christ, refuse people of all nations and faiths. community in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) such simplicity. They seek to remind us that both Israeli and Israel. They have offered to the churches of the and Palestinian are made in the image of God, and need Included in this resource are 4 small group study guides. world the Kairos Palestine1 document, “a word of faith, to find ways to live together in peace with justice. Each week follows the same pattern: lighting a candle, hope and love from the heart of Palestinian suffering”. a time of quiet, a prayer, a time of discussion ‘chat room’ The Kairos Palestine document continually challenges and a discussion topic. The ‘facts on the ground’ sections Kairos Palestine encourages us to think more deeply us to do more, to move from the superficial and seek of the group notes give further background information. about the land of Christ’s birth and the reality of life to uncover the truth below the surface. The Church of It is important to remember that these facts, like the on the ground, not least for the minority Christian Scotland, Christian Aid and nativity hope that land, are fiercely contested. People are polarised on these community. Kairos Palestine believes that life under this booklet will encourage you to draw alongside the issues. There will be disagreements. One of the gifts given military occupation, characterised by the separation Palestinian Christian community, gently and prayerfully, to the church and the world by Palestinian Christians is barrier, curfews, and checkpoints is far from the and to journey together, in story and prayer, through their constant reminder that all people are made in the Christian understanding of God’s love for all, God’s the days of Advent, when our focus is on that “little town image of God. Holding this attitude as the baseline for solidarity with the oppressed and God’s desire for justice of Bethlehem” and the in-breaking of God into human all conversation around the issues makes it harder to and equality for all. history through Jesus being born to Mary in Palestine. dehumanise and generalise. Peace, Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, “is not the absence You will note that there are contributions for 28 days; With those from all the ages who have journeyed and sung of tension but the presence of justice and love”. Justice this allows the booklet to be used in any year. As you we repeat the tireless invitation: ‘Come all you faithful’, and love are key calls of the Kairos Palestine document. read and pray and meditate on the stories, prayers and come and see, come and witness, come and act, come and Some commentators try to polarise people: ‘If you are images, we hope you will have time to reflect on the main be part of God’s Kairos, the moment of God’s breaking into pro-Palestinian you are anti-Israeli.” The writers of themes of Kairos Palestine, “the faith, hope and love from human history, to offer a better future: “For Palestine, for the Kairos Palestine document, representing a wide the heart of Palestinian suffering,” and discover that the Israel and for a troubled world, it’s time for peace.”2 Where once shepherds roamed over the hills and all the way down to the Jordan, there is less and less access to land.
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