Bob Hope would say, "Thanks for the memories." Thanks LPTS, the CF Foundation, and all of you for your prayers and support as we made this faith journey we'll never forget.
Amariah McIntosh
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The End of The Road
A few photos to share at the end of the journey. We shared a lot and learned a lot.
Bob Hope would say, "Thanks for the memories." Thanks LPTS, the CF Foundation, and all of you for your prayers and support as we made this faith journey we'll never forget.
Amariah McIntosh
Bob Hope would say, "Thanks for the memories." Thanks LPTS, the CF Foundation, and all of you for your prayers and support as we made this faith journey we'll never forget.
Amariah McIntosh
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Do You See What I See?
We all have challenges in our group and during our time together we have learned to make allowances for one another. One of our group has difficulty seeing. We take turns spotting for her. "Step!" or "Bump!" we exclaim, not unlike the Turkish guard banging his staff to make a path for the priest. During my turn I was warning her not just of steps but patterns of contrasting shadows and light that look like steps but are not. "Flat!" I would warn. She said, "You are seeing like me!"
The conflicting claims of the peoples here and the tension even in the Church of the Holy Seplchure between denominations, pilgrims and tourists, natives and visitors could be much improved if we all learned to see how others see.
The conflicting claims of the peoples here and the tension even in the Church of the Holy Seplchure between denominations, pilgrims and tourists, natives and visitors could be much improved if we all learned to see how others see.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Welcoming Bells for Greek Orthodox
Turn the volume to MAXIMUM to get a good taste of the bells. You could not talk and be heard in the courtyard when the bells were ringing.
The bells of Jerusalem churches ring at appropriate times in the services. (Except for one church, it always rings at 12 noon like clockwork: the Germans.) Here are the bells that usher in the Greek Orthodox delegation. The red capped one is a Turkish guard. Originally assigned by the Ottoman empire for protection of the church leaders, this office has been passed down to family members for generations. The guard bangs his staff on the floor to make a way through the crowd for the officials.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Bethlehem
Today we went to Bethlehem, and it was a rich experience. We saw the WALL for the first time, and it was sobering. It's huge, and while we were able to pass through easily (the soldier talked to our driver and waved us on through), the Palestinians who live in Bethlehem have great difficulty going back and forth. We met with Mitri Rahab, who is a Lutheran pastor there, and does some really great ministry, a school, a college, a wellness center. He was wonderful, and we were all fed by his wisdom. We also went to the Church of the Nativity, where we went down into the place where Jesus was supposedly born. I reached into the middle of the star and touched the rock, and lit some candles for you guys.
Then tonight we walked around a bit, not in the Old City, but in the more modern part. Jews were streaming out of the Old City after celebrating Pentecost (Shavrot, I think they call it), and were very festive and happy. We also walked for a couple of hours last night, did I already tell you this? It was fun to walk through regular neighborhoods. I feel boring tonight, so will quit writing. I'm NOT bored, mind you, just being boring.
I guess, though, that the one other thing I want to write about is that I practiced Sabbath yesterday, and it was pretty special. Sue had asked me the night before if I was getting any rest. And after walking around the Jewish Quarter of the Old City the day before, on their Sabbath, I thought that I would take my own. So I didn't take my camera with me, or my map, or even my watch. I decided to travel light, as Jesus instructed his disciples to do, and depend on the kindnesses of others. We went out in the morning to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and then ate lunch, and then I went back to the hotel and slept and read all afternoon, which was very nice and very needed. Then that night, as I said earlier, I walked around the city with Bruce, Andy, and Trish. It was a lovely Sabbath, and has set me thinking about what Sabbath really ought to be.
Okay, now I'm warming up. I also want to write about the visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We went out at about 7:00, with Hannah for our guide. She is Jewish, and knows so much about those churches that it makes your head spin! She took us to five different worship services, four of them in the Church of the HS. Syrian, Copt, Greek Orthodox, Ethiopian, and Arab Greek Orthodox (the last one was not technically in the C of the HS, I don't think). Oh, it was so interesting. Basically, these churches have been sharing the church for hundreds and hundreds of years. And 200 years ago, roughly, they (The Turks? The British? I'm getting so much information that I can't take it all in, anyway, the PIC, People in Charge) passed what they call the Status Quo, which the PIC are really well versed in. So What that meant was that whatever space that particular church had been able to carve out for themselves became theirs. So the Copts (from Egypt) have this little space that is surrounded by what looks like Jesus shower curtains. And the priests and monks and people gather there in front of it, and since it was their worship time, they were able to move beyond it a little bit, to worship. Lots of incense, and interesting hats and robes. Then the Ethiopians have two chapels. One of the them has a big clock on the wall that is a watch, and the other has a clock that chimes really loudly about every thirty minutes, and it reminded me of that funeral home that we go to sometimes. Also a big pink throne. So the priests and the monks and a few other people gather there, and there's lots of singing, but not like you'd expect, rather singsong and hummy and droney. The monks and priests carry big walking sticks, and they stand and lean on the them, oh, and they and we, take off our shoes when we enter. It was all very interesting and moving in some ways.
THEN there was the Syrian service, which was my favorite. Partly because it was probably this group that is really the most ancient in terms of Christianity, but more so because the main priest's robe was brilliant pink. Not really, that's not the reason. It's because we'd been there the day before, and it's this ancient cave-like room with this old falling-apart wooden altar, and then on Sunday morning, it had been turned into this wonderful space with icons and flowers and incense and wall hangings, and carpet, and it was just lovely! And it was a parish church, meaning that it wasn't just the priests and the monks and the tourists, but that there were families there, too, and there was participation from the congregation (very small group, sitting on little plastic seats). Anyway, it reminded me of our little machine shop church, and how it's full of homeless men and women during the week and then becomes a different space on Sundays. It's holy in both instances, but different. Anyway, I could have stayed there for a very long time.
Hannah was delightful, and one thing that she pointed out was that even though all of these churches have had a hard history of working out their space issues (who gets to clean what, etc., which they haven't done very well, evidentally, because our guide won't let us use the bathrooms there because they are so dirty--if women were in charge, that particular issue would have been settled), that it more or less WORKS. For 200 or so years, they've (once again, more or less) all gotten along. She was quite emphatic about this, and helped us to see it as the miracle it is. Though she also told us about the fight that broke out between the Copts and the Ethiopians a few years ago that resulted in near blindness for the Coptic (I think) Bishop. Sheesh.
Oh, I forgot to tell you: when the Greek Orthodox priests walk into the church, these bells ring and ring and ring, and they hit their big walking sticks on the ground and the crowd parts. I could use a LITTLE MORE RESPECT in the future!
Gotta go! Love you all!
Then tonight we walked around a bit, not in the Old City, but in the more modern part. Jews were streaming out of the Old City after celebrating Pentecost (Shavrot, I think they call it), and were very festive and happy. We also walked for a couple of hours last night, did I already tell you this? It was fun to walk through regular neighborhoods. I feel boring tonight, so will quit writing. I'm NOT bored, mind you, just being boring.
I guess, though, that the one other thing I want to write about is that I practiced Sabbath yesterday, and it was pretty special. Sue had asked me the night before if I was getting any rest. And after walking around the Jewish Quarter of the Old City the day before, on their Sabbath, I thought that I would take my own. So I didn't take my camera with me, or my map, or even my watch. I decided to travel light, as Jesus instructed his disciples to do, and depend on the kindnesses of others. We went out in the morning to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and then ate lunch, and then I went back to the hotel and slept and read all afternoon, which was very nice and very needed. Then that night, as I said earlier, I walked around the city with Bruce, Andy, and Trish. It was a lovely Sabbath, and has set me thinking about what Sabbath really ought to be.
Okay, now I'm warming up. I also want to write about the visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. We went out at about 7:00, with Hannah for our guide. She is Jewish, and knows so much about those churches that it makes your head spin! She took us to five different worship services, four of them in the Church of the HS. Syrian, Copt, Greek Orthodox, Ethiopian, and Arab Greek Orthodox (the last one was not technically in the C of the HS, I don't think). Oh, it was so interesting. Basically, these churches have been sharing the church for hundreds and hundreds of years. And 200 years ago, roughly, they (The Turks? The British? I'm getting so much information that I can't take it all in, anyway, the PIC, People in Charge) passed what they call the Status Quo, which the PIC are really well versed in. So What that meant was that whatever space that particular church had been able to carve out for themselves became theirs. So the Copts (from Egypt) have this little space that is surrounded by what looks like Jesus shower curtains. And the priests and monks and people gather there in front of it, and since it was their worship time, they were able to move beyond it a little bit, to worship. Lots of incense, and interesting hats and robes. Then the Ethiopians have two chapels. One of the them has a big clock on the wall that is a watch, and the other has a clock that chimes really loudly about every thirty minutes, and it reminded me of that funeral home that we go to sometimes. Also a big pink throne. So the priests and the monks and a few other people gather there, and there's lots of singing, but not like you'd expect, rather singsong and hummy and droney. The monks and priests carry big walking sticks, and they stand and lean on the them, oh, and they and we, take off our shoes when we enter. It was all very interesting and moving in some ways.
THEN there was the Syrian service, which was my favorite. Partly because it was probably this group that is really the most ancient in terms of Christianity, but more so because the main priest's robe was brilliant pink. Not really, that's not the reason. It's because we'd been there the day before, and it's this ancient cave-like room with this old falling-apart wooden altar, and then on Sunday morning, it had been turned into this wonderful space with icons and flowers and incense and wall hangings, and carpet, and it was just lovely! And it was a parish church, meaning that it wasn't just the priests and the monks and the tourists, but that there were families there, too, and there was participation from the congregation (very small group, sitting on little plastic seats). Anyway, it reminded me of our little machine shop church, and how it's full of homeless men and women during the week and then becomes a different space on Sundays. It's holy in both instances, but different. Anyway, I could have stayed there for a very long time.
Hannah was delightful, and one thing that she pointed out was that even though all of these churches have had a hard history of working out their space issues (who gets to clean what, etc., which they haven't done very well, evidentally, because our guide won't let us use the bathrooms there because they are so dirty--if women were in charge, that particular issue would have been settled), that it more or less WORKS. For 200 or so years, they've (once again, more or less) all gotten along. She was quite emphatic about this, and helped us to see it as the miracle it is. Though she also told us about the fight that broke out between the Copts and the Ethiopians a few years ago that resulted in near blindness for the Coptic (I think) Bishop. Sheesh.
Oh, I forgot to tell you: when the Greek Orthodox priests walk into the church, these bells ring and ring and ring, and they hit their big walking sticks on the ground and the crowd parts. I could use a LITTLE MORE RESPECT in the future!
Gotta go! Love you all!
Hey Ho from Jerusalem
Hey Friends! I've had so much to say, and haven't managed to get anything on the blog for the last few days. I just composed a wingdinger, then erased it, and now am out of time. But just know that this is such a rich experience, and I love so much to know that some of you are reading along with us. I just got back from an early morning trip to the Western Wall. It's Pentecost, and we were told that the Jews would be joyfully processing there if we got up at five o'clock in the morning. Some of did, and they were, and it was amazing.
Am headed off to Bethlehem today--can you imagine. "And it came to pass in those days..."
But now the little timer is flashing, so I will send this before it stops.
I love you, friends and family.
Cindy
Am headed off to Bethlehem today--can you imagine. "And it came to pass in those days..."
But now the little timer is flashing, so I will send this before it stops.
I love you, friends and family.
Cindy
Pentecost and Journey to Bethlehem
Dear Friends:
Today I’m feeling inspired, renewed, and encouraged out of the richness of our journey.
Inspired: I’m excited about coming home to preach the stories of Jesus anew with the mind-stretching perceptions from this pilgrimage – from a new understanding of the geography (It would have taken 3-4 days on foot, in camel caravan, to go from Nazareth to Bethlehem.), of the architecture (“Courts of the LORD’s house” means something different once you’ve walked on a Roman courtyard at a palace or temple.), of Jewish worship practices… and the list could go on and on…
Renewed: Some of us rose early this morning to join observant Jews praying at the Western Wall as part of their celebration of Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks (Pentecost). They had been moving toward the wall long before we joined them at 5, but we made it in time to be in their midst, thousands (really!) thronging through the narrow streets of the Old City to pray at the wall. Cindy reminded us of the beginning of the Pentecost story in Acts 2 where “all the believers were gathered together in one place.” We were allowed to travel in their midst and to pray as they prayed.
I’ve felt a strong sense of the presence of Krister Stendahl since arriving in Jerusalem. He’s a mentor who died recently. Krister was a Lutheran Pastor, a New Testament scholar and member of the faculty of Harvard Divinity School. For a time he served as Bishop of Stockholm in his native Sweden. Here are his principles for interfaith dialogue: 1. Let each one define him or herself. 2. When you compare yourself with others, do not bear false witness: don’t compare the best of your own tradition with the worst of theirs. 3. Allow yourself the experience of “holy envy,” an experience of wonder and appreciation of something in the other’s tradition which you do not have – not to appropriate it for yourself, but to receive the other in their strength and fullness. For a more articulate rendering of the principles than my allows, check out the obituaries posted at Harvard.edu One of them quotes the principles. Giving thanks to God for your life and witness, Krister.
Encouraged: We met Pastor Mitri Raheb this afternoon. He’s pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, a long time resident of the city, a third generation Lutheran, with a family Christian history probably stretching back to the first Century. We loved our conversation with him and our visit to the ministries of the Diyar Consortium sponsored by the church. Diyar means “home” or “homeland” in Arabic. His work encourages me in my dream of somehow working to develop new and stronger leadership for Lutheran urban ministries in US cities. For he has been able to articulate a vision based on the ministry of Jesus for his place, challenging as the circumstances are that they face. They have been able to help others to see their part in a community of hope, and to live, Muslims and Christians together. We give thanks for the ministry of Pastor Raheb and for all the staff and people of the Diyar Corsortium ministries, and I personally give thanks that he is helping to keep my hope and dream alive.
We are wrapping up our pilgrimage and soon we turn our faces West toward home. We’re missing all of you!
Blessings, this day.
Pastor Janet Peterman
Today I’m feeling inspired, renewed, and encouraged out of the richness of our journey.
Inspired: I’m excited about coming home to preach the stories of Jesus anew with the mind-stretching perceptions from this pilgrimage – from a new understanding of the geography (It would have taken 3-4 days on foot, in camel caravan, to go from Nazareth to Bethlehem.), of the architecture (“Courts of the LORD’s house” means something different once you’ve walked on a Roman courtyard at a palace or temple.), of Jewish worship practices… and the list could go on and on…
Renewed: Some of us rose early this morning to join observant Jews praying at the Western Wall as part of their celebration of Shavuot, the Festival of Weeks (Pentecost). They had been moving toward the wall long before we joined them at 5, but we made it in time to be in their midst, thousands (really!) thronging through the narrow streets of the Old City to pray at the wall. Cindy reminded us of the beginning of the Pentecost story in Acts 2 where “all the believers were gathered together in one place.” We were allowed to travel in their midst and to pray as they prayed.
I’ve felt a strong sense of the presence of Krister Stendahl since arriving in Jerusalem. He’s a mentor who died recently. Krister was a Lutheran Pastor, a New Testament scholar and member of the faculty of Harvard Divinity School. For a time he served as Bishop of Stockholm in his native Sweden. Here are his principles for interfaith dialogue: 1. Let each one define him or herself. 2. When you compare yourself with others, do not bear false witness: don’t compare the best of your own tradition with the worst of theirs. 3. Allow yourself the experience of “holy envy,” an experience of wonder and appreciation of something in the other’s tradition which you do not have – not to appropriate it for yourself, but to receive the other in their strength and fullness. For a more articulate rendering of the principles than my allows, check out the obituaries posted at Harvard.edu One of them quotes the principles. Giving thanks to God for your life and witness, Krister.
Encouraged: We met Pastor Mitri Raheb this afternoon. He’s pastor of Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, a long time resident of the city, a third generation Lutheran, with a family Christian history probably stretching back to the first Century. We loved our conversation with him and our visit to the ministries of the Diyar Consortium sponsored by the church. Diyar means “home” or “homeland” in Arabic. His work encourages me in my dream of somehow working to develop new and stronger leadership for Lutheran urban ministries in US cities. For he has been able to articulate a vision based on the ministry of Jesus for his place, challenging as the circumstances are that they face. They have been able to help others to see their part in a community of hope, and to live, Muslims and Christians together. We give thanks for the ministry of Pastor Raheb and for all the staff and people of the Diyar Corsortium ministries, and I personally give thanks that he is helping to keep my hope and dream alive.
We are wrapping up our pilgrimage and soon we turn our faces West toward home. We’re missing all of you!
Blessings, this day.
Pastor Janet Peterman
More Pictures from Bruce
This is Dimitri Raheb. He is the pastor of the Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem. A major portion of his ministry has been developing a vision for the Palistinian people that makes for positive change in overall human relations. He is an Arab Christian, and his family has been a part of the Christian tradition for as long as he can remember. He directs the International Center in the city of Bethlehem. It is an amazing ministry and he is a gifted person working for peace in the midst of terribly difficult situation. He does this by creating opportunities for education, employment, and marketable skills (and creative expression) in an economy that has been devistated by a miriad of circumstances.
We visited Bethlehem today. Upon entering the city, we are reminded of the separation that exsists in this land of the Patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Sarah, Rebekah, and Rachel as well!) How one views this wall depends greatly upon your perspective. You can guess who sees it as protection and who views it as captivity.
Could these be the new weapons to wage peace?One of the programs we learned about today is engaging the Palistinian People in using various forms of media, including art and documentary filmmaking as a way of telling their story and focusing the attention of the world on their situation. Paintings, glass work, and movies seem more conducive to peacemaking that guns and tanks...
This is the Traditional Site of the Nativity
This is the main Altar above the site of the Nativity
This is the Traditional Site of the Nativityit is in a cave below the main Altar in the Church.
The Church of the Nativity has been standing on this site, making it one of the oldest Christian shrines in the Holy Land. The Persians did not destroy the church when they conquered the land in the seventh century. Why? Because the mosaic representations included the "magi from the East". The Persians recognized themselves in the artwork, and spared the church.
This is the main Altar above the site of the Nativity
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