MennoPIN Update – December 19, 2023
In This Issue
There Will Be No Christmas in Bethlehem This Year
The Deaths in Gaza Get Personal
MennoPIN Needs Your Help on this Update!
Prayers from Sabeel
Stay Informed on Palestine
There Will Be No Christmas in Bethlehem This Year
Creche in the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem
Every year Christmas in Bethlehem, birthplace of Jesus, is a large celebration with thousands of people attending the festivities and a tall brightly decorated tree in the center of Manger Square. But not this year. With all that has happened since October 7 in Gaza especially, but also in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, Christian leaders in the region have called for a somber celebration of Christmas this year.
In the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, near the traditional site of Jesus’ birth, the creche at the front of their worship space has the baby Jesus wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh amidst concrete rubble like that all over Gaza. Rev. Dr. Munther Isaac is the pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church, Academic Dean of Bethlehem Bible College and Director of Christ at the Checkpoint Conference. In a sermon earlier this Advent, he preached on why they chose this creche scene this year. English subtitles translate the Arabic here.
The Deaths in Gaza Get Personal
Doaa Al-Massri
MennoPIN received the tragic news this week of the death of a member of the Youth Vision Society (YVS) staff, Doaa Al-Massri, who was killed by the Israel Defense Forces in their ongoing carpet bombing and unfolding genocide of the people of Gaza. The Manhattan Mennonite Church (KS) developed a years-long relationship with YVS and we are deeply saddened by her senseless and indefensible death, similar to those of nearly 20,000 Gazans and counting. One of her colleagues, with heavy heart, wrote this about Doaa:
“The YVS team is deeply saddened to let you know that Doaa Al-Massri has been killed along with her mother and siblings. Doaa was the YVS project manager and such an influential leader who led change and innovation so passionately.
Doaa was a voice that should have never been suppressed.
Doaa was so kind so she should not have been hurt.
Doaa was so ambitious so she should not have been forced to spend her youth under the Gaza blockade.
Doaa was so generous so she should not have been displaced.
Doaa was a peace-maker so she should not have been bombed.
Doaa was so brave that Israeli occupation forces were afraid of her.
Rest in peace, Doaa. We trust God you are in a better place now.“
MennoPIN Needs Your Help on this Update!
MennoPIN wants to get this Update out more frequently, but we need help to do that. If you have experience in working with MailChimp and Word Press, you would be ideal in creating regular issues of MennoPIN Update and maintaining our website. Even if you don’t have direct experience with these two platforms, but would be willing to learn, we would love to hear from you. Each issue typically takes 3-5 hours of time gathering materials, writing copy, finding appropriate photos and publishing the Update through MailChimp. If you are interesting in exploring this possibility further, please write us at mennopin@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon!
Prayer from Sabeel
As the violence in Gaza continues to intensify, the colder weather and heavy rains have caused flooding, worsening the humanitarian crisis. UNRWA has stated that its shelters for internally displaced persons in the middle and southern areas of the Gaza strip are over nine times their capacity, hosting the 1.9 million internally displaced persons. Additionally, the spread of disease has increased, with health authorities documenting 360,000 cases of infectious diseases in shelters, including diarrhea, influenza, meningitis, hygiene related conditions such as lice, and 1,500 cases of intestinal disease are reported daily due to food shortages.
Almighty God, we call to you in anguish over the sickness and suffering your people in Gaza are experiencing. How long, O Lord? We remember that you were born in the likeness of humans, and you know what it is to experience pain and bodily suffering. Bring healing to all who are sick and bring protection to all who seek shelter. Ultimately, we pray for a ceasefire and for lasting healing that will come only through your complete justice.
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.
On the 16th of December, two Christian women, Nahida Anton and her daughter Samar Anton, were shot and killed by Israeli military snipers as they walked within the grounds of the Holy Family Parish in Gaza. Seven others were shot and injured as they tried to protect those sheltering inside the church compound. Earlier the same morning, a rocket fired from an Israeli tank targeted the Convent of the Sisters of Mother Teresa, damaging the building and displacing the 54 disabled persons who live there.
Almighty God, we are distraught over the deaths of Nahida and Samar, and there are no words that can be said to express our grief and outrage. We trust that you are weeping now with the families of the martyrs, and we hold onto your words from Matthew, “blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Comfort the Christians in Gaza who continue to seek shelter in the Holy Family Parish and provide for all the disabled who were displaced by the attack on the Convent.
Lord, in your mercy… hear our prayer.
Stay Informed on Palestine
MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. But there are additional excellent organizations and web publications that can keep you informed, some on a daily basis. We invite you to explore these groups and visit the web publications as another way to keep current and active for the people of Palestine. Here are some MennoPIN recommends:
Organizations
- Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)
- Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center (Sabeel)
- Mennonite Central Committee Palestine and Israel
- Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT)
- U.S. Campaign for Palestine Rights (USCPR)
- Kairos Palestine
- Kairos USA
- Americans for Middle East Understanding (AMEU)
- Christian Zionism
- Palestinian Christian Alliance for Peace
- Palestine Portal
Web Publications
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Mennonite Palestine-Israel Network
mennopin@gmail.com | mennopin.org | facebook.com/mennopin | twitter.com/mennopin
Steering Committee:
Bob Atchison (Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan, KS)
Dorothy Jean Weaver (Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA)
Dave Janzen (Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart, IN)
Jonathan Kuttab (Palestinian lawyer and human rights activist, Manheim, PA)
Lydia Brenneman (Lima Mennonite Church, Lima, OH)
Rod Stafford (Portland Mennonite Church, Portland, OR)
Zachary Murray (Mennonite Central Committee, Washington, DC)
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