In This Issue

Holding Onto Hope
Kairos Palestine Offers Powerful Response to WCC Statement
Mennonite Action’s March to DC and Interfaith Coalition
MennoPIN Welcomes New Steering Committee Member!
Prayers from Sabeel
Stay Informed on Palestine

Holding Onto Hope

Image from https://achievement.org/achiever/desmond-tutu/

This reflection was contributed by Rod Stafford

In the midst of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, ‘I am not an optimist. I am a prisoner of hope.’

In the midst of the struggle to seek peace in Palestine and Israel, I am not an optimist. Eight months after the horrific attacks of October 7, Hamas continues to hold hostages. The IDF continues an unrelenting, deathly war on Gaza. The United States continues to supply the weaponry and resources to sustain the violence. Antisemitism is on the rise around the world. And Gazans are left to bleed out and starve. After our calls and letters, our organizing and protesting, there are times I wonder what difference we’ve made. I am not an optimist.

But as followers of Jesus, we are prisoners of hope. We hold onto the vision Jesus had of the Beloved Community – everyone has a place, everyone is safe, everyone has what they need to thrive. We hold onto faith that the love of God, embodied in Jesus, is stronger even than death. Nothing was more pessimistic than Good Friday, but then Easter happened. As followers of Jesus, we hold onto hope that the power of God makes possible a future of love and justice for all.

With that kind of hope to sustain us, it has been heartening for me to imagine our work for peace in Palestine and Israel as a ‘ministry of erosion.’ That’s a phrase that Willie Dwayne Francois III uses to describe the work of his congregation, Mount Zion Baptist Church in New Jersey – the work of ‘wearing down structural evil and organized sin.’ That kind of erosion happens when we, with patience and persistence, flow in the direction of mercy, justice, and truthfulness, of repentance, prayer, and peacemaking. It happens when we stand in solidarity with the suffering people of Gaza, when we seek the release of Israeli and Palestinian captives, when we protest the actions of our government that underwrite the war, and when we refuse to let hate into our hearts.

When energy starts to wane, when frustration sets in, let us hold onto hope.

Kairos Palestine Offers Powerful Response to WCC Statement

On June 11, the World Council of Churches recently released their most comprehensive statement so far on Israel’s war on Gaza. While it had many good elements to it, Kairos Palestine issued a response stating where they felt the WCC statement could have been much stronger and hoped that their response would be a beginning of dialogue between the two organizations.

Mennonite Action’s March to DC and Interfaith Coalition

Mennonite Action participants walk down a street holding a “Send Food Not Bombs” poster (credit to Mennonite Action)

July 18-28, Mennonite Action is organizing an 11-day, 135-mile march for peace from Harrisonburg, VA to Washington DC. This bold public action will use our bodies, our voices, and our beliefs to show our government that everyday people — including Christians and Mennonites — are unwavering in our conviction that we need a permanent ceasefire in Gaza immediately.   Mennonites and allies are invited to join this march for one day, one weekend, one week, or the full march. Consider organizing your congregation to join together and march or to sponsor the cost of a smaller group of marchers from your church.  Sign up here for the march.

The March leads Mennonite Action to the July 28-30, Washington, DC., Multiracial, Interfaith Action with Christians for a Free Palestine, IfNotNow, Jewish Voice for Peace – DC, Faith for Black Lives, Rabbis for Ceasefire, Hindus for Human Rights, and more.  Our collective actions will promote a theology of liberation and peace, in contrast to a theology of domination, hatred, and violence being offered at the Christians United for Israel’s Summit which is also occurring July 28-30.  Activities throughout the weekend will include: interfaith services, civil disobedience, nonviolence training, a lobby day, and an all-inclusive rally.  Sign up here to participate!

MennoPIN Welcomes New Steering Committee Member!

MennoPIN is excited to announce that Adam Ramer, co-coordinator of Mennonite Action, has joined the MennoPIN Steering Committee.  Adam replaces long-time committee member Rod Stafford, who is leaving after years of dedicated service.  Ramer’s  presence on the steering committee will facilitate collaboration with Mennonite Action and help MennoPIN adapt as we continue to work for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel.

Prayer from Sabeel

In the last few months, the international community has been increasingly worried that the Palestinian Authority (PA) might collapse in a few months. Several factors, such as lack of funding, unpopularity amongst Palestinians, and half a million Palestinians unable to work in Israel since the 7th of October, contribute to this worry. Furthermore, the Israeli security cabinet met on June 17th to discuss increasing settlement expansion and imposing sanctions on the PA due to its activity at the United Nations and at both international courts in the Hague.

Divine creator, we are living in difficult and uncertain times, with no clear vision of a better future. Many of us carry deep fear and anxiety. Lord, as the realities around us are collapsing, give us faith. Give us faith like the Psalmist that “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3). Give us courage, O Lord, to face our realities and put our faith on you rather than our own understanding or on corrupt powers. 

Lord in your mercy… hear our prayer

Since the Israeli invasion of Rafah, access to food and aid in Gaza has been further restricted, compounding threats of starvation and malnourishment faced by an already weary population. Latest estimates state that 3,500 children are at risk of dying from malnourishment. Furthermore, the UN and other aid agencies say transfer of goods from the US built pier to Gazans remains suspended due to the Israeli military usage of that area in the hostage rescue that took place a few weeks ago.

Good God, where are you amidst the man-made famine in Gaza? Do you see what is happening? Lord, “Have you eyes of flesh? Do you see as man sees?” (Job 10:4). Amidst our lament, we ask you to cast away the miserable comforters who increase the pain of the oppressed by offering words of false optimism. Help us with our faith, help us with our witness, help us see your face and participate in the work of your revolutionary love.

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

Web Publications

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)
Lydia Miller (Kalamazoo Mennonite Fellowship, Kalamazoo MI)

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Published by Mennonite Palestine Israel Network (MennoPIN)

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