We would like to highlight the Sabeel Wave of Prayer, updated weekly by the Sabeel Palestinian Christian organization. Reminding us that prayer is an essential part of peacemaking, these prayers address regional, timely concerns for Palestine-Israel from a Christ-centered perspective. The posts address regional, timely concerns for Palestine-Israel in a Christian perspective. Subscribe and join this community of prayer.
Updates
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS)
Basics about Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions against Israel and Complicit Organizations
Why is there an international movement for boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel?
In 2005 Palestinian civil society organizations issued a historic, rights-based call to the international community for Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) targeting Israel and institutions complicit in its oppressive policies towards Palestinians until it complies with international law and ensures:
- Freedom: End to the occupation and colonization of all Arab lands;
- Equality: Full rights for Palestinian citizens of Israel; and
- Justice: Right of return for Palestinian refugees to their homes and lands
With the publication of the Kairos Palestine Document in December 2009, Palestinian church leaders called on Christians around the world to explore boycott and sanctions against Israel and divestment from companies around the world that profit from the occupation.
Mennonite USA church leaders in, An Open Letter to Mennonite Church USA Congregations (2007), encouraged “exploring ways our investments and our role as investors can be used to provide hope and promote peace in this region.”
Palestinian civic leader Sam Bahour calls BDS a principal nonviolent response to the injustice perpetrated on Palestinians and invites all who seek justice to join this movement.
With the failure of the U.S. government and international community to hold Israel accountable for its actions, BDS promotes time-honored and respected tactics used to achieve justice throughout history, including in the U.S. Civil Rights and South Africa Anti-Apartheid Movements.
BDS is:
- A nonviolent response to Israel’s violence against Palestinians.
- Grounded in universal human rights and international law.
- Aimed at institutions, never individuals.
Boycott targets include consumer goods and complicit academic and cultural institutions. Divestment can be implemented by universities, churches, unions, pension funds and other institutions. Sanctions require ending U.S. military aid to Israel or penalties brought by governmental bodies and courts against Israel.
How are decisions made to boycott certain products or to divest from certain companies?
With literally hundreds of individuals, church denominations, universities and colleges, countries and NGOs participating in the BDS movement there have been efforts to identify possible targets based on moral principles of breaking international law, violating human rights and defying United Nations mandates. Here is an example of BDS principles that were formulated by the American Friends Service Committee and is their current policy:
Divestment
These beliefs lead AFSC to support divestment from companies that:
- Provide products or services that contribute to violent acts that target either Israeli or Palestinian civilians;
- Provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance of the Israeli military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem;
- Provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories;
- Provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance and construction of the Separation Wall.
Boycott
AFSC may also support boycotts in three primary areas:
- Boycott of goods and services from companies covered by the AFSC investment screen.
- Companies that provide products or services that contribute to violent acts that target either Israeli or Palestinian civilians;
- Companies that provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance of the Israeli military occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem;
- Companies that provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance and expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories;
- Companies that provide products or services that contribute to the maintenance and construction of the Separation Wall.
- Boycotts of settlement products, and related activities.
- Companies that produce products or services in facilities/through operations in Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories or using exploited Palestinian resources/labor
- Boycotts of institutions, groups, or events that directly sustain or purposefully obscure the occupation and inequalities between Palestinians and Israelis.[1]
Sanctions
In making decisions regarding support for sanctions, AFSC is led by the guidelines laid out in the 1993 AFSC report titled “Dollars or Bombs: The Search for Justice through International Economic Sanctions”. This report included a series of guidelines developed by an AFSC Working Group on International Economic Sanctions that are designed to assist those considering supporting or opposing the use of sanctions. AFSC supports the cutting of military aid to Israel and cutting security assistance to Palestinian Authority forces responsible for human rights abuses.
In addition to consumer boycotts of products made in the illegal Israeli settlements, there are many other products produced in Israel and Palestine that profit off of the occupation. Besides calling for institutions or individuals to divest from companies that promote and sustain the violence in Palestine, there are ongoing programs for academic boycotts and cultural boycotts against Israeli. So, in order to have an impact it is important that these divestment and boycott campaigns be coordinated among as many groups, institutions, and people as possible.
One of the best sources used to research who the companies and institutions are who profit off the occupation is “Who Profits?” Their website can be found at: http://www.whoprofits.org/
To find information about current BDS campaigns contact the U.S. Campaign to End the Occupation and look at their website on BDS news:
http://www.bdsmovement.net/make-an-impact
What can I do?
- Educate people in your group and beyond about the issues of Israeli occupation and encourage them to pledge to boycott certain products that are produced in illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
- Participate in activities to exert economic pressure on Israel and U.S. corporations that benefit from the occupation. In addition, urge corporations to move production out of settlements, to be environmentally responsible, and to pay their employees living wages.
- Write and deliver letters to retailers and corporations that sell products made in the settlements asking them to remove such products from their shelves.
- Engage in direct actions and demonstrations at stores that carry products to be boycotted.
- Talk to friends and relatives about BDS efforts and ask them to pledge to participate in the boycotts and demonstrations.
- Ask government entities to stop using products made in the illegal settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
- Contribute reviews on Amazon and other companies dissuading purchasers from buying products made in the settlements.
Other resources:
The Israel/Palestine Mission Network:
www.theipmn.org/
Global Exchange:
http://www.globalexchange.org/economicactivism/sodastream/campaigns
Code Pink: Stolen Beauty Campaign (Ahava):
http://www.codepink4peace.org/section.php?id=415
Soda Stream Campaign:
http://www.codepink4peace.org/section.php?id=470
Soda Stream Interfaith Boycott Coalition:
http://www.sodastreamboycott.org
United Methodist Kairos Response:
https://www.kairosresponse.org/Boycott.html
Kairos Palestine & Mennonite response
In November 2025, faith-based advocates, theologians, church leaders, and activists from Palestine and around the world gathered in Bethlehem, Palestine to commemorate the 16th Anniversary of Kairos Palestine.
Standing together in prophetic witness and committed action, the conference presented a new Kairos document (scroll down to see the original from 2009) and call; a renewed theological and moral plea to the global Church at a time when Christianity itself faces the threat of extinction in its land of origin.
The new Kairos Palestine document, A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide, laments the loss of people, the land, and the world’s moral compass. It names the realities that Palestinians are experiencing and insists that others use this vocabulary that describes these realities: settler colonialism, illegal occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.
We encourage you to take some time to read this Palestinian Christian initiative in its entirety and to open your hearts to their appeal for us, as their brothers in sisters in Christ, to join them in costly solidarity.
A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide
About the Original Kairos Document
In December 2009, Palestinian Christian leaders launched the Kairos Palestine Document, a statement that shares their daily realities of life under occupation and calls on Christian sisters and brothers and churches worldwide to be witnesses to these realities, to be in solidarity, and to take action. One way to do this is to “come and see”:
In order to understand our reality, we say to the Churches: Come and see. We will fulfill our role to make known to you the truth of our reality, receiving you as pilgrims coming to us to pray, carrying a message of peace, love and reconciliation. You will know the facts and the people of this land, Palestinians and Israelis alike. At the same time we call on you to say a word of truth and to take a position of truth with regard to Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land.
Pilgrimage has brought many people over the years to the “Holy Land”. And although pilgrimage can make us feel closer to our faith story, to truly find an opportunity for engagement and transformation, to truly encounter God today in the suffering of this land, one must see the “living stones.” One must see the living Palestinian Christian communities who hope for a peace born of justice and who seek to tell their stories, to be heard, and to have their stories told to the rest of the world.
As a follow up to the Kairos Palestine Document, a Come and See booklet was drafted by Palestinian Christians to provide suggestions for Christians contemplating pilgrimage to the “Holy Land”. It includes many resources for travelers such as a code of conduct for tourism that aims to promote just and responsible tourism and help visitors take a justice approach that affirms the love of God for all, provides biblical insights for a pilgrimage of transformation and suggestions for meaningful face-to-face encounters with “the living stones.”
For more on how you can see the situation for yourself, learn about opportunities to visit Palestine-Israel through Mennonite Central Committee, Christian Peacemaker Teams, or Mennonite Church USA.
Study guide
With permission, MennoPIN has adapted materials from the Israel Palestine Mission Network of the Presbyterian Church for use in studying Kairos Palestine. The study guide is available in English and in Spanish.
Resources
Have you read the Kairos Document? Still want more information?
Here are some reading, film, and media resources for further learning:
- For a short introductory video see Jewish Voices for Peace’s animated introduction on our Background Video page.
- Learn about organizations working for justice in Israel-Palestine within the Anabaptist community, in North America, in other US based denominations, and in the Middle East on our Organizations page. The MCC Palestine blog is a great resource.
- If you are interested in continuing to study, reflect, and act see our list of Study Guides. Many of these can be used as Sunday School Curriculum.
- Film is a powerful medium. We invite you to screen Documentaries at your churches. See our list of recommended Documentaries.
- Keep up with the latest news in the region with these Media Resources.
- There are many powerful and informative Books written about this issue. Read them on your own, or study them with a small group. Here is a list of our favorites: Books
- Requests for prayer can be found here.
YMCA in Gaza
A Member of Menno PIN and on the Twining committee recently sent a letter to the president of the YMCA on behalf of the YMCA in Gaza. A letter to the president of the YMCA, with an introduction from David Janzen is as follows:
Fellowship of Hope of Elkhart IN and other friends in 2020 established a “twinning” relationship with the Gaza YMCA, located in Gaza City. The Gaza Y along with most of Gaza City, has been largely destroyed with many of its participants killed or seriously injured. A group of us continue to hold Zoom calls twice a month with several of the Gaza Y’s leaders who, in spite of having to immigrate to other countries, keep in touch with those still in Gaza City. Through their contacts, we send relief help and communicate the tragic existence of those remaining.
In one of our Zoom calls, we discovered that in recent posts, the International YMCA mentioned the situation in the Jerusalem and Lebanon Y’s but notably omitted the status of the Gaza City one. After checking with our Gaza friends, I sent the following letter to the President of the International Y pleading that they also give attention to the Gaza Y.
Letter:
World YMCA President Christopher Lewis
Dear President Lewis:
I am writing to plead for more international attention and support for the Gaza YMCA. I’m sure you are aware of the destruction of the fine facilities and the deaths of many children and adults who used the YMCA, and those sheltering in what is left of the buildings. As I read the deliberations of your International organization, Gaza’s YMCA is rarely mentioned compared to those in Jerusalem or Lebanon. I wonder if the presence of what remains of the Hamas resistance has made it politically unfavorable for the International YMCA to support the good people of Gaza who are in desperate conditions.
My family benefitted from the Elkhart IN USA YMCA for many years. Our boys learned to swim and used its gym frequently. In my social work years in Elkhart, we held many community meetings at the Y as it was truly a place where all ages, cultures, and races interacted and worked together. It was a sad day when it was replaced by a large swimming facility.
I became acquainted with the Gaza Y from a Mennonite Church initiative where individual churches regularly connected by Zoom calls with churches or not-for-profit organizations. My congregation, Fellowship of Hope in Elkhart, began interacting this way in 2020. We continue to meet even though some of the leaders of the Gaza Y left the country. In earlier years, we toured on video cameras through the Gaza facility, saw the work of the children in psycho-social, art, and athletic activities, and attended on Facebook their annual Christmas Tree lighting ceremony. We were so impressed by the presence of Christians and Muslims working together for the good of all.
We are deeply impressed by the strong desire of our Gaza friends to restore their YMCA, even though it is difficult to imagine with the continued Israeli assaults. We have sent contributions to help those remaining in Gaza purchase scarce and expensive food and supplies, and will continue to have regular contact.
My plea is that the international organization remember the Gaza chapter, include it in your support and communication materials, and inform the Israeli government of the important role of the YMCA in rebuilding Gaza both in structures and in developing peaceful relationships among its people.
Sincerely,
David Janzen
Church at the Crossroads
November 5-7
Atlanta, Georgia
Meet pastors, theologians, and ministry leaders whose communities have worshiped in the Holy Land since the earliest centuries. Hear how they read Scripture, understand the gospel, and follow Jesus amid one of the world’s longest-running conflicts. Along the way, you’ll wrestle honestly with the biblical questions many evangelicals are asking about Israel, the Church, the land, justice, peace, and faithful discipleship.
Join us for conversations rooted in Scripture, shaped by the witness of the historic Church, and open to honest questions. Church at the Crossroads
Upcoming Conference: Church at the Crossroad. Nov 5-7 in Atlanta
Dear Atlanta Mennonite Church,
I hope this note finds you well! My name is Laura Poetzel, and I work as a programs coordinator with the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice, an institute of the Bethlehem Bible College in Bethlehem, Palestine. I’ve attached our Public Engagement Director, Daniel Bannoura, to this email as well.
We are hosting a conference called Church at the Crossroads this November 5-7 in Atlanta (at Grace Midtown Church) which, while welcoming of all audiences, aims especially to engage evangelicals with Palestinian Christians and provide a space to wrestle with questions about Palestine, Israel, the war and genocide in Gaza, and beyond (I’ve attached an official conference ‘blurb’ below).
This is the second iteration of the Church at the Crossroads conference, with the first being held in Glen Ellyn, Illinois last September. During this conference, a local Mennonite church (Lombard Mennonite, which I personally attended as a university student:) generously helped support the conference by providing some trained de-escalator volunteers from their congregation; these folks were stationed in different locations during the conference to help navigate any conflictual interactions.
We would love to invite your congregation to join us as attendees this November, and we would also be curious in having a conversation around whether you would have trained de-escalators as part of your congregation who would be interested in supporting us in this way. However, if this is not something that your congregation would feel comfortable or able to do, that is completely understandable.
Please let me know if you would be interested in a conversation, and regardless thank you for your time and consideration!
For Peace,
Attend Church at the Crossroads in Atlanta
—- Conference ‘blurb’ below —-
For many American Christians, the voices of Palestinian Christians have been almost entirely absent from conversations about Israel and Palestine.
Church at the Crossroads is an opportunity to change that.
Meet pastors, theologians, and ministry leaders whose communities have worshiped in the Holy Land since the earliest centuries. Hear how they read Scripture, understand the gospel, and follow Jesus amid one of the world’s longest-running conflicts. Along the way, you’ll wrestle honestly with the biblical questions many evangelicals are asking about Israel, the Church, the land, justice, peace, and faithful discipleship.
Join us November 5–7 in Atlanta for a conversation rooted in Scripture, shaped by the witness of the historic Church, and open to honest questions.
—
Rev. Dr. James Rissler
Pastor, Atlanta Mennonite Church
I try to live with love, joy, and presence.
2026 Resolution to Central District Conference of the Mennonite Church
Faith
They treat the wounds of my people as if it were nothing. They say, “Peace, Peace, when there is no
peace.” 1 Look at the proud! Their spirit is not right in them, but the righteous live by their faith. 2
As Central District Conference Anabaptist Mennonites, we believe that all human beings are made in the image of God. As followers of Jesus and his gospel of reconciliation, we long for peace, security, and the well-being of all people living in Israel/Palestine. We affirm the spirit of the 2017 MCUSA “Seeking Peace in Israel and Palestine” Resolution.
We believe in caring for those who are undergoing suffering. Palestinian Christians have cried out with one voice from the depths of despair as they confront the U.S.-funded Israeli genocide of Palestinians in Gaza through the Kairos Palestine II – A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide document (Kairos II). This document was written by Palestinian Christians and shared at the Kairos Palestine conference on November 14, 2025, in Bethlehem. From the birthplace of Christ, the land of the incarnation of the Word, and the cradle of love, mercy, and justice, Kairos II is a call to “learn to do good; seek justice; rescue the oppressed.” 3 God the Creator and source of love for all, stands in solidarity with and takes the side of the oppressed, the victims of all forms of injustice and tyranny from every nation regardless of race, religion, or nationality. 4 We stand on the mission of the church that is made manifest in joining the work of God’s reign through the pursuit of peace, the defense of the oppressed, and doing good in our communities and the world.
As followers of Jesus, our faith convicts us to speak the truth as to what is happening to the Palestinian people, both on the West Bank and in Gaza. We echo the findings from many scholars and human rights groups, including Palestinian and Israeli groups, that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. All reports from Gaza and the West Bank indicate that Israel has not upheld its obligations under the so-called “ceasefire” and continues to destroy Palestinian life and property. Recognizing this truth, and our complicity, we commit to divesting ourselves financially from the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide and theologically from Christian Zionism
We believe in the practice of lament. *We lament and denounce the slaughter of Israelis by Hamas on October 7, 2023. We lament our complicity, as Americans, whose tax dollars fund this genocide against Palestinians, and as Christians whose theology has been used to justify it. May God help us lament with the Palestinian people all the ongoing loss of lives, institutions (churches, mosques), hospitals, art, sports, education (universities, schools, day care centers), economy (markets, businesses) and more in Israel’s ongoing genocide against them.
*Upon further reflection at their meeting on August 7, 2026, the Board of Directors replaced the word ‘slaughter’ with ‘killing’ to better reflect the reality of October 7, 2023.
Hope
My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have
hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end. 5
We seek to collaborate with the Holy Spirit and witness to the kingdom of God, where everyone is valued and has what they need for flourishing, and we seek to resist actions and ideas that do not work towards the things that make for true, lasting peace. To hold on to faith and hope is resistance. To pray is resistance. To help safeguard all places on earth for sustainable living is resistance. To promote and live peace is resistance. 6 We affirm the sanctity of life and the duty to care for creation. We are called to live in coexistence with creation and to care for our siblings living under oppression. 7
We hope for cooperation and mutual care between various Christian expressions. Just as Jesus prayed for his disciples, that they would be one, 8 the writing of Kairos II from different denominations of Christianity, demonstrated that unity across differences can be possible.
We hope for love and understanding between all the Abrahamic faith traditions, Christian, Jewish, and Muslim, that our differences in stories and traditions, interpretations of sacred texts, sacred places and sacred ways, might enrich one another’s lives and be used to support one another’s practice.
We hope for a more close-knit relationship between the congregations within Central District Conference and with our Christian siblings around the world as we work toward justice and peace for our siblings in Palestine. We hope for members in Central District Conference to speak the truth in love about this and every matter of importance. When there is disagreement, we hope for openness to dialogue and genuine curiosity about the other, not to confuse firmness of conviction with the need to compete with those with whom we disagree.
Love
But you, beloved, build yourselves up on your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit; keep yourselves in
the love of God. 9
We cannot love what we do not know. All CDC congregations are encouraged to read and study Kairos II itself, and make use of the Kairos II Study guide , which walks you through the powerful statement from our Palestinian Christian siblings.
Answer the call to Boycott, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDS). In line with the call from Kairos II, CDC members are urged to support creative non-violent resistance, including educating congregants and pastors about boycott campaigns and investment justice tools, such as the American Friends Service Committee’s Investigate and Everence’s “Peace in Palestine and Israel fund,” to divest from Israeli apartheid and genocide.
We do not walk alone. All CDC members are encouraged to join (or create) a local Mennonite Action group engaging in advocacy and connect with the Mennonite Palestine-Israel Network which maintains relationships and resources congregations. All members are encouraged to join and support this living action by creative non-violent resistance with those who have been organizing for years. Develop local relationships with Palestinians in or near your community (such as, students at colleges and through cultural centers), as a way of practicing ongoing solidarity through befriending and caring about the ongoing nature of the Palestinian struggle.
The primary principle of our faith is to love 10 our neighbors and our enemies. 11 As we work to respond, let us always keep alive the question “what is the most loving action we can take in this circumstance?” Love calls us to just actions on behalf of the oppressed Palestinian people, centered in non-violent, love oriented movement with those causing harm. Be encouraged to follow this love to creatively come up with your own congregation’s ways of practicing active, ongoing solidarity.
______________________________
1 Jeremiah 4:16
2 Habakkuk 2:4
3 Kairos II (3.1), Isaiah 1:17
4 Kairos II (3.2), Luke 4:18-19
5 Lamentations 3:20-22
6 Kairos II (2.3)
7 Kairos II (2.6)
8 John 17:21
9 Jude 1:20-21a
10 Mark 12:28-34
11 Luke 6:27-36
Easter In Gaza
I, together with my father, Mr. Khalil Al-Halabi, visited one of the oldest churches in the Middle East to extend our heartfelt congratulations to our Christian brothers and sisters in Gaza on the occasion of Easter. It was a visit filled with humanity and warmth, as we were received with genuine hospitality that reflects the deep bonds of love and coexistence among the people of this land.
What was most moving and inspiring is that this church has become more than a place of worship, it has transformed into a safe haven, sheltering both Muslim and Christian displaced families who have lost their homes, embodying in the truest sense the unity of pain and hope.
The walls of this church stand as witnesses to profound sacrifices, to those who were martyred within it, Muslims and Christians alike, during the period of genocide in Gaza, writing in their blood a story of unbreakable unity. We also heard from families how the church extended a helping hand, providing food to those under siege and striving to save children from hunger and thirst, an act of humanity that will forever remain etched in memory.
In this spirit, we recall the words of Allah Almighty:
“And you will surely find the nearest of them in affection to the believers those who say, ‘We are Christians.’ That is because among them are priests and monks, and because they are not arrogant.”
[Surah Al-Ma’idah: 82]
This verse comes alive in such places, where hearts unite before identities, and humanity rises above all divisions.
Wishing our Christian brothers and sisters a blessed Easter, and may this occasion bring hope, peace, and renewed strength. May Gaza always remain a symbol of unity, resilience, and shared humanity.
Please Visit the original post by Mohammed Khalil
Opportunity to Build Hope in the West Bank
Abuna [Father] Firas Khoury of the Melkite Catholic Parish in Zababdeh, Northern West Bank, is seeking “friendly parishes and churches with whom [to] establish a twinning relationship.” The women of Abuna Firas’ parish produce olive oil soap for sale in order to raise urgently needed funds for the ongoing life of their parish. Basic information about the sale of the olive oil soap is the following:
–The soap costs $5.00 per bar.
–Orders must total 100 bars or more per order.
–Payment can be made through arrangement with Abuna Firas.
–Shipping will be arranged by Abuna Firas through a shipping company located in Jenin, West Bank.
–Cost of shipping could start at $200 and will rise depending on the size of the order.
–Abuna Firas can be contacted at melkitecatholic@yahoo.com.
Abuna Firas says, “Can you please help me in finding friendly parishes and churches with whom we could establish a twinning relationship? This would greatly support my “living stones.” I am trying to keep hope alive in the midst of our way of the Cross.”
Please consider encouraging one faithful and struggling Christian parish in the Northern West Bank by contacting Abuna Firas and planning a soap drive for your congregation!
Prayer for Peace in Response to the Iran War
by Lorraine Stuzman Amstutz
As followers of Jesus Christ, we are deeply saddened by the violence and destruction unfolding in our world.
The bombing of Iran and the escalating tensions in the region remind us of the fragile nature of peace and the immense cost of war.
We affirm the sacred dignity of every human life.
We reject hatred and dehumanization that occurs in the name of seeking peace.
We grieve every life lost.
We pray for families who are mourning.
We ask you to protect civilians, children and all who are most vulnerable from further harm.
While nations wrestle with complex political and security concerns, we believe Christ calls us to be agents of reconciliation, truth and peace.
We commit ourselves to pray for wisdom for leaders, protection for the innocent, comfort for those who grieve, and restraint that prevents further bloodshed.
May God’s justice and mercy guide all nations toward lasting peace.
Holy Spirit, bring comfort where there is fear, courage where there is despair, and hope where darkness feels overwhelming.
Amen
Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz prays for lasting peace in response to the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that started Feb. 28, 2026, and Iran’s retaliation that have led to the loss of hundreds of lives, including many children. Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz is MC USA’s denominational minister for Peace and Justice. For more than 25 years, she served as the coordinator of Mennonite Central Committee’s Restorative Justice program. She also co-authored “The Little Book of Restorative Discipline for Schools” and “What Will Happen to Me?” Lorraine graduated from Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Virginia, with a bachelor’s degree in Social Work, and earned a master’s in Social Work from Marywood University, Scranton, Pennsylvania. She and her husband attend Blossom Hill Mennonite Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
MennoPIN Update – December 2025
An Opportunity to Get Involved: Join our Steering Committee
Dear Members of MennoPIN,
The term of service of the current Steering Committee of MennoPIN is about to end, and several members, including the Chairperson will not be continuing to serve for a variety of personal reasons. We are looking for new members to join our Steering Committee, and help us as we seek to discern our direction and activities in light of the current situation in Palestine and the robust action-oriented activities of Mennonite Action, which we fully cooperate with and support.
If you are interested, and have the capacity to serve in any capacity with MennoPIN, please contact Lydia Brenneman @ LydiaBrenneman3@gmail.com to indicate your interest and to be invited to the next Steering Committee meeting.
Sincerely,
Bob Atchison, Chair
A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide
In November, faith-based advocates, theologians, church leaders, and activists from Palestine and around the world gathered in Bethlehem, Palestine to commemorate the 16th Anniversary of Kairos Palestine.
Standing together in prophetic witness and committed action, this year’s conference presented a new Kairos document and call; a renewed theological and moral plea to the global Church at a time when Christianity itself faces the threat of extinction in its land of origin.
The new Kairos Palestine document, A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide, laments the loss of people, the land, and the world’s moral compass. It names the realities that Palestinians are experiencing and insists that others use this vocabulary that describes these realities: settler colonialism, illegal occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and genocide.
We encourage you to take some time this holiday season to read this Palestinian Christian initiative in its entirety and to open your hearts to their appeal for us, as their brothers in sisters in Christ, to join them in costly solidarity.
Upcoming Events and Actions:
Tonight
TONIGHT, Wednesday December 17th at 8 pm EST, Christians for a Free Palestine, Mennonite Action, and others will gather for a time of biblical reflection, action testimony, and ritual to conclude a season of action.
Will you join us for this special Advent call?
Tomorrow
Sabeel Jerusalem invites you to join their online services in English tomorrow, December 18, at 11 am EST. Join together in prayer for the specific needs of this region through the Sabeel Wave of Prayer.
Friday
Join AFSC’s Action Hour for Palestine this Friday at noon EST featuring Rev. Dr. Munther Issac, Palestinian Christian theologian with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Palestine. He will speak about the experience of Palestinian Christians in this particularly difficult moment. You’ll also get updates from Palestine, be inspired by artists and actions, and call your members of Congress.
“They tried to bury us. They didn’t know we were seeds.”
Mennonite Palestine Israel Network
MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine/Israel through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. To find out more, please visit our website at www.mennopin.org
Feedback, responses, and suggestions for future updates can be submitted to info@mennopin.org
Steering Committee
Bob Atchison (Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan, KS)
Lydia Brenneman (Lima Mennonite Church, Lima, OH)
Dave Janzen (Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart, IN)
Michael George (Landisville Mennonite Church, PA)
Jonathan Kuttab (Palestinian lawyer and human rights activist, Manheim, PA)
Dorothy Jean Weaver (Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA)
Zachary Murray (Mennonite Central Committee, Washington, DC)
Adam Ramer (Co-coordinator of Mennonite Action, New York, NY)
David Bluford (Rainbow Mennonite Church, Kansas City, KS)
Gretchen M (Philadelphia, PA)
MennoPIN Update – November 2025
Why are you so obsessed with Israel?
by Jacob Janzen
I’ve read several books about Israel/Palestine, covering the history, the politics, and the theology behind it. I read a lot of articles and emails from groups focused on the topic. Of all the time and mental energy I spend reading, Israel/Palestine commands a lion share.
It begs the question: Why are you so obsessed with Israel? It is a small country, far from my own. The casualties from the conflict are actually pretty small compared to other modern wars. And they are very small compared to wars of the past.
I think for me the core reason is the DISHONESTY surrounding it. So much of what I’ve learned from reading about it has shown my prior understanding to be false. And now that I have learned the details of the situation, I recognize just how much the rhetoric and the description of events in this country are biased against equal human rights. And my country, the government that represents me, is operating against the principles of Peace and Justice.
In my efforts to be a Peacemaker, I will continue to read and learn and gain as many perspectives as I can on this issue. I would love to reach a point where I feel a stable Peace has been established, and I could move on to other topics. But I doubt that will happen in my lifetime.
I encourage the readers of this email to read more also. Lately I’ve found that studying the modern history is effective in helping shape how people view the situation. Sources abound, including some we share with you below.
Also, as MennoPIN looks toward updating our website with helpful resources, we’d love to hear what book/s have been transformative for you. What book/s have challenged you, changed your perspective, or touched your heart and moved you to take action for peace in Israel/Palestine? Please email us at info@mennopin.org
Upcoming Events, Actions, and Resources
In our September newsletter, we shared with our readers about an opportunity to support the Palestinian Christian community of Zababdeh on the West Bank by purchasing their handmade olive oil soap. We’re pleased to discover that several churches have done so, and encourage more congregations to jump on board. With the holiday season quickly approaching, these soaps would make excellent teacher gifts, stocking stuffers, etc.
Below is an email sent to us recently about West Philadelphia Mennonite Fellowship’s experience supporting this project:
Good morning. Thank you for sharing the information about Zababdeh parrish, Melkite Catholic church olive oil project.
I corresponded with Abouna Firas Khoury in October and West Philly Mennonite Fellowship purchased soap. Working with Abouna FIras via email was fairly easy as well as figuring out how to purchase the soap. After paying, the soap arrived in a week and was well packaged and all in good condition. We are now selling the soap.
I would encourage other congregations or groups to consider working with the Zababdeh community to support the project. This is an opportunity for mutual aid that is straightforward and fairly simple to implement.
If anyone would like to contact me regarding the project, I am very willing to share what I learned.
Best,
Donna Sharer
Phila, PA
dLsharer@gmail.com
This Advent, Christians for a Free Palestine is mobilizing Christians to join the Boycott Chevron campaign and has created an Advent resource page for 2025 full of what you need to participate.
In it you’ll find how-to-guides for caroling actions in public places like holiday markets and events, pickets at Chevron stations, and even a link to a brand new Boycott Chevron Book of Carols by CFP. You can get creative and even have fun with your resistance.
Save the date
Mennonite Action’s Anniversary Call
Thursday, November 20 at 8 pm EST
Two years ago, congregations across the U.S. and Canada rallied together in response to the escalated violence against Palestinians. Mennonites across the nation have been organizing, learning, painting signs, singing, holding vigils, showing up to legislator’s offices, pestering elected officials by phone and email, praying, taking public action, sharing money and resources, and living into our Anabaptist calling, together.
Mennonite Action’s Anniversary Call is an opportunity to reflect, mourn, celebrate, and recommit to the work of justice. Make plans to attend, and share this church bulletin with your congregation!
Join Red Letter Christians’ Book Club on Tuesday, November 25 at 7pm EST with Palestinian theologian Daniel Bannoura and New Testament scholar Dr. Gary Burge to discuss Being Christian after the Desolation of Gaza.
Grab your copy for 40% off using code DESOLATION40 from Wipf & Stock.
And be sure to read Chapter 17 by MennoPIN’s Amy Yoder McGloughlin!
Looking to expand your knowledge on Palestine? Or find something to recommend to a friend who is open to learning more? Check out this topical reading list compiled by two Palestinians in Ramallah.
Mennonite Palestine Israel Network
MennoPIN keeps you informed about Palestine/Israel through our monthly update, special alerts, calls to action, important resources and tour possibilities, all from an Anabaptist perspective. To find out more, please visit our website at www.mennopin.org
Feedback, responses, and suggestions for future updates can be submitted to info@mennopin.org
Steering Committee
Bob Atchison (Manhattan Mennonite Church, Manhattan, KS)
Lydia Brenneman (Lima Mennonite Church, Lima, OH)
Dave Janzen (Fellowship of Hope, Elkhart, IN)
Michael George (Landisville Mennonite Church, PA)
Jonathan Kuttab (Palestinian lawyer and human rights activist, Manheim, PA)
Dorothy Jean Weaver (Community Mennonite Church, Harrisonburg, VA)
Zachary Murray (Mennonite Central Committee, Washington, DC)
Adam Ramer (Co-coordinator of Mennonite Action, New York, NY)
David Bluford (Rainbow Mennonite Church, Kansas City, KS)
Gretchen M (Philadelphia, PA)
