Skip to main content

The light of experience – first reflections on a pilgrimage to Israel/Palestine

Image
By
Sharon and Sarah having just climbed Mount Tabor

Question: What’s the connection between a Bingley coffee shop and a late night   conversation by the Sea of Galilee?
Answer: Sharon and Sarah!

It was on an early summer sunny day that we decided to make this unforgettable journey to the Holy Land.

So strange, there, to see the motorway signs to Biblical places: Tiberius, Nazareth, Mount Tabor, Bethlehem, Jericho and Jerusalem and to reflect on the stories, events and people of faith; from a boat on the Sea of Galilee watch the sun’s rays penetrate the morning haze. For a moment, the water and my life, calm and still – soon to be storm-tossed like Jesus’s fearful friends in their sinking ship.

So many beautiful churches built to mark the places of God’s presence in some special way. We saw in construction, beside the archaeological site of Magdala, yet another church with the communion table, looking through a boat shaped window over the Sea of Galilee to the hills, the Golan Heights, beyond. The past and present inextricably connected.

As we travelled through the Jordon Valley, on the West Bank, I tried to imagine Jesus and his motley crowd of followers, on his last journey from familiar farms and fishing boats to the cosmopolitan city with Jewish Temple and Roman Palace. I wonder if Jesus saw then, as we did, people oppressed and ill-treated.

This Holy Land for Christians, Jews and Muslims is torn apart. We might despair as did Mary and Martha at the death of their brother, Lazarus. In the tomb, we remembered Jesus’s commandment, ‘Unbind him and let him go free!’  These are words of hope and new life for individuals and countries alike.

In Advent, we prepare to meet the child of hope. I want to share a message of hope from Bethlehem. Many young Palestinian Christians are leaving their homeland because life is so difficult.  In conversation with one such young woman, training to be a teacher, we asked if she too would leave her native Bethlehem, getting away from the restrictions of living beyond the separation wall. Her response was simple and clear, ‘This is my home and I want to help children growing up here.’ No church will be built to mark this sign of hope, God’s presence. Yet we can pray and act for those who strive in dark times to bring hope, light and justice to a troubled Holy Land, so that the Prince of Peace may reign.

Shalom,
Sarah




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Rock Solid

By
Rock Solid is the new youth club for 9-13 year olds at Wilsden Trinity Church . It aims to provide a group for older children to follow on from Wilsden Trinity’s other youth club, Friends and Heroes. Every Tuesday we meet for games, Bible stories, sweets, crafts and chats. Highlights so far include wrapping people up as mummies, making ice cream sundaes, playing Zip Zap Boing (which is as confusing as it sounds), building Easter gardens and making lava lamps. We set aside a good amount of time just for chatting, and each week we have a “Millstone, Milestone” section – each person can say if they’ve had a difficult week (millstone) or a brilliant week (milestone) and why. This has been a platform for many entertaining anecdotes and tales that the group has shared together. Rock Solid started in March 2017, and so far numbers are low. Our small group has fun, but we would love to welcome some new members! All children and young people between the ages of 9-13 can join. It is £2 on the ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Virtual Worship - Easter Sunday 12 April 2020

By
Today’s the day - everything is changed. Death’s cave is empty, save linen cloth as calling card for Love. That life has won, and hope’s made whole, thank God! Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed, Alleluia! Holy and risen Lord, we come to worship you on this special Easter Day. We thank you for all you have done for us. We lift our eyes to honour you, living Lord Jesus. You have overcome death; fill us with your joy and new life. Amen You might like to read, sing or listen to an Easter hymn. Perhaps  Christ the Lord is risen today, or Low in the grave he lay (H&P 193/202, StF 298/305). This is perhaps the strangest Easter Sunday we have experienced in most of our lifetimes. Not able to gather as God’s people on this holiest of days. Not able to spend time with family and friends. Not able to visit dale or coast. Yet even as restrictions bite, we affirm God’s love in Christ Jesus, and seek to help each other hear the Easter message. We gather in ...
Post a Comment
Read more

News from Thornton Methodist Church

By
Like everyone else, we are all trying to get on with life but at times it is not easy and not meeting with all our Church family can be difficult and lonely. Just before Christmas we were having services twice a month but not all people were able to attend which was very sad but we all kept in touch by text/phone it is not quite the same but it is good to talk. During Advent we put a display in the porch window of the Christmas story, adding different characters each week until all figures were assembled around the baby for the community of Thornton to see. All our children in Sunday School received an Advent calendar to let them know we were all thinking of them. We also had a Christingle service but this was very different from previous years. Masks were worn, tables set out at the required social distance and hand sanitizers available in lots of areas. People made their own Christingles from packs but instead of using fruits, wrapped fruit lollipops did the job just fine. Rev. Chris...
Post a Comment
Read more