Worship Resources
This page contains a list of reflections, liturgies, prayers and other resources for personal or corporate use. Click on the header to download the file in PDF.
Worship service for Justice in Palestine
We are united in our concerns, hopes and prayers for justice and peace in Palestine and Israel. It is a privilege to share with you links to a worship resource for Palestine, developed by Ineke Medcalf and Rev. Jeanette Liberty-Duns, working with partners in Palestine, and with Rev. Lilian Patey, Rev. Keith Simmonds and other committed justice-seekers here on Turtle Island.
A Christmas Message 2013 from Sabeel, Palestine
A Christmas Message 2013 from Sabeel, Palestine
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke2:8).
“…after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem…” (Matthew 2:1).
The fact that the Christmas story mentions only two groups of visitors to the Christ child in Bethlehem, has, I believe, a theological significance. The shepherds in first century Palestine represented one of the lowest social strata in society. Religious tradition of Jesus’ day labeled them as unclean. They were marginalized, poor, and considered as the scum of society; while the wise men represented the well to do, the educated, and the scholars of their day. The theological implication is clear: God’s love for all people was expressed in and through the coming of Jesus Christ. This love welcomed both the shepherds and the wise men. True love does not differentiate between God’s children. In Christ, the evil of discrimination and bigotry is obliterated.
Moreover, the shepherds were presumably Jewish, while the wise men were foreigners. Since the wise men came from “the East,” a number of New Testament scholars have suggested that they came from Arabia. There is a further theological significance here. Both Jews and Arabs came to offer their homage to the Christ child. When we stand before God, not only do our social differences lose their importance, our racial differences are also eradicated. God’s love for all people was being communicated regardless of social and financial status in society and regardless of racial background. Not only do rich and poor, Jew and Gentile stand before God as equals, there are also no political boundaries. All are welcomed and accepted. In other words, when we stand before the holy, our racism and bigotry should melt away and we should become authentically human recognizing the other as a brother and a sister.
One of our most disturbing issues during this Christmas season is the situation of the shepherds and farmers of today, namely, the Bedouins of the Negev who are citizens of Israel. The Israeli government plans to Judaize the Negev by forcibly relocating tens of thousands of Bedouins from their ancestral lands on which most of them have lived for hundreds of years, long before the state of Israel came into being. Israel wants to force them away from their lands and traditional way of life for the benefit of Israeli Jewish citizens. It is essentially a land grab.[i] Many local and international human rights organizations have condemned Israel’s actions and policies as discriminatory and in violation of international law.
During this Christmas season, Sabeel calls attention to the plight of the Bedouin community of the Negev that numbers between 160 to 200 thousand, and where thousands of them are living in villages that the government of Israel does not recognize. Consequently, Israel deprives them of basic services like education, electricity, running water, and sanitation.
This year’s Christmas message emphasizes the fact that our faith demands of us to champion today’s shepherds and farmers—the Bedouins—and advocate for their rights. The appalling irony is that what the Jewish people longed for over the centuries when they were weak, they are unwilling to give to others now that they have become strong. For hundreds of years, Jews wished and longed for human dignity, equality, and respect for their human rights, but tragically, the Israeli government today is unwilling to grant the same to its own citizens, the Bedouins of the Negev.
Christmas affirms God’s love and concern for all human beings and especially to the most vulnerable, today’s shepherds and farmers, the Bedouin community of the Negev.
……
On behalf of Sabeel’s board and staff, I extend our best Christmas and New Year wishes to all our friends. I would like to seize this opportunity to thank all those friends who joined us at Sabeel’s 9th international conference in Jerusalem last month when we addressed the theme of the “Bible and the Palestine-Israel conflict.”
Naim Ateek
6 December 2013
[i] Nov. 12, 2013 editorial in the Israeli Haaretz newspaper.
[Print]
“In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night” (Luke2:8).
“…after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem…” (Matthew 2:1).
The fact that the Christmas story mentions only two groups of visitors to the Christ child in Bethlehem, has, I believe, a theological significance. The shepherds in first century Palestine represented one of the lowest social strata in society. Religious tradition of Jesus’ day labeled them as unclean. They were marginalized, poor, and considered as the scum of society; while the wise men represented the well to do, the educated, and the scholars of their day. The theological implication is clear: God’s love for all people was expressed in and through the coming of Jesus Christ. This love welcomed both the shepherds and the wise men. True love does not differentiate between God’s children. In Christ, the evil of discrimination and bigotry is obliterated.
Moreover, the shepherds were presumably Jewish, while the wise men were foreigners. Since the wise men came from “the East,” a number of New Testament scholars have suggested that they came from Arabia. There is a further theological significance here. Both Jews and Arabs came to offer their homage to the Christ child. When we stand before God, not only do our social differences lose their importance, our racial differences are also eradicated. God’s love for all people was being communicated regardless of social and financial status in society and regardless of racial background. Not only do rich and poor, Jew and Gentile stand before God as equals, there are also no political boundaries. All are welcomed and accepted. In other words, when we stand before the holy, our racism and bigotry should melt away and we should become authentically human recognizing the other as a brother and a sister.
One of our most disturbing issues during this Christmas season is the situation of the shepherds and farmers of today, namely, the Bedouins of the Negev who are citizens of Israel. The Israeli government plans to Judaize the Negev by forcibly relocating tens of thousands of Bedouins from their ancestral lands on which most of them have lived for hundreds of years, long before the state of Israel came into being. Israel wants to force them away from their lands and traditional way of life for the benefit of Israeli Jewish citizens. It is essentially a land grab.[i] Many local and international human rights organizations have condemned Israel’s actions and policies as discriminatory and in violation of international law.
During this Christmas season, Sabeel calls attention to the plight of the Bedouin community of the Negev that numbers between 160 to 200 thousand, and where thousands of them are living in villages that the government of Israel does not recognize. Consequently, Israel deprives them of basic services like education, electricity, running water, and sanitation.
This year’s Christmas message emphasizes the fact that our faith demands of us to champion today’s shepherds and farmers—the Bedouins—and advocate for their rights. The appalling irony is that what the Jewish people longed for over the centuries when they were weak, they are unwilling to give to others now that they have become strong. For hundreds of years, Jews wished and longed for human dignity, equality, and respect for their human rights, but tragically, the Israeli government today is unwilling to grant the same to its own citizens, the Bedouins of the Negev.
Christmas affirms God’s love and concern for all human beings and especially to the most vulnerable, today’s shepherds and farmers, the Bedouin community of the Negev.
……
On behalf of Sabeel’s board and staff, I extend our best Christmas and New Year wishes to all our friends. I would like to seize this opportunity to thank all those friends who joined us at Sabeel’s 9th international conference in Jerusalem last month when we addressed the theme of the “Bible and the Palestine-Israel conflict.”
Naim Ateek
6 December 2013
[i] Nov. 12, 2013 editorial in the Israeli Haaretz newspaper.
[Print]
Advent 2 Worship Resources 2103
One of our goals as UNJPPI is to highlight the UCC's Unsettling Goods campaign during Advent and to introduce the issues to United Church congregations through Advent worship services. Given that many churches are already planning their Advent services, or will be very soon, UNJPPI is sending you some materials today that your congregation, or others that you are in touch with, can use to highlight issues related to Palestine and Israel in worship. These materials were created by Rev. Steve Berube, minister at St. Paul's United Church in Riverview, New Brunswick. Steve is a former Ecumenical Accompanier and Co-Coordinator of the UNJPPI Coordination Team.
Click on the links below for resources appropriate to the second Sunday of Advent, including prayers and reflections .
Worship Resources for Advent 2 2013 - RTF
Worship Resources for Advent 2 2013 - PDF
More worship resources for Advent from Kairos Palestine.
Click on the links below for resources appropriate to the second Sunday of Advent, including prayers and reflections .
Worship Resources for Advent 2 2013 - RTF
Worship Resources for Advent 2 2013 - PDF
More worship resources for Advent from Kairos Palestine.
World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel.
A worship liturgy for Sunday 22 September 2013, written by Palestinian Christians.
http://pief.oikoumene.org/en/world-week-for-peace
http://pief.oikoumene.org/en/world-week-for-peace
An initiative of the
Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF)
of the
World Council of Churches
The theme of the week in 2013 is: "Jerusalem, the city of justice and peace."
"The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches invites member churches, faith-based communities, and civil society organizations to join together in 2013 for a week of advocacy and action in support of an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine and a just peace for all in Palestine and Israel. Congregations and individuals around the globe who share the hope of justice shall unite during the week to take peaceful actions, together, to create a common international public witness." (WCC)
The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum web site has many resources for prayer, worship, education and action.
For more information, visit the PIEF web site.
For a one page resource for printing and sharing, click here.
"The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches invites member churches, faith-based communities, and civil society organizations to join together in 2013 for a week of advocacy and action in support of an end to the illegal occupation of Palestine and a just peace for all in Palestine and Israel. Congregations and individuals around the globe who share the hope of justice shall unite during the week to take peaceful actions, together, to create a common international public witness." (WCC)
The Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum web site has many resources for prayer, worship, education and action.
For more information, visit the PIEF web site.
For a one page resource for printing and sharing, click here.
Sabeel Jerusalem Weekly Wave of Prayer
Each Thursday at noon in Jerusalem, Sabeel holds a Communion service that is open to the community. It is a time to join together to discuss how the scriptures apply to our lives today, to pray for the needs of this region and our world and to share the Eucharist. Starting in the Pacific Islands, passing through Asia, Africa, Palestine, Europe, the Americas and on around the globe, we pray for peace with justice. Subscribe to the weekly prayer. http://www.sabeel.org/waveofprayer.php
Jesus the Palestinian: A Call to Christian Repentance.
"Reproaches" for Good Friday - by Roger Beck
The representation is a composite of two scriptural passages:
The representation is a composite of two scriptural passages:
- Matthew’s account of Jesus’ own vision of the Last Judgement, told in the metaphor of the sheep and the goats (25:31-46).
- The central verses of the Magnificat, the Song of Mary, as told by Luke (1:51-3).
Who will Join the Banquet of Reconciliation?
A message preached on Lent 4 on Luke's parable of the two sons and the father, reflecting on the meaning of the cross as reconciliation.
In the parable, both sons were scheming to win a place in the father’s household. The acceptance of the son by the father did not depend on the son’s change of attitude. Our reconciliation with God is not due to anything we have done, but what God has done for us in Christ.
The normal human process makes repentance and forgiveness a precondition to reconciliation. The blocks to reconciliation are often a prior demand by one or both sides for admission of injustice and repentance in the form of reparations to correct the injustice before reconciliation can happen. That happens between nations as well as individuals. How long do we hold out for the other to give in?
In the parable, both sons were scheming to win a place in the father’s household. The acceptance of the son by the father did not depend on the son’s change of attitude. Our reconciliation with God is not due to anything we have done, but what God has done for us in Christ.
The normal human process makes repentance and forgiveness a precondition to reconciliation. The blocks to reconciliation are often a prior demand by one or both sides for admission of injustice and repentance in the form of reparations to correct the injustice before reconciliation can happen. That happens between nations as well as individuals. How long do we hold out for the other to give in?