Ed Nyce (MCC, Bethlehem) told what life in Bethlehem, Palestine and Israel is like for Christians, Jews and Muslims. Each groups has its reasons for fearing the others, each has minorities who lash out in frustration and fear, and each has individuals seeking to be good neighbors and peace makers. Ed used Luke's story of the Good Samaritan (an oxymoron to Jews of the day) and then asked Jesus' question: Who is my neighbor? In Bethlehem, good neighbors abound. People extend credit to neighbors of another religion, people help neighbors of another faith escape shelling, people look after their neighbors regardless of ethnicity or faith. They, like MCC's workers and Christian Peacemakers Teams, are living examples of being peacemakers locally. MCC, through people like Ed, tries to communicat[e] the situation to North Americans in a balanced way (if churches are ready to hear with open minds), the workers try to listen and observe (and learn), and they try to know and respect the stories of more than one 'people'. Fear is of course manipulated by politicians on all sides. Both the fear and the pain of daily life are profoundly influencing everybody, but especially the children who cannot travel anywhere, some cannot attend schools, many are taught to hate 'the enemy', and consequently grow up in an environment of perpetual fear. Returning to the commandment in Luke 10, Ed asked that we all try to love God, and to love all people as ourselves. [JEK]

Passage: Luke 10
Communion: No
Ecumenical or Event:
Potluck Lunch: No
Congregational Meeting: No

Speaker: Ed Nyce
Worship Leader: Rosie Perera
Song Leader: Edwin Hintz
Pianist: Cynthia Friesen
Usher:
Zoom Coordinator:
Children's Feature Leader:

Bring Flowers: Evan & Janice Kreider
Coffee Helper: Hilda Hldebrand; Helmut Lemke/Richard and Charmaine
Sound Helper:

Child Care Volunteer: Angela Ekkert