Thanksgiving Presentation to

Rotary Club, Nov 21, 2010

Rev. Rob Erickson
“When an alien resides with you in your land, you
shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides
with you shall be to you as a citizen among you; you
shall love the alien as yourself, for you were once
aliens in the land of Egypt; I am the Lord your God.”
Leviticus 19:33-34
A modern day thanksgiving story except instead of
Pilgrims and Indians- Christians, Muslims and Jews
 Purpose of the Trip was to initiate a process of
understanding between Christians, Jews and Muslims
 Started at a calm Sea of Galilee but it started with a turbulent Jewish
response to a Presbyterian overture to divest in companies who were
bulldozing Palestinian villages or building the wall.
We learned about Jesus experience in the
Synagogue from our Jewish friends
They learned about Christian piety and prayer
at the Church of the Beatitudes
 We learned that some places have multiple
meanings like Tzippori
For the Jews it was a place where the For Christians it was the birth place &
Mishnah was developed childhood home of Mary
 Nazareth was a place of both conflict,
friendship and conversation
At the White Mosque we heard about the We sat together as three faiths and witnessed
Christian/ Muslim cooperation and conflict how friendship can transcend conflict
 We also saw ancient and modern reminders
of Jesus in Nazareth
Church of the Annunciation Two small Palestinian boys
 Jerusalem was a place of both beauty and
conflict
Jewish children walking through the
Market place at the Damascus Gate streets
 Christian and Muslim leaders were working
for peace
Sufi Sheikh Bukhari Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan
Jewish leaders and Jewish and Muslim young
people were working for peace
Rabbis for Peace:
Seeds of Peace Young People
Rabbi Arik Ascherman
 Still there are barriers that separate

The wall around Bethlehem Going through security

 Bethlehem was still a place of hope even in
the midst of conflict
Church of Nativity International Center for Learning
Jesus wept over Jerusalem
 Jerusalem: Vision of Peace
People gather at the Western Wall for
Prayer Church of the Holy Sepulchre
The Challenge of embracing community in
the midst of diversity
Sometimes it means meeting with a Other times it might involve Muslim,
Palestinian leader Zoughbi Zoughbi in Jewish and Christian friends getting
Bethlehem together for dessert
 Create community
The group meeting with a Palestinian Jesus eating with Zealots, Tax Collectors,
family in Amman, Jordan Fishermen who happened to be his
disciples
 See the Image of God in every person and
culture
Picture of Spanish Mary and Jesus as in Picture of Japanese Mary and Jesus in
Church of Annunciation Church of Annunciation
And together around God’s word we can share
the hope of the promised land
Keith on Mt. Nebo, Jordan overlooking A pastor and Rabbi read the Story of
the Promised Land Moses together
 And together we can walk into the future
with hope
Walking through Jordan Wichita Interfaith group on Mt. Nebo