Message from Executive Director |
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Greetings from a very warm Boulder, CO!
I hope you are staying cool this summer. We hear from friends and colleagues in Israel and Palestine that this has been a very hot summer. Added to that, I’ve been saddened by the escalation of violence and harassment of Palestinians in the West Bank.
As always, we send our deepest prayers for an end to the inhumane treatment of fellow human beings and that the critical work of restoring rights to all the people of Israel and Palestine can begin in an atmosphere that honors the safety and dignity of all.
With gratitude for your support,
Essrea Cherin
Pilgrims of Ibillin Executive Director
303-928-0923
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Abuna Chacour Visits Michigan! |
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Fr. Elias Chacour with Rev. Susan Mozena, GPMC’s Minister of Adult Education who serves on the Pilgrims board |
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Fr. Chacour's visit was hosted by Grosse Pointe Memorial Church where Pilgrims of Ibillin was founded in 1995. |
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Our friends at Grosse Pointe Memorial Church were the beneficiaries of an impromptu visit by dear Abuna Chacour as he was visiting family not too far from there in South Bend, Indiana.
Fr. Chacour began his talk by telling the story of his early days in Ibillin, posted there by his bishop just after his ordination, and his growing determination to make a difference in his impoverished village by building a badly needed school.
He wove into his almost hour-long narrative stories of inter-religious dialogue, beginning in Ibillin to build support for the school and expanding over the years to ecumenical connections across Israel, in the Middle East and throughout the world.
His life’s ministry has been rooted in his conviction that we all belong to one another as sisters and brothers, each of us created in the image of God, each of us (in his words) “born babies.”
His stories of the hard and often very sad work of living that conviction as a Palestinian Arab Christian citizen of Israel were very moving. His narrative was, indeed, a sermon we very much needed to hear, our own country so in need of seekers of mercy, justice and peace.
Pilgrims of Ibillin Founded at GPMC
GPMC is where Pilgrims of Ibillin was founded in 1995. The church continues its generous financial support and has a long history of sending mission workers and visitors to the Mar Elias schools.
Several members of the audience, now middle-aged professionals, were among the very first group of teenagers from GPMC to go to Ibillin, literally helping to build the school. They and Fr. Chacour were delighted to see one another after so many years.
Thanks to GPMC member Judy Masserang and Rev. Susan Mozena who organized Fr. Chacour’s visit, and both also serve on the Pilgrims board.
A video recording of Abuna’s talk will be available on the Pilgrims of Ibillin website – soon.
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Peace Partner Update
Wi'am: The Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center
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NIV
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.
—Micah 6:8
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Dear all,
Let us contemplate the following prophetic terms in our relationship with Pilgrims of Ibillin:
Act Justly
The first step in the right path that our lord is calling us to act justly. Justice is not merely about defending personal or communal rights or condemning social evils or denouncing violence and terrorism. Biblical justice starts in the heart where conscience and consciousness coexist.
Love Mercy
I think and I believe that Pilgrim’s and Wi'am’s people have combined compassion and love as strong emotions with practical demonstration of empathy and kindness through their tireless actions of solidarity and commitment.
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The next command offered by God in Micah 6:8 is “to love mercy.” According to the Encyclopedia of the Bible, mercy requires both “an inward disposition and an outward action”.
Walk Humbly
The third command in Micah 6:8 is “to walk humbly with your God.”
Walking humbly with God is of key importance when working with people living in oppression, poverty, tyranny, and who suffer under Occupation where all their human rights are violated.
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Act Justly, Love Mercy, Walk Humbly is our talk and walk in life. We can't do that without our partners (Pilgrims of Ibillin) who give our work more dimension, more depth and more meaning.
Yes, we are walking in the shoes of the Pilgrims of Ibillin and adhering to the Bible’s guidance to, Colossians 3:12: Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.
Zoughbi Zoughbi
Wi'am
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A Plea from our Friends at |
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Dear Friend and Supporters of Tent of Nations,
If you have traveled on one of the Living Stones pilgrimages in past years, you have likely visited the Tent of Nations (ToN). ToN is a special and unique place — a peace project envisioned by the Nasser family on their family’s property, bringing people of all faiths and backgrounds together to recognize and acknowledge our shared humanity and desire for peace with justice for all.
The land has been under threat nearly continuously for three decades. We have learned from our colleagues at Friends of Tent of Nations North America that the situation has escalated to an alarming degree and they have asked us to share with you a plea for help.
Please consider everything in your power to support the Nassar Family to overcome the forces closing in threatening to confiscate their property:
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Your help is needed to exert pressure on Israel to stop issuing demolition and eviction orders and to complete the re-registration of the land.
Here is what you can do:
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Sign this petition, which will be delivered to the U.S. Secretary of State and the U.S. Embassy in Israel.
- Contact your senators and representatives. Urge them to ask the State Department to question the Israeli government about the Israeli Military’s recent acts of destruction of Nassar property and the delays of the re-registration.
Download resources to assist your response:
Click either button below to find and send a message to your elected representatives:
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Thank you for your longtime support for the work of the Nassar family. You may forward this email to trusted others. We will keep you apprised of developments.
In solidarity,
Friends of Tent of Nations North America
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Tent of Nations: Hope Still Rises - September Webinar |
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Tent of Nations – We Refuse to be Enemies |
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Daoud Nassar, Tent of Nations July Webinar presenter. |
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Hope Still Rises
Tent of Nations Webinar and Virtual Tour
with Daoud Nassar and members of
Friends of Tent of Nations
Hosted by Pilgrims of Ibillin Board of Directors
Saturday, September 18
12pm ET / 11am CT / 10am MT / 9am PT
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After registering, you will receive a
confirmation email with the link and information
about joining the webinar.
A $15 donation suggested for Pilgrims of Ibillin
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Seeking Operations Administrator |
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Do you know someone with nonprofit administrative experience who would like to support the valuable work of Pilgrims of Ibillin? Please see the job description for more information about the skills and qualifications we seek in a candidate and then please share with those you know who fit the bill: https://pilgrimsofibillin.org/job-posting-operations-administrator/
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Children of Bethlehem Webinar Online |
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If you missed Pilgrim's July Webinar - Life Under Occupation for the Children of Bethlehem with Katie Archibald-Woodward, you can now see the recording on Pilgrim's YouTube site. Katie's photos and heartfelt presentation will warm your heart and give critical insight into the lives of the Children of Bethlehem. Thank you for your participation and donations for Pilgrims' webinar series. |
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Consider Joining Pilgrimage 2022 |
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Even while there are some uncertainties about whether travel will be allowed in the Spring of 2022, we are still planning our trip for March, inshah’allah the pandemic will have subsided by then and we will return to our regular trips to the Holy Land.
We invite you to join us!
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March 1 – 14, 2022
Pilgrimage Leaders:
Instructor: Rev. Dr. James Thomas
West Bank Tour Guide: Usama Nicola
Tour Coordinator: Brenda Mehos
Living Stones Pilgrimages - Father Chacour says,“We invite visitors to see the ruins of holy sites but also engage with the “living stones” — the people who make their homes there.”
With this as inspiration, since 1995 Pilgrims of Ibillin has taken nearly 350 individuals on two-week pilgrimages to Israel and Palestine. Led by Pilgrims staff, board members, and local partners in the West Bank and the Galilee, we visit Christians, Muslims, and Jews who are working creatively to plant and nourish the seeds of a just peace. Our tours include visits to various holy sites and conversations which connect our experiences with our faith.
For pilgrimage prices and itinerary, contact:
Brenda Mehos, pilgrimage coordinator
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Build bridges of help and hope as we foster peace and justice in Israel and Palestine through education. Your gift — no matter how big or small —
will change a life for good. Thank you for your generosity and prayers!
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Rev. Dr. Peter Henry
President
Rev. Dr. Lucy Forster-Smith
Vice President
Ms. Sarah Morgan
Secretary
Kip Nickel
Consultant & Treasurer
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Ms. Haifa Bautista
Rev. Don Brown
Rev. Gail Doering
Rev. Mary Sue Dreier
Ms. Rima Kawas
Dr. Lamontte Luker
Ms. Judy Masserang
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Dr. Brenda Mehos
Rev. Bobby Morris
Rev. Susan Mozena
Ms. Wren Shealy
Rev. Dr. James Thomas
Rev. Anne Weirich
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Essrea Cherin
Executive Director
(303) 928-0923
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