A Note from our Bishop

Bishop Dunkin has sent out the following email today.  I would encourage you to read it, and pray for the bishops, Israel and Palestine.

+Ralph wrote:

Dear Friends:

            Grace and peace be unto you during this season of making Christ known.

            Today, the majority of the Conference of Bishops will travel to the Holy Lands.  For the last week, we have been individually involved in discernment as to whether or not we should go to Israel.  Last week the Executive Committee of the Conference debated this issue and decided to leave the final decision up to each bishop.  We had a deadline of 10:00 a.m. of last Wednesday to decide.  Since that time has past, issues in the Gaza Strip have changed and conference calls have taken place on Saturday January 3 and twice on Sunday, January 4.  With 21 bishops and presiding bishop Mark Hanson already in Amman, Jordan and a scheduled meeting with the King of Jordan set for today, it was decided to continue with the Bishops’ Academy in Israel.

            Pastor Mark Brown, an ELCA pastor serving a Lutheran Congregation in Bethlehem, and Bishop Younan, the Palestinian Lutheran Bishop for the region, promise to do all they can to keep us safe. The last conference call centered upon “security, mobility, scheduling and political issues, as well as whether the purposes of the trip still can be achieved.  Our colleagues in Jordan have not seen any indication of problems there.  (There are 21 ELCA bishops, spouses and staff already in Amman.)  In Jerusalem, the situation on the ground is currently quiet, although there have been sporadic demonstrations.  Bishop Younan does not believe that security issues are appreciably different now in comparison with a few days ago.  There is a one-day strike scheduled by Palestinians for tomorrow.  With respect to mobility and scheduling, the belief is that we will be able to travel to places scheduled on our itinerary, with the possible exception of Hebron.  Of course, the situation is fluid, and we may experience impediments to mobility and the need to be flexible in terms of itinerary.  In addition, it also is important to point out that there may be power and water outages that cannot be predicted, so travelers need to be aware and plan accordingly.  In light of these circumstances and this church's commitment to accompaniment and the other purposes of the trip, the group recommends proceeding as planned.

            The other factor to keep in mind is that we will be about 100 miles northeast of Gaza and have no plans to go anywhere near where the ground battle is taking place. 

            I invite your prayers for the people of Palestine and especially those trapped by their government in the battle in the Gaza Strip and for the people of Israel.  I invite your prayers for the leaders of this church who walk with Arabs, Jews and Palestinian Lutherans.  My flight leaves tonight for Tel Aviv.  I am scheduled to arrive in Israel on January 6 around 4:05 p.m.  I will return on Friday, January 16. 

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Brian O. Bennett - bbennett@blackngold.net

   Lord, to those who hunger, give bread.

     And to those who have bread,

       give the hunger for justice.

           --Latin American Prayer