A UCC MESSAGE: "From the Peace with Justice Advocates"

“They will not hurt or destroy

on all my holy mountain…” – Isaiah 11:9

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Gaza Strip, 10-10-23 (972 Mag)

With all of you, we pray this week for all those whose lives, families and communities are shattered by violence, terror and war in the Holy Land. As a community of Christ’s disciples, we reject violence as a means to any end, and we grieve for the cycles of war and oppression that perpetuate terror in the lives of God’s children anywhere and everywhere. Last weekend’s attacks on Israeli citizens and Israel’s brutal response are shocking; and every death, every kidnapping, every bruising blow is a sin against humanity and the one God of all peoples. Our hearts are breaking, as we watch from afar. And we pray without ceasing for those in harm’s way even now.

We are especially drawn, in the present moment, to support and care for United Church of Christ partners and allies in the Holy Land and elsewhere—including B’tselem (https://www.btselem.org/) which is the Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories; Jewish Voice for Peace (https://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/); Kairos Palestine (https://www.kairospalestine.ps/); the Sabeel Liberation Center; Wi’am Conflict Resolution Centre in Bethlehem; the East Jerusalem YWCA, and so many other communities of courage and friendship. As people of faith, we covenant with these friends to love and support their missions of peace, and to pray for them in seasons of war and peace. They dwell this week in the midst of unimaginable horror, and endless war. And we pray God’s blessing and strength upon them. We are one.

We call upon our members, our churches and especially our government to seek peace in prayer, in solidarity and in diplomatic action. This is no time for vengeance, and it will do the many peoples of the Holy Land no good to maim, destroy and terrorize one another’s cities, villages and refugee camps. We call upon our members, churches and government to take heed of Kairos Palestine’s “cry for hope” (which dates back to 2019) and to demand human rights be protected and advanced for Palestinians and Israelis alike. And we call upon our members and churches to recognize the Declaration of a Just Peace between Palestine and Israel (passed by 462-78 at General Synod 33 in 2021) which acknowledges the brutal realities of apartheid in Israel’s decades-long occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people and calls on UCC communities across the country to participate in nonviolent, loving, inclusive and Christian practices of resistance and repair.

In solidarity with Palestinian Christians and Israeli allies, in deep partnership with Jewish activists in this country, and in committed discipleship, we will continue in our own settings to resist violence in all its grim and devastating forms: the violence of terror, the violence of militarism, the violence of apartheid and racism; the violence of police brutality which has marked Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories for decades. We are committed to the idea that the only true and honest path to peace is justice and a steadfast commitment to human rights for all. This necessarily means an end to apartheid, an end to the illegal occupation of Palestinian lands, an end to hostilities fanned by every act of terror, Israeli or Palestinian, committed to advance the supposed security of one against the other.

We commend to New Hampshire Conference friends these three opportunities for support:

1. Jewish Voice for Peace is urging Congress to resist sending more weapons and more money for war in the Holy Land. As of October 10, there have been over 770 Palestinians killed and over 900 Israelis. It is devastating. And now the U.S. is trying to arm Israel as it destroys as many lives as possible. The U.S. must work to immediately de-escalate to prevent the further loss of life, and not fuel and exacerbate the violence by sending more weapons to Israel. There is only one way to end violence: to address its root cause, 75 years of Israeli military occupation and apartheid. We must end U.S. complicity in this systemic oppression. Go to: https://www.jvpaction.org/noweapons/ and call your Senators and Representatives.

2. The Abrahamic Reunion offers daily prayers at 11 am (Eastern)—involving religious leaders from Holy Land communities and others across the World. This is an opportunity to be in relationship and connection with those deeply and personally impacted. Go to: https://www.abrahamicreunion.org/

3. The Palestinian American Medical Association is working on the ground to provide Gaza hospitals with much needed medical supplies. PAMA’s team in Gaza is working to save the lives of injured civilians. PAMA is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3) charity that aims to promote health care for Palestinians. To make a donation, go to: https://www.launchgood.com/campaign/emergency_appeal_to_support_gaza_hospitals_#!/

We do not arrive at these thoughts blindly, nor commit to these goals without assessing the cost. The cost of discipleship is steep, and invites us to commit with our whole selves to the lovingkindness, deep compassion and nonviolent practices of Jesus, who goes before us and with us.

Yours in that faith,

The Peace with Justice Advocates / A Mission Group
New Hampshire Conference, United Church of Christ

Members: The Rev. David Grishaw-Jones, Janet Zeller, Becky Field, The Rev. Faye Buttrick, The Rev. John Buttrick, Janet Simmons, the Rev. John Gregory-Davis