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| We visited with fellow worshippers at Christmas Lutheran Church. |
What a thrill we had this morning! We joined a church full of people from around the world, including another tour group from the United States and those attending a conference here in Bethlehem. The setting of Christmas Lutheran Church was a beautiful one. Dr. Mitri Raheb led us in worship, preaching in Arabic but offering us opportunity to pray and sing in English right along with them as they sang in Arabic. The service liturgy and several melodies were quite familiar to us. We had prepared two verses of Beautiful Savior as an anthem to offer if they wanted. Dr. Raheb said that would be fine and we sang after the Epistle reading. It was such a blessing to us to get to do that. We were grateful.
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| Our group and Pastor Mitri Raheb |
Also participating in the worship service was the current Lutheran World Federation president, Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL). Several of us had the chance to visit with him at the lovely coffee fellowship time ater the service. Since we were all in our Sunday best, we took our first official group picture after the service and were pleased Dr. Raheb could join us for that.
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| Don't forget to duck! |
After a delicious lunch at the Christmas Lutheran Church Guesthouse where we are staying, we headed to Manger Square to see the Church of the Nativity. Three Christian groups have churches on this site, the Greek Orthodox, the Armenian Christians, and the Roman Catholic church. All who enter do so by this very small door, an unusual situation. The actual site is so decorated with lights and ornamentation, it does not seem at all like the rustic scene we envision of the stable in Bethlehem. But we know that Christ’s birth happened here, and that is thrill enough.
Our group is enjoying our time together, and we had our own Happy Hour before our evening meal, using the time to process what we are learning about the politics of this world. We have felt the warmth and hospitality of these Palestinian Christians, and we celebrate our common love of our Lord Jesus, as we did in worship with them this morning. We will pray for peace for them and their Israeli neighbors.
Did you look at the hymnals? What a surprise to seee music printed that way!
ReplyDeleteWorshipping at both Christmass Lutheran, as well as at Redeemer Lutheran in the Old City of Jerusalem, really does give one the sense of the universality of the Church, doesn't it! And, it really doesn't matter if worship is in another language; because it follows a liturgical style, you still can find your place within what's going on!
ReplyDeleteAnd, isn't Mitri just the nicest person?
I agree with both Peg and Bob's comments.The phrase "the whole Christian Church on Earth" from the creed really has meaning in a setting like this.
ReplyDeleteI've caught up with you, whew, what a fantastic trip so far. Love the photos and history lesson.
ReplyDeleteJill & Dave Gaylord