Session 9

Why Should We Care? What can we do?

Purpose:
To reflect on the previous sessions and answer the questions: Why should we care? What can we do? What will I as an individual do?

The following is for in person classes. Adapt as needed for online classes.

Materials:

  • Sheets from previous lessons
  • Individual copies of the Kairos Document (passed out during Session 1)
  • Make copies of the pledge card at the end of this session for each participant.
  • Make copies of websites, books, videos, email addresses, UMC missionaries and Advance Specials at the end of this session for each class member. (Advance Specials are organizations approved by the UMC for additional giving.)
  • Copy the following John Wesley quote and Scriptures from Proverbs on chart paper or make copies for each participant.“Do all the good you can,
    By all the means you can,
    In all the ways you can,
    In all the places you can,
    At all the times you can,
    To all the people you can,
    As long as ever you can.”
    -John Wesley
  • Proverbs 24:10-12 If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength being small; if you hold back from rescuing those taken away to death, those who go staggering to the slaughter; if you say, “Look, we did not know this”-does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who keeps watch over your soul know it? And will he not repay all according to their deeds?Proverbs 24: 23-25 Whoever says to the wicked, “You are innocent,” will be cursed by peoples, abhorred by nations; but those who rebuke the wicked will have delight and a good blessing will come upon them.

Method:

  1. {15 min.} Review and discuss what you have learned. What are the problems? What do Scriptures and John Wesley say about this? What has the UMC done so far?Why should we care? (Injustice is being served. Our tax dollars pay for this. God commands us to love justice. John Wesley implores us to do good and be involved in social concerns.)
  2. {20 min.} Read and discuss sections 5-10 of the Kairos Document.
    1. According to section 5, how are we as Christians affected by the realities for the Palestinians?
    2. In section 6, how are we asked to repent and view the conflict?
    3. In section 7, what is the international community asked to do?
    4. In sections 8 and 9, what is asked of the Jewish and Muslim religious leaders and of the Palestinian and Israeli people?
    5. Reflect on the final cry of hope and faith in God as described in section 10.
  3. (20 min.) Brainstorm: *What needs to be done to help? (Keep a list.)
    1. What can you do? (Individuals make a list)
      Possibilities:
      Visit the West Bank.
      Join an advocacy group-see below for groups.
      Educate yourself-see below for books, websites, and videos.
      Donate-see below for Advance Specials and UMC missionaries.
      Be politically involved: write your congressman, write the President, go to your caucus.
      Review and sign on the Cairo Declaration – cairodec@gmail.com.
      Pray.
      Sign a pledge card (Individuals keep their cards)PLEDGE CARD
      I, _______________________, believing there should be justice for all in Palestine/Israel, pledge to ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.PLEDGE CARD
      I, _______________________, believing there should be justice for all in Palestine/Israel, pledge to ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.PLEDGE CARD
      I, _______________________, believing there should be justice for all in Palestine/Israel, pledge to ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

Websites:

Anna Baltzer

Cairo Declaration

Churches for Middle East Peace

Coalition for Palestinian Rights

Friends of Sabeel North

Gaza Freedom March

If Americans Knew

International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network

Jewish Voice for Peace: sends out articles and actions

Middle East Children’s Alliance

Middle East Peace Now

Minnesota Break the Bonds

Minnesota BDS Community

PIJP Team of the Minnesota Conference of the United Methodist Church

Sabeel

United Methodist Kairos Response

U.S. Campaign to End the Occupation

Books | Alphabetical by Author

Armstrong, Karen, Islam

Ateek, Naim Stifan, A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation

Awad, Alex, Palestinian Memories; the Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People. Bethlehem Bible College, 2008

Awad, Bishara,  Yet in the Dark Streets Shining: A Palestinian Story of Hope and Resilience in Bethlehem, Cliffrose Press, 2021

Baltzer, Anna, Witness in Palestine: A Jewish American Woman in the Occupied Territories

Braverman, Mark, Fatal Embrace

Carter, Jimmy,  Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, Simon and Schuster, 2006

Halper, Jeff, An Israeli in Palestine

Khalidi, Rashid  The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine,   Macmillian 2020

Kuttab, Jonathan  Beyond the Two-State Solution, 2021

Lutz, Charles P. and Smith, Robert O., Christians and a Land Called Holy, Fortress Press, 2006

Nershimer, John, and Walt, Stephen, The Israel Lobby

Pappe, Ilan, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine

Raheb, Mitri, I Am A Palestinian Christian

Reinhart, Tanya, Israel/Palestine: How to End the War of 1948, Seven Stories Press, 2002

Said, Edward, The Question of Palestine

How Can I Help?

Opportunities to support projects to help Palestinian people can be found at these links.

The Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church

Advance Specials

Missionaries to Israel/Palestine

Retired Missionaries Alex and Brenda Awad

The Awad’s are retired, but still travel in the United States to share their knowledge of the situation in Israel & Palestine.

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