In The Rubble

by Carol Ekdahl-Garwood

In Matthew 18:6 (NIV), Jesus warned “if anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”

As we enter this season of Advent, and our minds turn to celebrating the birth of Jesus, the image of “Christ in the Rubble” in Manger Square in Bethlehem last year looms foremost in my mind.  Rev. Munther Isaac, pastor at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, lamented last year over the deaths in Gaza and preached “If Jesus were to be born today, he would be born under the rubble in Gaza. If we, as Christians, are not outraged by the genocide, by the weaponization of the Bible to justify it, there is something wrong with our Christian witness, and we are compromising the credibility of our gospel message.”

I have been fortunate to be a part of two separate delegations to Palestine/Israel during 2024, the last trip taking place at the end of August and ending during the first week of September.  This trip was as part of a Sabeel delegation whose objective was to provide solidarity and a protective presence in different areas of Palestine.  We visited refugee camps, villages and farms that are under constant threat from illegal Israeli settlers, and a house that had been demolished in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan. We also met with the mother and aunt of Layan Nasser (age 23) in Birzeit who was arrested and placed in administrative detention with no charges, and others.  

One of the promises that the delegation members made to each other at the end of the trip was to return to our countries and commit to sharing what we had learned and witnessed. This was the seventh time that I have traveled to Palestine/Israel since 2011, so I have seen and witnessed a great deal over the years.  I have made dear friends in the region and look forward to making contact with them while I am there.  I have been blessed to watch as their children grow, but I can not help but wonder what kind of a future that land holds for them.

As I return home and share with others what I have seen each time I visit, I weep for the children most of all.  Today, I see images of children being killed in Gaza, thousands of them, and I wonder “Where is God in all this madness? How many children must die before the world will stop this insanity?”

Jesus was very protective of the children, as we can see in the passage from the book of Matthew.  As Christians, Jesus calls us to also be protective of children. I asked one of my Palestinian friends a few years ago “Where does your hope come from?” His reply was “I don’t hold any hope for myself, but my hope is for my children.”

During this most recent trip, when we went into Palestinian villages, the children would run up to the members of the delegation and wanted them to play soccer (football) with them. Members of our group obliged and the joy in the faces of the children just having people pay attention to them and play with them was magical.  

A professional photojournalist was part of the group and he had two of his cameras (expensive ones, I’m sure) with him. The children were fascinated and he let them put the strap around their neck and take pictures with his cameras.  They would snap some pictures, and then all of the children would gather around and look at the images on the camera screen. There was arm wrestling, kids helping us get on the donkeys for a ride, and excitement as they told us about themselves. However, we knew that their joy would be short lived when we were gone, as they would again be frightened not knowing when the Israeli military or the illegal settlers would again come to harass and possibly beat them. It is especially heartbreaking to see these children having to live under constant threat and continual fright.

As we approach Christmas and celebrate the birth of Christ in the United States, the Palestinians will not be celebrating again this year as the war and occupation continue. They will not celebrate until the killing and injustice stop.

Let us all pray for God’s children during this season of Advent…. ALL of God’s children, as we reflect on the blessings that we have received, and those children of God who have nothing. 

Carol Ekdahl-Garwood
Co-Chair UMKR Steering Committe

Save the Date! Giving Tuesday is December 3rd

MFSA is participating in #GivingTuesday, a global day of generosity! We invite you to join us in our ongoing mission to advocate for justice, compassion, and systemic change. Your support on this day makes it possible for us to amplify voices, challenge inequities, and build a more inclusive faith community.

Several generous donors will match the first $6,000 raised for Giving Tues. You can give through social media on Facebook and Instagram anytime NOW - Dec 10, online through the link below, or by check with Giving Tues written in the memo:

Methodist Federation for Social Action
996 Maine Ave SW #307
Washington, DC 20024

Let’s come together to make an impact. Stay tuned for more details on how you can be part of this vital work!

'Wrath of a Holy God':
The Rise of Christian Supremacy in the U.S.

A course covering the history, terminology, and key ideas of the theological and political movements underpinning White Christian Nationalism as it operates in the United States today.

This free course,"'Wrath of a Holy God': The Rise of Christian Supremacy in the U.S.," examines the historical and ideological foundations of White Christian Nationalism in the United States. It delves into the development of Christian Dominionism and theocratic movements, the evolution of the Christian Right, and the influence of the eugenics movement. Additionally, the course explores the impact of the Comstock Laws and the anti-abortion movement, highlighting their roles in shaping contemporary religious and political landscapes. Through a series of lessons, participants gain insights into the interplay between religion and politics and the implications for social justice and policy.

This course is freely offered by the Religion and Reproductive Rights Learning Center (RRLC). The RRLC is an educational platform dedicated to exploring the intersections of religion and reproductive rights, aiming to provide resources and courses that inform and engage individuals on these critical topics. Their offerings are designed to foster understanding and dialogue around the complex relationship between faith and reproductive justice.

PALESTINE IS CALLING… An Urgent Appeal for Faith-Inspired Solidarity

The Webinar Recording from November 13, 2024 is now available.

UMKR and MFSA present the compelling experiences of United Methodist and Baptist laity and clergy who have recently visited some of the most troubled spots in Palestine/Israel and who bring us Palestine’s urgent call for solidarity and support.

Opening with a basic introduction to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, its recent history, and current realities, the webinar features a wide range of recommendations for responding to that call, wherever we are and with whatever means we have.

Hear from a panel of justice advocates who know Palestine/Israel well and who have been recent eyewitnesses to the worsening conditions on the ground across historic Palestine. They bring us their first-hand experiences of providing a protective presence at key locations of conflict and creating a bold public witness of faith-based solidarity, a witness intended to be shared in our churches and our communities.

This webinar challenges us to answer Palestinians' urgent call to solidarity, offering manifold ways that we can be justice-seekers and peacemakers: acting as individuals and in community, within the church and in our society, locally, nationally, and globally.

This Webinar was recorded on November 13, 2024

Fossil Fuel Divestment as Climate Change Strategy

United Methodist preacher, author, and long-time climate justice activist Sharon Delgado proclaims God’s tangible presence in and through creation and the glory of a sacramental universe, but she contends that we face a reckoning as climate change advances and fossil fuel profits multiply. Will we phase out fossil fuels, as climate scientists say we must, or will the quest for profits bring about a living hell on earth?

In this presentation, Rev. Delgado, Convener of Fossil Free UMC, takes us through the steps of awakening to what is at stake as the impacts of climate change multiply. She explores the forces that perpetuate this crisis and the limitations of the dominant paradigm for climate rescue. She will point to fossil fuel divestment as a faithful response: as both a practical and symbolic way to challenge the power of the fossil fuel industry and to strengthen the global movement for climate justice.  

The Reverend Sharon Delgado is a retired United Methodist pastor, author, and longtime activist and nonviolence practitioner, whose introduction to John Cobb and process theology in the 1980s helped shaped her theology and ministry. Sharon is Convener of Fossil Free UMC, which advocates for the United Methodist Church to divest from fossil fuels. She is a member of the Coordinating Committee of the United Methodist Creation Justice Movement, which works across annual conferences to coordinate actions related to creation justice. Sharon names the invisible powers that influence human behavior and that are embodied in today’s domination system, and points in the direction of both personal and social transformation. An updated Second Edition of Love in a Time of Climate Change will be released in the spring of 2025. The book is a Wesleyan approach to climate change, which uses scripture, tradition, reason, and experience to explore the issue. The inside cover of the first edition includes an endorsement by John Cobb, who wrote:

“Sharon Delgado makes it clear that we, especially we who stand in the Wesleyan tradition, cannot choose between being scriptural in the fullest sense and activity to save as much as possible from destruction through climate change. There is no tension between biblical preaching and preaching on the overwhelming, life-determining issues surrounding climate change. Let’s stop hemming and hawing and work with God to save God’s creation.”