Sunday In Jerusalem

I wasn't completely sure how I was going to spend my first Sunday in Israel. I don't really know how to get around the area (besides walking). At breakfast however I was given two invitations: to walk to worship at a Catholic church in Bethlehem or to head into East Jerusalem to worship at a Baptist church there. I chose East Jerusalem. As the 4 of us began walking to the main street to catch the bus into Jerusalem, the pastor called and offered to pick us up on his way to church. Perfect timing.

East Jerusalem Baptist Church is a very small church with just a few people who regularly attend. Each week, however, their numbers fill out with Christians who are visiting Jerusalem. This morning there was a group of 25 from California so the room was pretty full with about 50 people. Everyone got to stand up and introduce themselves. I worshipped with people from Australia, South Africa, Ireland and all over the United States besides both Israel and Palestine. It was good to sing "In Christ Alone" and "My Life is in You, Lord" and "I Worship You, Almighty God" mostly in English with a few verses transliterated into Arabic. It was moving to sing these songs and hear the sermon through the perspective of the Palestinian Christians who need the hope and strength of God in such a specific way that is unfamiliar to me.

It was so good to worship with this small community of believers. There was no production to the service at all -- just a simple piano and one microphone (that wasn't working well) in a small room packed with 50 folding chairs. It was believers from all over the world who in this sea of opposition around them deeply desired to worship together. It was an island of faith in Jesus Christ. Jesus was present in the simplicity of the morning and the true community.

After worship Niles (a Roman Catholic Priest from Ireland) and Carol (a Lutheran seminary student) and I got directions to a local restaurant to get some good local food. As we started our walk after getting directions I mentioned that it would be a miracle if we actually found this place. No miracle was granted to us. On this very hot afternoon we wandered the back roads of Jerusalem noticing some very interesting sights (the WHO headquarters, the Red Cross compound, stopped into St. George's Cathedral -- Anglican -- where my Roman Catholic friend was a very insightful guide) but never finding our lunch destination. We ended up heading into the Old City through the Damascus Gate. As we made our way through the stalls of the city we found an alleyway restaurant for lunch. It was authentic and good. Outside the Jaffa Gate we hailed a taxi back to Tantur.

I got a later start than I had hoped, but I finished my classwork. Which means that after dinner tonight I will reward myself with a walk into Bethlehem before I transition over to Jerusalem University College in the Old City tomorrow.