March 10, 2002

Marthame shared in worship leadership at St. Matthew's Anglican Church with Father Hossam. Because of the situation in the area, the anticipated changes in pastorates are being re-evaluated. Father Fadi, a Zababdeh native, was here this morning, and we expect that between the two of them responsibilities will be shared for Nablus and Zababdeh.

The gospel passage this morning was from Luke 8, the Parable of the Sower. Three years ago, this had been the lectionary passage (but from Matthew) on a particularly powerful Sunday for us in Wilmette, Illinois: over the July 4th holiday, a young man named Benjamin Nathaniel Smith (from Wilmette) went on a racially-motivated killing spree through Chicago and into Indiana. One of his victims was Ricky Byrdsong, a former Northwestern University basketball coach, whom Smith shot as Byrdsong was out walking with his kids. In the days that followed, incredible hope grew out of what was originally a situation of unfathomable tragedy - our church in Wilmette and Byrdsong's church in Evanston began a remarkable relationship that transcended many boundaries and planted many seeds on good soil. Marthame and his colleague preached the following Sunday in the wake of the killing spree.

There are sermons that come after events like that which all preachers know are important - post-September 11, post-Oklahoma City, post-Columbine, etc. Here, pastors have to come up with that "response to tragedy" sermon every week...

We will be taking donated goods up to Jenin Camp.

People of the village have been gathering food and money for the victims of Jenin Camp from the recent Israeli attack. We will probably go as part of an official delegation tomorrow.