CPTNet
Chicago: Christmas Reminders
Dec. 22, 2000

Two timely suggestions as you worship and celebrate with your church
families this week:
1. Christian Peacemaker Teams now has a team in Bethlehem district.
Bethlehem has traditionally hosted a Christmas Eve celebration in the old
city, in Manger Square, the open plaza in front of the Church of the
Nativity. This year Bethlehem has cancelled the Christmas Eve celebration,
because it seemed inappropriate to have a celebration while people are
being killed, and because the closure would make it impossible for
Palestinian Christians from other towns to attend.
Please ask the people planning the Christmas Eve services at your church to
include five minutes of silence and darkness as a time to remember the
people of Bethlehem, Beit Jala and Beit Sahour. (See December 3 CPTnet
release, "No Christmas in Bethlehem.") Pray for an inbreaking/outbreaking
of the Peace on Earth announced to the shepherds of Beit Sahour two
thousand years ago.

2. Next CPT Delegation to the Middle East is February 14-26. The delegation
will begin with a schedule of meetings with many Israelis and Palestinians,
some of whom will articulate perspectives on peacemaking. In addition to
working and worshipping with the CPT teams in Hebron and Bethlehem, this
delegation is timed so that delegates will be able to attend the biennial
Sabeel conference, a gathering of Christians from around the world.

Sabeel is a leading Palestinian Christian center, working hard to promote
nonviolent peacemaking. Sabeel and CPT share communion weekly, and give and
receive counsel and mutual encouragement on a regular basis. We know that
our delegates are an encouragement to peacemakers in Israel/Palestine, and
this is badly needed now. We also know that our delegates learn lots and
come home informed and energized, and this is needed now, too. Please
consider whether this is the time for your congregation to send a delegate
to the Middle East. To register, call CPT at 312-455-1199.
Blessings,

Christian Peacemaker Teams is a program of Brethren, Quaker and Mennonite
Churches. CPT P. O. Box 6508 Chicago, IL 60680 tel. 312-455-1199 FAX
312-432-1213, E-Mail cpt@igc.org WEB www.cpt.org