Day 2: What it means to be the Body of Christ

We worshiped at Christmas Lutheran Church this morning with many people from all over the world.  Local Arab Christians who are members of the church were there...several families, as well as a group from Norway, another group from Sweden, and some people from the World Council of Churches.  For the most part the service was done in Arabic because that is the language of the congregation, but a few places were repeated in English and the New Testament reading was done in English.  The flow of the service was very familiar to us Lutherans! with only minor adjustments, so we were able to follow along in the bulletin just fine.  The bulletin was done primarily for English speaking visitors and the words of two of the songs were printed there for us to read along, although the congregation sang very loud and confident in Arabic.  Our closing song was Fair are the Meadows which was familiar to all in attendance and we were all encouraged to sing along in our own languages!  I had chills run through my body just hearing the many voices connecting with a tune that is familiar to all of us.  It was definitely a moment where I felt what it means to be the Body of Christ.  Many different cultures and languages and beliefs and politics, but one melody!  The importance of the meaning of faith in our lives is more universal than we can ever imagine from our own front porch.

I also feel this same connection walking through the marketplace and having people say 'hello' and 'welcome.'  We obviously stick out like sore thumbs and they know we are Americans, but they have been very polite.  I especially love the little children that come up with huge smiles and say 'hi' waving ferociously...then they giggle and run back to their mothers when we smile and say 'hi' back.  I really just want to pick them up and hug them!  I felt this same way about most of the Iraqi people I encountered on convoys while on deployment.  And with the people of Bolivia.  I am feeling more and more confirmed in my conviction that there is a common thread that runs through all of humankind and it is more intricate than our physiological being.  I have encountered this thread to be God...the God that some call Adonai, some call Allah, and some call Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The word 'Allah' might frighten some, but it is not solely the Muslim word for God, it is the Arabic word for God, therefore Arabic Christians in the Holy Land speak of Allah too.

Following morning worship, myself and Angela thought we would join the congregation for fellowship.  It was a rather typical fellowship time...adults gabbing, youth in their own circles gabbing, children playing any instruments that are uncovered and drawing on whiteboards!  And VERY strong coffee!  I am not a coffee drinker, but they were very tiny cups (about the size of a shot of espresso) so I figured I could manage it.  I almost had the shakes when I finished it and there was a thick sludge left in the bottom of the cup too...whoa!  For lunch we were stolling through the markets and we braved some market food!  I drank some chocolate milk and a sprite and had a filafel sandwich.  Others ate the Shawarma wraps (hot chicken or beef with veggies wrapped up in what looks like lefse!).  No one has gotten sick, so all is good!

The afternoon took us back to Manger Square, but this time we were able to go inside and see the beautifully ornate Church of the Nativity.  Three Christian denominations have worship space there, the Armenians, Greek Orthodox, and Catholics.  There is a cave underneath the Greek Orthodox area where it is believed that Jesus was born and laid in the manger.  We went down there and felt the stone where Jesus was born and then saw the place where the manger was.  There were several people trying to see it, so we were kind of herded through there will only a moment to take in each wonder.  We then went through some caves beneath the Catholic portion of the church where it is believed that Jerome (ancient theologian and philosopher) is buried and also a room where it is believed some of the children that Herod ordered to be killed when Jesus was born are buried.  The caves were also apparently a place of refuge for early Christians.

Another nap was in order before supper tonight...still apparently affected by the jet lag a bit.  We have group meetings for about an hour after supper each night just to check in and do a devotion and also hear presentations on various topics that we all have prepared.  I'll be doing mine one of these nights on the Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.  After tonight's gathering, a group of us walked to the Star Hotel to get a view of the city from the fifth floor which is a restaurant with windows all the way around.  It was raining a bit so it wasn't a very clear view, but very serene nonetheless.

I haven't been able to post as many pictures as I would like, but one of the guys on the trip has a site where he is posting his photos every day, so I will add a link (to the left margin below my photo slideshow) to his site from this blog so you can see what we are seeing every day also!  Rumor has it that a group blog is being set-up, so I will add a link to that, as well as other individual blogs, so you can read other people's experiences also.  We are a very diverse group!

Salaam alekeum,
Tara