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Bishop Zeiser's Reflections on the Middle East
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Greetings
from Bishop Zeiser
(Note: The greetings below are all from the bishop's trip to the
Middle East with the Conference of Bishops.
Click here for photos of Bishop Zeiser
from the
ELCA blog site.)
January 14: A Glimpse at Hope
One of the satisfying discoveries on this trip has been the schools of
the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land.
 There
are four schools, each offering kindergarten through 12th grade, with a
total of nearly 2,100 Muslim and Christian students. In addition to
subjects normally taught in classrooms everywhere, the ELCJHL schools
engage in dialogue that promotes nonviolence, tolerance, coexistence, and
peace. Over 90 percent of the graduates go on to university studies.
 In
anticipation of our visit, students at the
Evangelical Lutheran School of Hope in Ramallah prepared a program of
folk dances. It lasted about twenty minutes. It was filled with spirited
movement and lively music. It was marvelous to watch them have such fun
even as they faced serious restraints on their freedom.
 We
had opportunity to chat with them. They expressed appreciation for their
school and spoke of their gratitude for the teachers.
 They
also spoke eloquently about the bonds that were deepened between Christian
and Muslim students. One student who plans to be a lawyer said of the
young man beside him, "I don't think of him as a Muslim; I love him as a
brother." Every one of us looked at one another in amazement.
 We
found the same academic excellence, outstanding administration, and
stimulating environment at each school. It was great to see the children
given an opportunity to broaden their horizons.
You can see for yourself by checking
www.elcjhl.org. It's
a glimpse at Hope.
Your servant in Christ,
Bishop Zeiser Top of page
January 12: Hebron: A City of Tensions
 Our Saturday visit to Hebron brought us closest to the severe emotions
that are part of this country. Our bus pulled out of Bethlehem at 12:30
p.m. and travelled south for approximately forty-five minutes to reach
Hebron.
Tensions run high there between Israeli settlers and Palestinians – so
high that we had transferred from our usual buses, which bear Israeli
license plates, to other buses bearing Palestinian license plates. This
was necessary in order to avoid rock throwing by the Palestinians at the
buses we usually ride because of their Israeli plates.
 We were joined on this trip by six Ecumenical Accompaniers who monitor and
report violations of human rights. This has been a program of the
World Council of Churches since 2001.
 As the buses worked their way into the center of the city, the busy
streets were congested. Our buses, moving even slower as the number of
street merchants increased, seemed behemoth in the constricted streets.
Finally, we disembarked, surrounded by waves of activity, and were
immediately approached by youth hawking their merchandise. Three of the
youth followed our group, cajoling us to buy things, until our departure
from Hebron hours later.
 A large Israeli settlement sits on the hillside immediately beside and
overlooking the vast downtown marketplace. Deep tensions exist because of
the close proximity – tensions that are mostly controlled by barriers
between the Palestinians and Israelis.
 Led by Bishop Munib Younan of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan
and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), our group weaved its way through the hundreds
of shops lining the very narrow market streets. Above us, stretched from
one side of the street to the other, chain-link fence was installed to
protect shoppers from rocks and bottles hurled down on the market from the
Israelis on the hillside.
 The destination of our extensive walk through the marketplace was the
Mosque of Machpelah, constructed above a cave traditionally believed
purchased by Abraham for the burial of his wife, Sarah (Genesis 23). The
mosque was built in the seventh century.
An ominous-looking partition running through the interior of the mosque
now divides the holy site into a worship space for Muslims on one side and
Jews on the other side, with separate entrances. Consequently, we had to
pass through two Israeli security posts in order to use the mosque door.
Inside we were able to see what are claimed to be the tombs of Abraham and
Sarah.
After wandering our way back to the buses, the group departed Hebron
around 7 p.m. We underwent a day filled with deep emotions, prompted by
our exposure to the social divisions in this fascinating city.
 Earlier in the day and in a more uplifted spirit, we met the pastor of the
Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, one of six
congregations of the ELCJHL. We met him in the church building. A
remarkable out reach ministry and multiple social ministries have been
developed by this congregation. Check them out at the congregation s
website:
www.bethlehemchristmaslutheran.org.
Your servant in Christ,
Bishop Zeiser Top of page
January 8: Jerusalem: A City of Contrasts
Brothers and sisters in Christ,
If our first day was for settling in, our second was for introductions. I
was introduced to basic dimensions of life in Jerusalem. The basic
dimensions took shape as contrasts.
There’s a twenty-first century urban flow of life in greater Jerusalem,
where vehicles compete with pedestrians on streets under construction.
 By
contrast, the walled Old City inside Jerusalem is filled with tunneled,
intricate market streets, sometimes only twelve feet wide. Occasional
vehicles nudge their way through crowds, around tight corners.
 As
we sat quietly in the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in the Old City, the
tower bells rang out continuously for nearly five minutes, announcing the
Eucharist. "What an intrusion on the public life," I thought. "We could
never get away with this in Allentown." But walking the streets later the
voice of Islamic prayer, amplified by speakers, sang out from tower
minarets at appointed times. The bells and amplified prayers bellowed the
religious contrasts.
Our guide through the streets, Tony, is a mellow man in his early 70s. A
member of Church of the Redeemer, Tony is a native and life-long citizen
of Jerusalem. “I was Roman Catholic,” he told us, “until I married a
Finnish woman. She’s the reason I’m now Lutheran.” He weaves his way
through the streets in a casual way.
 In
contrast to Tony’s easy pace and calm speech, there’s the excitement and
shouting of the young children who play, ride bicycles, and run through
the clogged market streets. They define life in this old walled city, as
does Tony.
Those of us learning Jerusalem by its contrasts are discovering a place of
multiple dimensions that nurture our faith and our sensitivity to cultural
diversity.
Your servant in Christ,
Bishop Zeiser Top of page
January 7: Epiphany in Jerusalem
Brothers and sisters in Christ,
Everyone participating in this visit has arrived safely. The coming
together of this body of faith has been reassuring and inspirational. Our
first day was akin to a reunion as we settled and organized for our time
together.
 After
dinner together we gathered for evening prayer in the chapel of the Notre
Dame of Jerusalem Center, where we are staying. It became clear quickly
that time together for Word and Sacrament will ground all that happens
while we are here. The service was done simply, but it also offered so
much in the way of peace and unity for our group.
I participated in a group that left later in the evening for the Church of
the Nativity in Bethlehem, just outside Jerusalem. It being January 6 the
Orthodox celebration of Christmas was to take place. The church was
packed. And the nature of the Orthodox took some getting used to, but the
energy was obvious in this very dramatic setting.
 Bishop
Herman Yoos, South Carolina Synod, and I were blessed to be at the right
place at the right time. We were invited to stand very close to the
Patriarch of Jerusalem as he led a nearly one-hour portion of the service.
It was a Christmas observance I will long cherish. During the course of
the patriarch’s chanted readings, I took the opportunity to pray for all
the baptized of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod.
It was nearly 3 a.m. when our small group returned to the Notre Dame
Center, but my participation in this visit was sharpened by what unfolded
in Bethlehem.
Your servant in Christ,
Bishop Zeiser
January 2: Showing Support in the Middle East
This Monday, January 5, I will leave to join at least 39 other bishops
of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America for a visit to the Middle
East January 6-13. Five bishops of the
Evangelical Lutheran Church
in Canada will be part of the mission.
The trip was scheduled months ago as part of the 2009 bishop's academy, an
annual event in which leaders from both churches (ELCA and ELCIC) engage
in theological reflection and study.
 Our
visit is intended to show support for the
Evangelical Lutheran
Church in Jordan and Holy Land (ELCJHL), led by its bishop, the Rev.
Munib A. Younan, and the
Lutheran World
Federation (LWF). In a news release this week, Bishop Younan said that
"this is a tragic yet opportune time for North American Lutherans to visit
their partners in Palestine. They will have a unique opportunity to
witness the challenges of living in this disputed land."
The ELCA and the ELCIC are monitoring events as we prepare for our visit.
This week bishops and staff of both churches met several times by
conference call. In a pastoral letter issued on December 31, Bishop Hanson
noted that both churches "are united in their assessment that the trip is
timelier than ever and should proceed."
 Through
the ELCA’s companion relationship with the ELCJHL, the ELCA stands in
solidarity with all the people of the region. In particular we give voice
to the concerns and aspirations of Palestinian Christians as they strive
for reconciliation and independence.
I am honored to join such a significant undertaking with sister and
brother bishops. It is important, I think, that the people of the
Northeastern Pennsylvania Synod be represented in this mission designed to
give expression to the faith of our church. While new to such endeavors, I
commit my best efforts of discernment and discovery to this trip.
On this page, I will write about my experiences in the Middle East and
send pictures as I am able. Be sure to check back regularly.
Bishop Zeiser Top of page
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