Bethlehem isn’t far from Jerusalem. It’s maybe just a 10-minute drive. Our taxi was waved through the checkpoint. As we took the worn asphalt road toward Star Street, Claude asked our driver what he thought of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority that controls parts of the West Bank. He turned toward the […]
The Privilege of Finding Home
by on July 30, 2018 Leave a Comment
Recently I was at a retreat on a property that had been owned by some of the first white settlers to the region. I visited the cemetery of this family that dated back to the mid-1800s. During a hike on the property, I perched on a rock to take in the scenery. As I breathed […]
Crossing Over Territory
by on July 16, 2018 3 Comments
These days, the word “territories” makes me mad. Furious, even. The word makes me think of boundaries and taking, protectionism and entitlement. I see empire and colonialism and racism. Territories are used as a reason to impose parameters and hierarchy on difference, to create hard, deep lines between groups of people, to take children from […]
Who Says?
by on July 12, 2018 7 Comments
Discovering our personal territory can be tricky business. Age, family background, religious experience, friendships and a long list of other variables are all unique to our own story. Where do we fit in this world? What tasks or joys are ours to bear and to share? Where do we go to discern answers to those […]
The Psalmist’s Voice
by on July 11, 2018 5 Comments
By Naomi Pattison-Williams | Twitter: @NaomiWilliams87 I have a fair-weather relationship with the Psalmist. Oh, we have long sung in unison, My lips accustomed to the rhythm of Dwelling in the house of the Lord forever; Being led to green pastures; Lifting my eyes to the mountains; and Finding refuge under the wings of the Almighty. But they […]
