CHRISTMAS MESSAGE FROM A PALESTINIAN CHRISTIAN

The little town of Bethlehem looks gloomy in spite of all Christmas decorations that the local authorities are adding to it. Yes, wherever one goes in the town one will notice these decorations. But still the JOY of Christmas and the PEACE Christmas brings around are lacking. The Israeli apartheid wall and colonies are surrounding the town from all sides. Entry and exit to the town are subject to the Israeli Military Occupation’s degrading measures. Driving to other cities in the Palestinian Territories is also subject to the many Israeli Military Checkpoints on the streets leading to these cities.

Jerusalem which lies only eight kms to the north of Bethlehem is out of reach for most of the city inhabitants. Without special permits issued by the Israeli Military Occupation, Palestinians (Christians and Moslems alike) cannot reach Jerusalem for their religious practices. 2000 years ago it was the Romans who were occupying the country but they didn’t forbid Joseph and Mary from reaching the town where Mary gave birth to the King of Peace.

Unemployment rate, poverty are widely spread amongst Palestinians. In Bethlehem area unemployment reaches 30% and this is better than other Palestinian areas. Bethlehem lacks peace and dignity as all other Palestinian areas. Peace that brings around dignity and prosperity. Peace that ends this inhuman Israeli Military occupation. Peace that enables Israelis, Palestinians to live side by side on equal footing without Occupier or Occupied each in his independent state.

May the King of Peace and through His guidance make us in this region understand the needs of each other and work hard to achieve Peace.

From Moving Stories, December 2011, Commitment for Life

WHAT DOES AN UNIVERSITY CHAPLAIN DO?

You may (or may not!) be aware that part of your giving as a church in support of either Home Mission Fund (Baptist), Ministry and Mission Fund (United Reformed Church) or the Southampton Methodist District supports the ministry of a Chaplain at the University of Southampton. Since December 2011 I have occupied that position on behalf of the Free Churches.

It is a very different role to that of local church ministry. There is little understanding amongst the 27,000 or so people that form the University what a chaplain is or what he or she might do and there was no real job description waiting on my desk when I started on Day 1! It is very much a role that I can define myself, but do so in conjunction with my colleagues, Sister Catherine Cruz (Roman Catholic), Revd Christine Day (Anglican) and Colleen Cockroft (our administrator).

So who is the university chaplain and what does a university chaplain do? Three overarching roles come to mind – those of Pastor, Prophet and (dare I say it in good free church circles!?) Priest.

We are enormously supported by the University of Southampton, in that they provide a house (41 University Road) that is a base from which we can offer chaplaincy and the basic pastoral care that is very much part of the role. We seek to provide a “home from home” for students and staff alike. Downstairs is given over to communal space and upstairs there are offices and quieter spaces. It is in this house that we express a ministry of hospitality to all. Many of our students have left home for the first time, and more than that, some 4500 have travelled from one of 130 different countries to pursue their studies. Offering a place and being people of welcome, hospitality and care is a key part of chaplaincy. We also seek to be pastors in the satellite campuses at Avenue Road, the National Oceanography Centre and Winchester School of Art.

The prophetic role can also be understood as being a critical friend of the university. As chaplains we are in a unique place as part of and yet also independent of the university. We are also hugely in favour of what the university offers to its students, both educationally and in the formation of young women and men as they grow into adults. That said, we have the opportunity to contribute to discussions about some aspects of university policy and how the university develops. So for example, as chaplains, we have contributed to deliberations on how faith and belief are catered for, critiqued policies relating to what happens when a member of the university community dies, and on a national scale commented on the recent government white paper that will define university life when it is enacted.

As “priests”, we oversee a number of opportunities for worship on campus. Every weekday morning begins with prayer at 8:30am. On Wednesday lunchtimes we offer a communion service which is conducted in a number of different styles; on Thursday afternoons there is an opportunity for Christian meditation and on Sunday evenings a Catholic Mass is held.

All of the above forms the staple diet of chaplaincy. Add to this Freshers Weeks, Retreats, supporting some of the faith-based Student Societies, attending training events and conferences and much more and you can see that the role of University Chaplain is full, rich and rewarding. Please do pray for us as chaplains as we seek to carry out this ministry and bring the kingdom of God near to this diverse exciting university community.

Revd James Neve, Free Church Chaplain, University of Southampton

WESTMINSTER COLLEGE APPEAL

Westminster College, Cambridge has traditionally been one of our colleges training Congregational, now URC, ministers. Opened in 1899 it is a Grade II listed building in the Arts and Crafts style which has never been modified. It is now time for the building to be modernised with proper provision for disabled access such as lifts to all parts of the building, a new kitchen, and replacement of ageing heating and electrical systems. To serve as a Resource Centre for Learning for everyone in the URC it is also necessary to upgrade to modern standards 40 rooms for students, conference guests and visitors, teaching space doubled and equipped with up-to-date audio-visual equipment, library and archive facilities modernised and extended, and to provide a new prayer chapel and an art studio.

The main building work is due to start in July 2013. The total cost is estimated to be £7 million. So far £4,142,000 has been raised from central URC, Synods, and college funds and of that total £114,000 has come from individual church members and churches. Our church will be able to donate to the appeal through the retiring collection at our communion service on 8 January. If you would like to borrow a 10 minute DVD about the Appeal then please contact me.

David Hoadley

ZIMBABWE NEWS

Severe water shortages in Zimbabwe's capital, Harare, have left local communities scavenging for water and in fear of disease. Most of the city's suburbs have run dry, leaving residents that have gone months without water trying to get what they can from unprotected wells, Zimbabwe's newspapers have reported. Harare communities fear water shortages could spark a fresh cholera outbreak. Council chiefs say the water crisis is a result of aged infrastructure, pipe leakages and demand that has out-stripped supply.

Council for World Mission (CWM) contact living in Harare, Lucky, said people are worried there could be another cholera epidemic if conditions don't improve. "We are having serious water shortages. We have had to borrow water from the neighbours, but we haven't had electricity on a daily basis since last week either so we cannot pump the water when the power is not on. Since last Wednesday we haven't had running water from the tap until now. The government is saying there are not enough chemicals left to purify the water. We are not sure what is happening."

Wells, costing up to US$400 to dig, have now become popular in most suburbs, but those without access to a neighbour's well are often forced to find unprotected wells for their supply. Unprotected wells are wells that have not been properly fenced off and covered to ensure they are not contaminated by rain water or flooding. Lucky added: "We have heard that in some areas, people are not having gatherings because they are worried that diseases like cholera could spread. Some people are not even attending things like weddings or funerals because of this. Those going to funerals are going on the last day when the body has been buried because they are concerned about the spread of disease. They fear there may be outbreaks." Zimbabwe news website, Newsday, said the water crisis has created a cholera scare reminiscent of the 2008 era when an estimated 6,000 people contracted the disease, with hundreds succumbing to the pandemic. Water director Christopher Zvobgo, in a document entitled “Inadequate Supply of Water in Harare”, said demand has outstripped supply.

© CWM, from Commitment for Life December newsletter