Read the full link at Churches for Middle-East Peace:
Your Church Community: Evaluate and Engage
It is important for you as a leader in your church to evaluate your parishioners’ and fellow church leaders’ understanding of the conflict to help you determine the right strategy for engagement for your community. Consider the following three stages and determine where to begin with your church or group:
1. Raise Awareness – this is the first step for congregations and groups that have a basic interest in Middle East peace. Prayer, reflection and worship are key initial steps toward raising awareness.
2. Educate – congregations and groups are ready to deepen their understanding through study and dialogue on key issues and topics related to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
3. Engage in Advocacy – the churches that are members of the CMEP coalition urge individuals and congregations to view public policy advocacy as a justice activity that includes informed communication with the White House and Congress on important issues.
Your Church Community: Evaluate and Engage
It is important for you as a leader in your church to evaluate your parishioners’ and fellow church leaders’ understanding of the conflict to help you determine the right strategy for engagement for your community. Consider the following three stages and determine where to begin with your church or group:
1. Raise Awareness – this is the first step for congregations and groups that have a basic interest in Middle East peace. Prayer, reflection and worship are key initial steps toward raising awareness.
2. Educate – congregations and groups are ready to deepen their understanding through study and dialogue on key issues and topics related to Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
3. Engage in Advocacy – the churches that are members of the CMEP coalition urge individuals and congregations to view public policy advocacy as a justice activity that includes informed communication with the White House and Congress on important issues.
Planning Suggestions
First, gather support from appropriate clergy, staff or committees and recruit a committee to help plan, organize and publicize the activities. Establish goals, define activities and develop a timeline. As an example:
Raise awareness by praying for the peace of Jerusalem in the fall;
Educate by holding four Sunday School sessions during the winter;
Write advocacy letters to Members of Congress in late winter; and
Hold advocacy meeting with your Representative during the spring Congressional break.
Using Toolkit Resources
The Toolkit is organized according to the three stages listed above. Organizational and material resources are listed under each stage – Raise Awareness, Educate, Engage in Advocacy. You will need access to the Internet to view most of the recommended resources. Some of the resources will introduce you to other organizations that specialize in certain issues. Others will refer you to materials that will strengthen your understanding of the issues and increase your effectiveness in advocacy with Congress and the Administration.
Things to Consider:
- The awareness, education and involvement of local congregations and church members in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking vary widely among different communities. While some may have long-held interest, experience and knowledge of the region and conflict, others may have had limited and one-sided exposure.
- Working on Israeli-Palestinian issues has some unique aspects due to the conflict’s complexity, legitimate competing claims, global significance and the strong passions it evokes.
- People who visit the area often return to say how they were struck by the fact that one “side” is not clearly right and another wrong.
- Peace advocates do not have to be experts on all the nuances of the issues. However, by using carefully selected, reliable resources and guidance, peace advocates CAN be credible and effective.
- Those who take action on Israeli-Palestinian peace should have a willingness to continue learning and to keep the hopes and fears of both peoples—Israelis and Palestinians—in their minds and hearts.
First, gather support from appropriate clergy, staff or committees and recruit a committee to help plan, organize and publicize the activities. Establish goals, define activities and develop a timeline. As an example:
Raise awareness by praying for the peace of Jerusalem in the fall;
Educate by holding four Sunday School sessions during the winter;
Write advocacy letters to Members of Congress in late winter; and
Hold advocacy meeting with your Representative during the spring Congressional break.
Using Toolkit Resources
The Toolkit is organized according to the three stages listed above. Organizational and material resources are listed under each stage – Raise Awareness, Educate, Engage in Advocacy. You will need access to the Internet to view most of the recommended resources. Some of the resources will introduce you to other organizations that specialize in certain issues. Others will refer you to materials that will strengthen your understanding of the issues and increase your effectiveness in advocacy with Congress and the Administration.
Things to Consider:
- The awareness, education and involvement of local congregations and church members in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking vary widely among different communities. While some may have long-held interest, experience and knowledge of the region and conflict, others may have had limited and one-sided exposure.
- Working on Israeli-Palestinian issues has some unique aspects due to the conflict’s complexity, legitimate competing claims, global significance and the strong passions it evokes.
- People who visit the area often return to say how they were struck by the fact that one “side” is not clearly right and another wrong.
- Peace advocates do not have to be experts on all the nuances of the issues. However, by using carefully selected, reliable resources and guidance, peace advocates CAN be credible and effective.
- Those who take action on Israeli-Palestinian peace should have a willingness to continue learning and to keep the hopes and fears of both peoples—Israelis and Palestinians—in their minds and hearts.
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