Podcast appearances and mentions of elias chacour

Our journey today will include a dramatic story of a Palestinian Christian working for peace in Israel. His name is Elias Chacour, a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. Ordained as a priest of St. George Melkite Catholic Church in Ibillin, a small Arab village in the Galilee region near Nazareth where Christians and Muslims have lived together peacefully for hundreds of years. In this episode, you will learn: About an educational institution Elias Chacour founded in the Galilee region that employs faculty of three faiths: Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. His mission, called “Pilgrims of Ibillin” works with peace partners. Be introduced to a Palestinian people who have lived in Palestine for thousands of years. Photo supplied by Bob Sawyer Click here to visit the official webpage for this episode and take your journey to the next level! Jewel for the Journey: “Together we are stronger than the storm.” – Elias Chacour We are so grateful to this month's sponsors, Deanna and Josias Owen in honor of Fr Joel Quezada, who made this podcast episode possible. Learn more at PilgrimCenterOfHope.org/Journeys Help us spread hope! PilgrimCenterOfHope.org/Donate  

In our conversation, Steve and I mention a few books: Mark Tessler, A History of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict; Elias Chacour, Blood Brothers: The Dramatic Story of a Palestinian Christian Working for Peace in Israel; Sandy Tolan, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, A Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East; Ari Shavit, My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel; Anne Applebaum, Twilight of Democracy: The Seductive Lure of Authoritarianism. I also mentioned the documentary film, "With God on Our Side."

www.cafeteriacatholicscomehome.com

Today's church services were held online only, due to coronavirus concerns. The full 11 AM service can be viewed at: https://www.facebook.com/secondpresby/videos/690774551660768/ The Church has always needed to face uncertainty. Whether this uncertainty was viruses, war, poverty, or other calamities - the followers of Jesus have always been a part of this world and its troubles. As Rev. Tom describes, Jesus and anyone who would be his disciple must face another difficulty - they never really fit in. In the reading from Mark, a vineyard owner and his servants face violent opposition from those entrusted to grow the vineyard. Even his son is not immune to their wrath. Our pastor from Pennsylvania describes how Jesus' spiritual purpose on Earth is like a keystone - not fitting in with the expected pattern of bricks in a facade, because it has a deeper, special purpose within the whole. As Rev. Tom describes, we too are called to act in a new way within community, to build on the foundation of the keystone, to support the whole world in the process of God's redeeming works. (Bible reading - Mark 12:1-12, NRSV) We ask you to remember to continue giving. In times like these, our financial demands tend to increase rather than decrease. We encourage you to give online at www.secondpresby.org/give-now/. (And you can always mail in a check.) Collecting Food Bags for Families Affected by Virus-related School Closures or Income Loss - We are in close contact with CARES about potential needs for the marginalized during this pandemic. Many students at Guilford Elementary/Middle School (and around the city) rely on breakfast and lunch provided by the school. If schools close due to the coronavirus, our community children could go hungry. Others in hourly service jobs may go without pay or lose their jobs. We are proactively putting together food bags (using our t-shirt bags) of non-perishable foods. These will be handed out by GEDCO CARES if schools are closed. If not, the food will be distributed during regular CARES Food Pantry hours. For Each T-Shirt Bag: 2 boxes spaghetti 2 jars spaghetti sauce 2 boxes Velveeta Shells & Cheese 4 Ramen noodle packages 2 boxes of cereal (Frosted Flakes & Honey Nut Cheerios) 6-pack of individual sweetened apple sauces 2 cans green beans 6 or 8-pack box of granola bars 2 cans tuna 2 cans of a hearty soup Drop off bags in the Mission Corner or at the church office during regular business hours, Monday - Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM. Habitat for Humanity Spring Build Days - Saturdays, March 21, May 2, May 30; and Fridays, April 17, June 12. New Habitat for Humanity build days in the Woodbourne-McCabe neighborhood will start up in March and are currently scheduled through November. We are looking for volunteers. If interested, sign up online here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904094ba8a922a3fb6-habitat. Rev. Jenn DiFrancesco at jdifrancesco@secondpresby.org can also answer your questions. Mission Book Group - Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour. We are postponing our March book group until April - Wednesday, April 15, 7 PM, Westcott Room.

For ages, people have referred to those without awareness or discernment as blind - metaphorically speaking. Whether the blindness is physical, intellectual or spiritual, all types of blindness separate us from others and from good gifts that could be right in front of us. Today, Rev. Tom describes the story of Jesus meeting the blind beggar, Bartimaeus. Although it's short, the story has an important detail - that Bartimaeus left behind his only possession - his cloak - to reach Jesus. This cloak was more than a garment to Bartimaeus; it was the only way the blind beggar would be able to catch and hold onto the money given to him. But now that Jesus was healing his sight, that tool would no longer be needed. Rev. Tom reflects on what it is that we need to let go of, things that no longer do us any good, in order to receive God's blessings too. (Bible reading - Mark 10:46-52, NIV) "MARKed by Christ" Lenten Bible Study, Mondays through April 6, 7:30 PM via Zoom and Thursdays through April 9, 9 AM, Westcott Room. Our weekly Lenten Bible Studies on the Gospel of Mark began this week. We had a nice turnout online though Zoom on Monday. if you would like to receive a link to join this Monday, click here (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe-OI03PquOxORITvrEFE8nAH7wosDRLSHgxCD2ReSncd6rag/viewform) to opt in. For those who prefer to meet in person we will also be offering a Bible Study at 9 AM on Thursday mornings. Through the study of scripture we will open our hearts to recognize how we have been MARKED by Christ and called to be disciples. Habitat for Humanity Spring Build Days - Saturdays, March 21, May 2, May 30; and Fridays, April 17, June 12. New Habitat for Humanity build days in the Woodbourne-McCabe neighborhood will start up in March and are currently scheduled through November. We are looking for volunteers. If interested, sign up online here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904094ba8a922a3fb6-habitat. Rev. Jenn DiFrancesco at jdifrancesco@secondpresby.org can also answer your questions. Mission Book Group - Blood Brothers by Elias Chacour, Wednesday, March 18, 7 PM, Westcott Room. As a child, Elias Chacour lived in a small Palestinian village in Galilee. When tens of thousands of Palestinians were killed and nearly one million forced into refugee camps in 1948, Elias began a long struggle with how to respond. In Blood Brothers, he blends his riveting life story with historical research to reveal a little-known side of the Arab-Israeli conflict. This book offers hope and insight that can help each of us learn to live at peace in a world of tension and terror.

“Eu lhes disse que o caminho de um pacificador era difícil: demandava perdão profundo, apostar na amizade dos seus inimigos e pedir pela paz sobre seus joelhos e nas ruas”. (Elias Chacour) “Você pode me perdoar, Abuna?” O árabe Elias Chacour era padre (“Abuna”, em árabe) na cidade de I’bilin, no norte de Israel. Logo percebeu que as pessoas guardavam profundos rancores umas das outras, por causa de rivalidades familiares e hostilidades políticas. Como seus sermões sobre a paz não surtiam efeito, um dia ele trancou com correntes a porta da igreja e disse: — Tenho tentado unir vocês durante meses. Falhei. Eu sou um homem, mas há alguém que pode fazer vocês viverem juntos. Seu nome é Jesus Cristo. Ele tem poder para os perdoar. Então, radicalizou: — Se vocês não perdoarem, ficaremos trancados aqui. Se quiserem, podem se matar uns aos outros e eu farei de graça o funeral. O silêncio imperou, até que um homem, que não falava há anos com seus irmãos, levantou-se: — Sinto muito. Você pode me perdoar, Abuna?”. Elias respondeu: — É claro que eu te perdoo! Agora vá cumprimentar seus irmãos. Os três irmãos do homem correram em sua direção e se abraçaram longamente, pedindo perdão um ao outro. Primos que não se falavam há anos choravam juntos. Mulheres pediram perdão por fofocas maliciosas. Homens confessaram mentiras prejudiciais que repassavam. Depois da reunião, Elias destravou a porta e foi com os crentes para as ruas. Ele narra o que aconteceu: — Durante o resto do dia e até tarde da noite, eu me juntei aos grupos que iam de casa em casa. Em todas as portas, tinha alguém pedindo perdão por algum erro. O perdão não era mais retido. Graça é perdão, perdão que recebemos de Deus, a quem ofendemos, perdão que oferecemos aos outros, que nos ofenderam. “Suportem-se uns aos outros e perdoem-se mutuamente, caso alguém tenha motivo de queixa contra outra pessoa. Assim como o Senhor perdoou vocês, perdoem também uns aos outros”. (Colossenses 3.13) Bom dia!!!!! Israel Belo de Azevedo

Archbishop Elias Chacour, preaching

An Israeli, Arab, Christian  priest and educator got mixed responses at local area churches: warmth and respect from Presbyterians, and a mixture of love and ice water at an Israelist church (this is clear from the questions at the end of this compelling presentation by Archbishop Chacour at this church). Archbishop Elias Chacour is a rotund 69 year old dynamo. As a child of eight he was made homeless by the Israeli army, but against all odds, he and his family stayed in Israel long after most of his villagers became forced refugees elsewhere.  He went on to become one of the most important educators of Arab children, and a Christian citizen of Israel. There, he built schools that teach over 3000, Christian & Muslim children in Galilee, northern Israel.  At the time of the talk, he had just been appointed Archbishop over several Melkite Catholic Churches that are sanctioned by Israel within its territory.  Archbishop Chacour is author of Blood Brothers (Arabs and Israelis) and is a proven advocate of peace, preaching love of all races as his “only weapon.”

Elias Chacour and Graham Hill discuss “Blood Brothers: Blessed are the Palestinian, Israeli, and Other Peacemakers.” The GlobalChurch Project, podcast episode #63.“Elias Chacour is a three-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He recently retired after serving since 2006 as the Archbishop of the Melkite Catholic Church for Akko, Haifa, Nazareth, and all Galilee. He was born to a Palestinian Christian family in the village of Biram in Upper Galilee in 1939. Along with his whole village he experienced the tragedy of eviction by the Israeli authorities in 1948 and became a refugee in his own land. He and all his family members became citizens of Israel when the state was created.In 1965, Father Chacour was ordained and appointed as priest of St. George Melkite Catholic Church in Ibillin. He remained there until 2006 when he was elevated to become Archbishop and moved to Haifa. Ibillin is a small Arab village in the Galilee region, near Nazareth, where Christians and Muslims have lived together peacefully for hundreds of years.Father Chacour realized early on that his work in Ibillin would require more than routine priestly duties. His vision was, and is, that through education, children, youth, and young adults of different faith traditions will learn to live and work together in peace. That vision is a reality in the schools of the Mar Elias Educational Institutions (MEEI). As Father Chacour’s dreams became reality, schools were established in Ibillin over 30 years. The cluster of schools now serve 2,750 students from preschool through high school.Many international groups and educational institutions have honored Archbishop Chacour for his work on behalf of peace. In addition to his nominations for the Nobel Peace Prize (1986, 1989, 1994), he received the World Methodist Peace Prize in 1994, and in May 2001 he was awarded the prestigious Niwano Peace Prize by a Buddhist group in Japan. Also in 2001, Emory University and The University of Indianapolis recognized the work of Father Chacour with honorary doctorates.Archbishop Chacour is the author of Blood Brothers (1984, updated in 2002 and again in 2013) and We Belong to the Land (1990). Blood Brothers has been translated into more than twenty different languages.”From http://www.pilgrimsofibillin.org/about-us/abuna-elias-chacour/Elias and Graham discuss Elias’s book “Blood Brothers”, and his current work to bring peace between Palestinians and Israelis.From Elias Chacour’s book: “As a child, Elias Chacour lived in a small Palestinian village in Galilee. The townspeople were proud of their ancient Christian heritage and lived at peace with their Jewish neighbors. But early in 1947, their idyllic lifestyle was swept away as tens of thousands of Palestinians were killed and nearly one million forced into refugee camps. An exile in his native land, Elias began a years-long struggle with his love for the Jewish people and the world’s misunderstanding of his own people, the Palestinians. How was he to respond? He found his answer in the simple, haunting words of the Man of Galilee: “Blessed are the peacemakers.” In Blood Brothers, Chacour blends his riveting life story with historical research to reveal a little-known side of the Arab-Israeli conflict and the birth of modern Israel. He touches on controversial questions such as “What behind-the-scenes politics touched off the turmoil in the Middle East? “, “What does Bible prophecy really have to say? “, and “Can bitter enemies ever be reconciled?”This podcast (and its associated video) was made possible through the generous sponsorship of The Refuge – Oran Park Baptist Church.

Is it possible to love someone you don’t like? Is it possible to love someone while still disagreeing? Do you have to agree with someone before you can love him or her? Can you love someone while not liking what that person believes? This is not an academic question. In 21st century America, we’re each surrounded by people who don’t think the way we think. And, according to Jesus, his followers will be known by how they love their enemies. This week we talk about how. Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48 1 Peter 3:8-9 References: Martin Luther King, Jr. on loving our enemies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhMNr9NtSD0. Elias Chacour: “Children,” he said softly, turning those sad eyes upon us, “if someone hurts you, you can curse him. But this would be useless. Instead, you have to ask the Lord to bless the man who makes himself your enemy. And do you know what will happen? The Lord will bless you with inner peace—and perhaps your enemy will turn from his wickedness. If not, the Lord will deal with him….” Father’s other response to the sale of his land was more of a wonder to me. In a few weeks we heard that the new owner of our property wanted to hire several men to come each day and dress the fig trees, tending them right through till harvest. Immediately, Father went to apply for the job, taking my three oldest brothers with him. They were hired and granted special work passes, the only way they could enter our own property. When she heard what Father had done, Mother stared at him incredulously, “How can you do this, Michael? It’s so awful. So wrong.” Father replied simply, “If we go to care for the trees, we’ll do the best job. Someone else won’t know what they are doing. They’ll break the branches and spoil the new growth.” This was something Father could not bear to think. And so, three years after our expulsion from Biram, Father and my brothers were hiring themselves out as laborers—just for the chance to touch and care for Father’s beloved trees. I did not know the word irony then, but I could understand pain. -from Blood Brothers, by Elias Chacour

Is it possible to love someone you don't like? Is it possible to love someone while still disagreeing? Do you have to agree with someone before you can love him or her? Can you love someone while not liking what that person believes? This is not an academic question. In 21st century America, we're each surrounded by people who don't think the way we think. And, according to Jesus, his followers will be known by how they love their enemies. This week we talk about how. Scripture: Matthew 5:43-48 1 Peter 3:8-9 References: Martin Luther King, Jr. on loving our enemies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhMNr9NtSD0. Elias Chacour: “Children,” he said softly, turning those sad eyes upon us, “if someone hurts you, you can curse him. But this would be useless. Instead, you have to ask the Lord to bless the man who makes himself your enemy. And do you know what will happen? The Lord will bless you with inner peace—and perhaps your enemy will turn from his wickedness. If not, the Lord will deal with him….” Father's other response to the sale of his land was more of a wonder to me. In a few weeks we heard that the new owner of our property wanted to hire several men to come each day and dress the fig trees, tending them right through till harvest. Immediately, Father went to apply for the job, taking my three oldest brothers with him. They were hired and granted special work passes, the only way they could enter our own property. When she heard what Father had done, Mother stared at him incredulously, “How can you do this, Michael? It's so awful. So wrong.” Father replied simply, “If we go to care for the trees, we'll do the best job. Someone else won't know what they are doing. They'll break the branches and spoil the new growth.” This was something Father could not bear to think. And so, three years after our expulsion from Biram, Father and my brothers were hiring themselves out as laborers—just for the chance to touch and care for Father's beloved trees. I did not know the word irony then, but I could understand pain. -from Blood Brothers, by Elias Chacour

This inspiring and remarkable 22 min. documentary is about Father Elias Chacour, a man of peace and reconciliation, and, the schools he started in Ibillin, Israel, in the Galilee region. Father Chacour is an Arab citizen of Israel. The Mar Elias Schools have over 3000 students and teachers that include Christians, Jews and Muslims. Father Chacour's schools have become a shining example and a beacon of hope in a land full of strife and despair.

Abuna Elias Chacour is an ordained Palestinian Christian priest and educator from Israel. He is a Melkite Catholic Priest and the founder and president of Mar Elias Educational Institutions. He has dedicated himself totally over the last thirty-plus years to efforts for reconciliation between Jews and Palestinians in Israel. In particular Mar Elias Educational Institutions has been serving as a site for developing mutual understanding between youths of different religions and ethnic backgrounds.

Abuna Elias Chacour is an ordained Palestinian Christian priest and educator from Israel. He is a Melkite Catholic Priest and the founder and president of Mar Elias Educational Institutions. He has dedicated himself totally over the last thirty-plus years to efforts for reconciliation between Jews and Palestinians in Israel. In particular Mar Elias Educational Institutions has been serving as a site for developing mutual understanding between youths of different religions and ethnic backgrounds.

As a child, Elias Chacour lived in a small Palestinian village in Galilee. The townspeople were proud of their ancient Christian heritage and lived at peace with their Jewish neighbors. But in 1948 and '49 their idyllic lifestyle was swept away as tens of thousands of Palestinians were killed and nearly one million were forced into refugee camps. As an exile in his native land, Elias began a years-long struggle with his love for the Jewish people and the world's misunderstanding of his own people, the Palestinians. He is convicted by the haunting words of the Man of Galilee: “Blessed are the Peacemakers”. Father Chacour has become an ambassador for non-violence. He has a vision and passion to build peace through education and is the founder of the Mar Elias Educational Institutions, open to all the children of Israel; Jewish, Christian and Muslim. He has received many international peace awards and been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on three occasions. He is the author of Blood Brothers and We Belong to this Land. Father Chacour is the Archbishop of the Melkite Catholic Church in Haifa, Israel.

Abuna Elias Chacour was the first Palestinian priest to be appointed in Galilee - 19 years after the State of Israel came into being.  The Israeli military had deliberately destroyed his family's home village of Bi'ram, in northern Galilee, forcing his father and brothers into exile and he had every reason to be a bitter opponent of Israel.     Instead he has become a major force for peace and reconciliation, building the only college in Israel today where Muslims, Druze, Christians and Jews both learn and teach together.  He has written two books and spoken in many nations and, in 2006 was appointed as Archbishop of Galilee (ie. Israel) in the Melkite Catholic Church.     I spoke to him in his office at Mar Elias College, in the Arab town of Ibillin, Galilee.     Mar Elias College website:  http://www.meei.org     -----------------------   Includes NEWS from 'Bread NEWS International' and music from: Northern Exposure, (Northern Ireland, UK) - 'Co. Clare', (Looking Back to Look Forward); Not about Us, (Florida, USA) - 'Have Mercy', (single); Slemish, (Northern Ireland, UK) - 'You Raise Me Up', (Slemish)   Produced by Precious Oil Productions Ltd, for Kingdom Come Trust.