A church service to “bring solidarity through prayer during the current crisis in Israel and the Palestinian Territories” is scheduled for Sunday, June 2 at 4 p.m. at Mariner's Bethel Global Methodist Church in Ocean View.
“The hurt and suffering of the Middle East crisis has reverberated around the world and into our communities. Now, rather than being divided by differing faiths and expressions of beliefs, our communities are united by our common humanity. It's time to draw closer together,” said the lead pastor, the Rev. Rebecca Collison, referring to the violence there.
Palestinians are suffering due to the armed conflict between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas.
“This prayer service is not intended to promote any political focus,” Collison said. “It's to bring comfort and to be in solidarity with people who are suffering, who are hurting, who are victims of this kind of violence. We're doing this to look out for our neighbors because one day we might be like that too.” They are still our neighbors, even though they are continents away.
“What do I want someone to do? I want them to come together and pray for me,” she said. “Prayer is the most powerful thing we have. We have prayer, and prayer is the most powerful thing against the forces of evil – and the forces of evil are what we stand against. What's happening in the world spills over into other people. I see it on campus. We have to see the humanity in each other. It started with the Hamas attack on October 7th, which was the deadliest day for the State of Israel in the past 50 years. They are innocent people who are victims. Ta.
One of the pastor's sons was working in the Middle East at the time of the attack and was waiting to hear about his well-being, she recalled.
“I can't imagine what other families felt, whose loved ones were at ground zero that day and in the months that followed,” she said.
Members of the South Eastern Sussex Ministerium and members of the Mariners Bethel Prayer Ministry, led by the Mariners' Associate Minister Rev. Leo Park, will lead those participating in the prayer service through scripture reading and prayer. Images and voices of Middle East survivors and refugees will be shared “to come to terms with the suffering and heartbreaking loss felt by our brothers and sisters in the region,” Collison said.
The shofar, a ceremonial musical horn, will be played by Frankford resident Brett Buckler, whose father is of Jewish descent. Buchler said shofars are made from natural animal horns and are said to be like the voice of God. Buehler, a former social studies teacher, said for centuries the shofar has been used in the Jewish faith community to draw attention to situations of personal, spiritual and communal significance. , said that in the future “we will be offering different types of trumpet sounds to help guide you through different situations.” It’s part of the worship service,” Collison said.
She said the community is “called to join in the call for compassion, healing, peace and justice for all people at home and abroad.”