On May 12, 2024 during all services, we will be hearing a ministry moment about the Christians of the Holy Land. After each service a display of handmade olivewood religious articles from Bethlehem will be available for purchase in the Narthex. These carvings include olivewood Nativity sets, crosses, Christmas ornaments, candle holders, angels, and many other religious crafts that could make a nice wedding, baptism, confirmation, Easter, and Christmas gifts. The carvings are handmade by Christian families from Bethlehem who rely on it for their daily bread.
More than 70% of the Christian Community in the Holy Land depend upon tourism as their only source of income. Christians have been enduring many hardships for decades. Tourism in Bethlehem has plummeted and access to other sources of income has been sharply restricted due to the ongoing conflict, the wars , the 12 yard wall built around Bethlehem, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the catastrophic ongoing war. Due to this, tourists are afraid and unable to visit the Holy Land. This has made it very difficult for Christian families to find their daily bread and has forced them to immigrate and flee their homeland since they lost their source of income. The Christian population of the Holy Land was 30% in the last century; today, it is less than 1%. If this trend continues, we will find no Christians in the land of Christ in a few years. This could cause could cause tragic consequences to our faith and holy sites.
Please help support our Christian brothers and sisters in the town where Christ was born by purchasing their carvings.
A Christian family from Bethlehem will be telling us the story of the Christians of the Holy Land and will be presenting carvings after the services.
It is never too late to help. All proceeds go to support Christian families from Bethlehem.
Let us carefully tend our roots, the Christians of the Holy Land. And let us pray together for peace in the Holy Land.
