Christmas will soon be here with its joy and celebration. Today, however, it is Advent, a time of hustle and bustle of external preparations.

Advent is also a time to prepare for what is coming to us from God, for remembering who arrived and living as if we know that God is with us now and into the future.

As peacemakers with hearts for the people of the Holy Land, living as if we remember that God is always with us is essential to acting faithfully in our quest for peace with justice for all peoples of the region.

This resource is a gift from Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) to help encourage all of us to reread, reflect and apply scripture in our lives today and prayerfully act. This year CMEP is highlighting the voices of a rising generation, young adults who are concerned and engaged in pursing peace.

We encourage you to share these reflections to help raise your concerns for peace and the people of the Holy Land in your congregation in your own way or words. Here are some actions people took last year:

• Offer or request a prayer for peace in the Holy Land during Advent prayers of the people.
• Put a note in the bulletin or an article in the newsletter about peace in the Holy Land.
• Add a prayer for peace in the Holy Land to your personal Christmas cards.
• Send these reflections to others. Click below to download the resource as a PDF file.
• Please send comments, ideas or feedback to Doris(at)cmep.org.
• As we prepare for Emmanuel’s arrival may the hope, justice, peace, love and joy of God be with you.

Salam/Shalom/Peace, 

Doris Warrell
CMEP Field Director

Click here for the 2011 CMEP Advent reflections.  All four weeks' reflections are available.