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Pastoral Reflections Rev. Dr. Jack Haberer


My January 3 through 18 journey through Lebanon, much of it just a few miles from the Syrian border, provided me an immersion experience of 21st century Syrian-Lebanese culture. As you may already know, the words “Syria” and “Lebanon” are conjoined by a dash because those peoples are really one people. Te border between them was set in place by Europeans in the 1940s. However, for travel purposes, that border is carefully guarded these days, and we Americans were not allowed to breach it (apparently a response to the tightening of our borders). So, since we couldn’t drive into Syria, Syria drove out to us.


Beloved FPCA Friend,


‘Tis the season for Lent, for spiritual disciplines, for resurrection, for April showers begetting May flowers, and, not to be missed, for the Middle Eastern Banquet. Tat spring-introducing event stands out as one of the best-attended and most talked-about congregation- wide gatherings year after year.


Chances are that you will be reading this issue of Tidings around the time of, or shortly after, this year’s banquet. Tose in attendance will have partaken of some of the most delectable foods found on the planet. And in light of the particular parties engaged in the food preparation, the members of FPCA’s Arabic fellowship, it has been prepared with the utmost love.


Tis year’s banquet servers invited me to do more than fill my belly. Tey asked me to share my take on their homeland.


To be exact, a dozen Syrian church leaders, mostly pastors, journeyed across the border to visit with us in Beirut at the offices of the Near East School of Teology. Each told stories about their respective congregations’ experiences through the past seven- years-long war. All of them suffered hardship. Some barely dodged missiles (one walked out of his office just in time before an incoming bomb landed and blew it up—a God-thing, to be sure!). Others took up arms to protect their city (especially those in Mahardah, halfway between Aleppo and Homs). Others took in Christians and Muslims who were fleeing from the rebels’ assaults. What stood out was the deeply thoughtful ways they sought to be faithful to the God of grace and mercy, the God of justice and forgiveness, the God of welcome and inclusion.


We also journeyed by bus to three of the six makeshift elementary schools set up for Syrian refugee children by the synod in different locations that dot the Lebanese landscape. Tese visits were ones wherein “we laughed; we cried.” Te songs sung to us, the alphabets


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recited, and the crayon-colored pictures put smiles on all of our faces. Te sure realization of the horrors they had suffered—many of them having lost a parent or two to the war—and the deprivation they now face, living in unheated tents year-round, moved us to generosity and resolutions to make a difference. (Feel free to make special gifts to FPCA, designated to “Refugee Relief in Lebanon,” and we will send them to folk who will put them to faithful and responsible use for such victims trying to rise from the ashes).


By the way, we made a few tourist stops along the way, including Baalbek, a Roman City built A.D. 100-200. Its “smaller” temple, the Temple to Bacchus, looks just like Athens’ Parthenon, except it is larger and in better condition. Its massive “larger” temple appeared to my eyes to be a full- size replica of Solomon’s temple, which is what would be on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount had the Romans not destroyed it in A.D. 70.


All in all, the stories to be shared at the Middle Eastern Banquet will have added to the delectable feast presented by loving members of our Arabic fellowship. May we all live in such love, giving it away to those needing it most: the children Jesus loves so much.


Grace and peace to you and yours, Jack Haberer, Lead Pastor


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