By Hibah Musthafa

In response to the urgency of this moment – the horrifying genocide in Gaza unfolding before our eyes, a veritable “slaughter of innocents,” and escalating violence in the West Bank and the region – UCC PIN is producing a resource, “Crisis in Gaza: Leading Congregations to Understanding and Action,” which will be ready for release by the end of January. UCC PIN’s goal is for this resource to support congregational leaders, seeking to understand the context for this current crisis, looking for materials and strategies to share with congregations, and wanting guidance for bearing witness and taking action. 

Following an introduction to “Crisis in Gaza,” the resource will have five additional sections, broadly described as: (1) This is a catastrophe: the Nakba (Arabic for ‘catastrophe’) then in 1948, now, and in between; (2) The voice of our Palestinian Christian Partners and their cries for hope and for repentance; (3) The witness, resolutions, and work of the UCC; (4) Challenges to speaking out; (5) Taking action: education, research, advocacy. 

Presented in a user-friendly powerpoint format (also possible to access with Google slides), the resource’s slides will include a combination of written text, graphics, videos, narration, as well as links to supplementary material for further study. We encourage clergy and congregational leaders to feel free to adopt the resource for single session use or multi-session use, such as a Lenten study for example.

Silence in such a time as this is not an option. Our fervent hope is that this resource will help us all to amplify our voices and our advocacy for justice, non-violence, and the human rights of all God’s beloved in Palestine and Israel.