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Pilgrim 2000

1 Pilgrimage is encounter: as a pilgrim what you visit should affect you. This was certainly the case with the 95 United Reformed Church pilgrims who visited Israel / Palestine from February 22 to March 2 this year. All returned more or less changed, in their knowledge, attitudes, understanding and even beliefs. This large party included representatives from the then 12 Synods, with a good mixture of young and old, women and men, leaders and those with no special office, white and black - and those who were always keen and those who, at least at first, wondered whether it was all a mistake. Their equally mixed testimony can be found in recent issues of Reform and on the special pages within the United Reformed Church website.

2 The intention was to meet people as well as visit places. The umbrella title under which our party went, “Pilgrim 2000”, derives from the invitation extended by the Anglican bishop in Jerusalem, Riah Abu El-Assal, initially to Church of England dioceses and later to others, to join the Christian community in what he calls “The land of the Holy One” during the millennium year, in solidarity and friendship. The bishop brought greetings to the whole group one evening.

3 During a crowded and demanding programme, visits were made to most of the traditional sites in the Galilee and around Jerusalem where we often worshipped either together or in two coach-loads. These visits included Sebaste (the traditional hill-top city of Samaria), Nablus (Jacob’s well) and Yad Vashem in Jerusalem (the Holocaust memorial) which are not on all itineraries. Of special significance were two services of holy communion on the Galilean lakeside and at the Shepherds’ Fields site near Bethlehem, on the first and final days of our journey.

4 A distinctive feature of this pilgrimage was the opportunity for four structured meetings with Palestinian Christians. The group visited Ibillin near Nazareth and met with Abuna Elias Chacour whose personal vision and energy has created a strong educational institution there, serving all faith communities. Sunday morning worship was shared with the Palestinian congregation at St George’s Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem. The whole party journeyed into Gaza where one group spent time with the Middle East Council of Churches, visiting a refugee camp and training centre. Lastly both coach-loads were taken by leaders of Sabeel to see something of the current suffering of the Palestinian people.

5 On two other occasions visits were made to see at first hand work being done by the Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee (PARC) which is a partner with the United Reformed Church through Christian Aid in the Commitment for Life programme. These visits concentrated on the women’s rural development schemes, in Gaza and around Jericho. On another evening the whole party heard from a Muslim, a Reform Rabbi and an Armenian Christian their contrasting views on the current situation and on the significance of Jerusalem itself.

6 From Assembly and Synod funds and trusts, the United Reformed Church was able to offer subsidies for several participants, including the young people. There was considerable time devoted to the planning, as well as to the event itself, by five staff secretaries, Peter Brain, Carol Rogers, Lesley-Anne Di Marco, John Waller and Philip Woods as well as Bill Mahood and the Moderator of Assembly.

7 As a result, there are now almost 100 pilgrims ready to speak about this unique experience with local churches and District Councils etc. Others, too, have similar experience to share. They can be invited (though not as experts) to share in discussions around any of the above topics, including the dilemma over the ‘chosen’ land, the signs of hope in the work of PARC and others, the possibility of inter-faith understanding and the fresh insight into faith’s journey which has left none of the pilgrims unchanged.