Sunday, May 19
~ Madi Elsea

The morning began with worship at Christmas Lutheran Church in Old Bethlehem, a church started by Lutheran missionaries in the 1850’s and built in the 1890’s. It’s a vibrant congregation of 200 with visitors from around the world. The service was in Arabic with an English bulletin provided, so we could speak and sing with many parts of the liturgy.

The 130 year old organ had fallen into disrepair in the 1990’s and with thanks to an American Lutheran congregation had been totally rebuilt in Minneapolis and returned to Bethlehem in time for Bethlehem 2000 festivities. I felt the organ’s power, joy & symbolism….a beacon of hope in the midst of this scarred & oft-broken community. The final hymn was “All People on Earth do Dwell” and the last line reads “God’s truth at all times firmly stands, and shall from age to age endure.” Thanks be to God!