2019
UMKR Responds to GC2019 and Judicial Council Rulings of April 2019
April 2019 – UMKR grieves over exclusionary legislation of GC2019, renews commitment to LYNC Vision, and invites all United Methodists to work for a just peace in the Holy Land. Read the statement
African Americans Show How Palestinian Solidarity Is Done
M. Theresa Basile
January 2019 – Reviewing Michelle Alexander's NY Times Op-Ed "Time to Break the Silence on Palestine in the contexts of Black-Palestinian solidarity in recent years and of the praise and denunciations it has received. Read the article
Time to Break the Silence on Palestine
Michelle Alexander, The NY Times
January 2019 – Author of the "The New Jim Crow" compares Martin Luther King's controversial opposition to the Vietnam War to the current issues surrounding support for Palestinian rights, especially when African Americans take a stand. Describing the changes and challenges in the U.S. public debate - with a mention of the United Methodist Church's divestment from Israeli banks – Alexander identifies Palestinian rights as a cause she cannot ignore in 2019. See the editorial
Unite to Protect Americans' Right to Boycott
January 2019 – Fifteen faith organizations have issued a statement condemning the current bill in the Senate that would support state legislation penalizing those who support a boycott targeting Israeli human rights abuses. They call on all Americans to contact legislators and urge them to oppose such legislation. See the statement
2018 Year in Review: Part 1 - UMKR & Partners News
January 2019 – Our annual "mega edition" of The Response includes a full review of UMKR activities in the previous year, a selection of the biggest news from faith communities and other partners, and our top picks of 2018 resources.
Read this newsletter in your browser
Download a pdf file of this newsletter (15 MB)
2018
Ecumenical Statement from 16 Christian Leaders:
Current U.S. Policy, Israel/Palestine, and the Churches
Nov 2018 – This statement was sent to all members of the U.S. Congress, as well as to the White House. It addresses the disturbing shifts in U.S. policy regarding Israel/Palestine during the Trump Administration. See the statement
UMKR & LYNC: We Are Stronger Together
October 2018 – UMKR has taken an important step in the vital work of intersectional justice by joining the Love Your Neighbor Coalition (LYNC) in the United Methodist Church. Read more about this action
Seminal Conference of 2018 Makes Clear: The Future of Justice Activism Is Intersectional
October 2018 –The September USCPR national conference, Together We Rise, brought together the most diverse lineup of presenters yet seen in the movement for Palestinian rights, put remarkable women in the limelight, and unmistakably set the intersectional path for the movement's future.
October 2018 – See the report
FOSNA Conference Empowers Faith-Based Organizing
October 2018 – FOSNA’s gathering in St Paul MN just before the national USCPR conference brought together over 100 leaders and activists from across the United States who, along with a racially diverse lineup of presenters, came together to explore how to strengthen local and national organizing for Palestine, with an appropriate and strong focus on church activism. See the report
Reaching Evangelical Christians in the Bible Belt
Oct 2018 – UMKR provided multi-faceted support for the first-ever Christ at the Checkpoint conference in the United States, which featured an impressive lineup of speakers from Palestine and across the U.S. and, like similar conferences in Bethlehem, focused on reaching evangelical Christians and refuting the theology of Christian Zionism. See the report
LYNC Convo Includes Call to Palestinian Solidarity
The national gathering of the Love Your Neighbor Coalition focused strongly on the upcoming 2019 Special General Conference, with diverse views of the proposed plans for the future of the UMC. Two dozen workshops in that weekend included "Why We Should Be in Solidarity with Palestinian Christians" presented by Giselle Lawn, former RMN board member and Rev. John Wagner, Co-chair of UMKR.
August 2018 – Read the report
2018 Resolutions Focus on Palestinian Children
July 2018 – Among the eleven Palestine-related resolutions adopted in annual conference this year, eight addressed the human rights of Palestinian children and their abuse in Israeli military detention.
July 2018 – See the report
UMKR Condemns Israel’s Apartheid Law
UMKR joins numerous partners in condeming the recent adoption by the Israeli legislature of the Nation State Law. This bill now enshrines in Israel's Basic Law, the Israeli equivalent to a national constitution, the denial of equal rights for Palestinian Israeli citizens who comprise 20% or more of Israel's population.
July 2018 –See the press release
Palestinian Missionary writes open letter to UMC Leaders
Rev. Alex Awad, a retired UMC missionary and member of the UMKR Steering Committee challenges UMC leaders to do more for the people of the Holy Land, with several concrete suggestions for action.
May 2018 – See the letter
8000 UM Women and UMKR is there
May 2018 – The largest gathering in the United Methodist Church isn't our General Conference, it is the United Methodist Women Assembly. UMKR had a successful display table at the UMW Assembly 2018. As a result of our special focus on education and action for the catastrophic conditions in Gaza, hundreds of personal solar lights for individuals to use were sent to families in Gaza.
See the report
UMKR Condemns Israel's Response to the Great March of Return 2018
UMKR condemns without reservation Israel’s deliberate killing of over 100 protesting Gazans and the maiming of thousands since protests began on 30 March 2018, Palestinian Land Day, and through the following weeks.
See the statement here
BDS movement nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
Read more and take action to support the nomination
Kairos Palestine
Palestinian Christians have called on us to help end the Israeli occupation. Discover the document that is mobilizing Christians around the world! Read it
Is It Apartheid?
Find out what an international team of legal scholars - commissioned by the South African government - said about the Israeli occupation. See the answer
Connections
UMKR on Facebook
Israel/Palestine 101
Prepare for peacemaking by learning the basics: the history of this conflict and the real situation today. We have some easy ways to get started. Learn more
For more information and links, see our EVENTS PAGE
With Love as its Logic:
Heeding the Call of Palestinian Christians - FOSNA
• 2 MAY 2019 • 12 noon ET/ 9:00 am PT (US time zones)
• Global Online Webinar
Join FOSNA for a conversation with Palestinian Christian organizers in Palestine! Hear from Christians in Palestine as they mark the 10th anniversary of the Kairos Palestine Document, with the global campaign for a petition to be delivered to Israeli embassies and legations in May.
International Law, American Politics, and Palestine
Friends of Sabeel - Los Angeles & Orange County
• 4 May 2019 • Pasadena, CA, USA
Friends of Sabeel - LA & OC presents a riveting afternoon with two nationally renowned speakers!
RICHARK FALK: United Nations Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories from 2008 to 2014.
TAREK ABUATA: Palestinian-American, Executive Director of Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)
Workshops on: church organizing, advocating with elected officials, protecting free speech rights and more.
CMEP Peace Advocacy Summit Persistent Hope:
35 Years of CMEP
23-25 June 2019 • Washington DC, USA
In 2019, Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) celebrates its 35th anniversary of encouraging US policies that actively promote a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East. Our 2019 Advocacy Summit will look back at everything CMEP has accomplished over the past three-and-a-half decades, as well as what our work will look like going forward and the opportunities to work for peace and justice that will come. Over the past decades, CMEP has been a leading force in elevating the voices of Middle East Christians on Capitol Hill and around the United States. Join us as we celebrate and strategize for how to best carry out this work in the future! Learn more and register: cmep.org/event/35years
UK Sabeel-Kairos Annual Conference:
Faith in Action 2019
• 29 June 2019 • Birmingham, United Kingdom
Sabeel-Kairos was formed in 2017 as a result of the merger of Friends of Sabeel UK and Kairos Britain.
Meet like-minded people, learn about taking part in real activism, have good discussions, eat, drink, buy Palestinian food and enjoy Palestinian culture. The day’s schedule includes: Ethical investment, Campaign Action, Lunch, Palestinian Crafts and Photography, Palestinian and expert speakers, War on Want, Activist Workshops, Palestinian Food.
SAVE THE DATE: UNJPPI 2019 Gathering
United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI)
• 13-15 September 2019 • Ottawa, Canada
Still in the planning stages, the proposed theme for this event, ‘Solidarity Matters’, is in keeping with Palestinian partners’ call for ‘costly solidarity’ of Christians around the world.
Two Holy Land Conferences, back to back
Kairos Palestine and Sabeel Jerusalem are scheduling their 2019 events consecutively, so that supporters can attend both in one trip to Palestine. The Kairos Palestine conference will be held on the 29-30 November to coincide with the United Nations’ International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People (observed annually on 29 November). The Sabeel International Gathering will be held on 2-7 December. – See the Sabeel event below.
Palestinian Theologies In Action: An International Gathering for Friends and Supporters of Sabeel
• Monday-Saturday, 2-7 December 2019 • Bethlehem and Jerusalem, Palestine
Come and bring your friends! It will be a time of fellowship, friendship, and renewal, as well as a time to learn and discuss. We call on our friends to come and join us at this important gathering. Your presence gives us hope and encouragement as together we continue on the path of peace with justice. Learn more and register here
For details on all these events, see our Events Page
Answering the urgent call from Palestinian Christians
~ in Kairos Palestine: A Moment of Truth ~ for effective action to end the Israeli occupation and achieve a just peace in the Holy Land.
Support the work of UMKR
With limited resources, UMKR has made a remarkable impact in the UMC. But this vital peace and justice work can only continue with the support of those who believe in it. Gifts of any size WILL make a difference! Click the button to see how you can donate securely online or by mail.
MAIL
General Inquiries:
United Methodist Kairos Response
c/o Rev. John Wagner
120 South Broad Street
Middletown, OH 45044
Donations/Financial Correspondence:
United Methodists for Kairos Response
c/o William P. Aldrich
42 Gaspee Point Drive • Warwick, RI 02888
Make donations payable to our fiscal agent:
Open Table of Christ UMC
Write on the memo line: UMKR
Action
Events
CONNECT
Sign up for UMKR news and action
Want to know more about our work?
We would love to hear from you! info@kairosresponse.org
Responsible Tourism
Be more than a tourist in the Holy Land. See remarkable tours that will show you biblical history and introduce you to the people of the land. Learn more
Dec. 2016 – UMKR has a (slightly) new name: United Methodists for Kairos Response
SIGN UP for news & action
UMKR emails bring you news about current justice work, action alerts, and great resources for learning and action. One or two emails per month. Try it - you can Unsubscribe any time!
UMKR on Twitter
Giving changes everything
Settlements Boycott
The UMC has called for a global ban on products from Israeli settlements. See many familiar products & how you can support the boycott. Learn more
UMKR 2019 Resolutions for Annual Conferences: Avoiding gov't bonds of countries in long term occupations; ethical investing guidelines locally and in UMC Book of Discipline See & get them
Discovery
Selective Divestment
Throughout the church, the call is growing for the UMC to cut its financial ties to the Israeli occupation that it has long opposed Learn more
Time to Break the Silence on Palestine - Michelle Alexander, The NY Times-Read it
Author of the "The New Jim Crow" compares Martin Luther King's controversial opposition to the Vietnam War to the current issues surrounding support for Palestinian rights, especially when African Americans take a stand. Describing the changes and challenges in the U.S. public debate, Alexander identifies Palestinian rights as a cause she cannot ignore in 2019. See the editorial
See also the UMKR editorial:
African Americans Show How Palestinian Solidarity Is Done
Worship & Devotional Resources
Enrich your spiritual connection to the cause of justice in the Holy Land, with diverse materials for congregations & personal devotions. See the resources
UMKR's 2018 Review: PART ONE
A whole year of UMKR action, some of the biggest news from our partners, and great resources in 2018. Download the pdf
Sign the Global Kairos for Justice Petition!
The Palestinian Christians' movement Kairos Palestine asks the world to sign this petition, to be presented at Israeli embassies worldwide, support its call to action, and participate in events commemorating the Nakba, May 15, 2019. See and Sign the petition
News & Views
UMKR Responds to GC2019 & JC Rulings of April 2019 UMKR grieves
over actions of GC2019, renews commit-ment to LYNC vision, invites all to join our work for a just peace See the statement
Changing U.S. Policy
It is time for a change in U.S. policies regarding Israel/Palestine. Find out how UMKR and allies are making an impact in Washington & get involved. Learn more