GREETINGS TO THE HOLY PEOPLE OF GOD,
On Monday our nation will celebrate Labor Day, a long weekend for many, an extra day off for workers and extra pay for the hourly workers who don’t get the day off. Labor Day began 141 years ago as a response to poor working conditions. Workers came together to fight for better wages and working conditions. The “Labor Day” parade brought together more than 10,000 workers in New York City to march for their rights on September 5th, 1882. Two years later, “Labor Day” became an official American holiday to commemorate the labor movement and laws were created to support and protect workers.
As I continue to integrate my continuing education experience, I find myself very grateful for how our nation supports and encourages the values of my Christian faith with laws and even celebrations that help us to remember to love our neighbor as ourselves. Spending a month in Israel gave me the opportunity to experience being in a country where Christians are the minority and not supported by the laws of the nation. The weekend is very different.
In Israel, Sunday is a workday, a business day. Sunday in Israel is like our Monday. Friday at sundown the Sabbath begins and there is great hustle to get home before sundown and the celebration of the Shabbat meal for the observant Jew. Friday is the day of community worship for Muslims. In the Old City of Jerusalem, Christians gather on Sunday.
For us, Tantur Pilgrims, it meant we had to work more in our planning of our time off and the destination where we wanted to go. It had to be open on Saturday and we had to make sure we could get to the place. Museums were open but not much else. There is limited public transportation and taxis and get (their uber) charge more because they know that transportation is limited. In Israel, every taxi or uber ride is negotiated before you get into the vehicle with payment on arrival of your destination. So we planned ahead and traveled in small groups of 4 or we stayed at Tantur and rested. Our attendance at Sunday worship was countercultural. When we got on the bus on Sunday morning, dressed for church, we stood out among the workers.
These small things of participating in another country structured differently than ours helps me to be thankful for our country and our labor laws and how our nation supports the love of neighbors. I also wonder if we did not have the encouragement of the weekly structure if we would continue to survive as a Christian community that gathers for worship and I am grateful that the Holy Spirit calls, gathers and enlightens us. God is faithful and I am grateful.
Bold Inquisitive Belief Loving Expansively,
Pastor Connie Spitzack
