Prayers of Protest

Friends,

Last Tuesday night, Michelle and I attended a Zoom meeting organized by a group called Mennonite Action. In emails and on their website, they’d explained:

“We are shocked by Hamas’ brutal attacks against Israeli civilians on October 7, and we are horrified by Israel’s attacks on Palestinian civilians … We cannot keep quiet. We are people of God’s peace. As Mennonites, we are called to be peacemakers … This is … a call to use our public voice and our collective power to advocate for peace and demand an immediate ceasefire.”

Over 800 Mennonites joined the call from around the US and Canada. We listened to presentations from a slate of speakers that included several folks from southeast Pennsylvania or with connections here. The organizers—a pair of young Mennonites named Adam Ramer and Nick Martin—said they were asking Mennonites around the country to gather at the offices of their elected representatives on December 19 to pray, sing hymns, and call for a ceasefire.

I’ve been thinking about that call ever since. On the one hand, I’ve always been uneasy about public demonstrations. I don’t like drawing the attention of strangers. Michelle and I don’t put yard signs on our front lawn. We don’t fly flags. The only bumper sticker on our car is for the Denver Broncos, whom I rooted for while I was living out in Colorado. If something is complicated or controversial, I want to take the time to talk it through in person. I’ve only been to a handful of marches and rallies in my life, and in every case, I felt energized but also scared.

And yet, having said all that, I was deeply moved by something that was said on the Zoom call on Tuesday night. I don’t even remember who said it. Someone—maybe one of the organizers?—made the case that showing up at the offices of our elected representatives was a form of prayer. And I thought, “You know, that makes sense to me.”

Because here’s the thing. There’s very little that I—or any of us—can do to change what’s happening in Gaza. I can’t save the lives of the people who are being massacred there. I can’t bring about peace or justice. I don’t even know what peace or justice would look like for two peoples who have suffered so terribly over the course of history.

But I can do the things Christians have always done. I can care. I can be brave. I can show up where I feel God’s Spirit is moving and say, “Here I am, Lord. What’s happening is too big for me. I can’t make it right. But you can. And if there’s anything you have for me to do, I’m here.” Because that’s what prayer is, right? It’s putting your life into God’s hands and asking God to use it for good.

So that’s how I’ll be going to the event that Mennonite Action is organizing on December 19. In prayer. As a prayer. And if you feel called to join me, let me know. We’ll go and we’ll pray together.

Love,
Pastor Jacob (and Pastor Michelle)