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Rev. Ashraf Tannous is a young Christian Palestinian pastor, recently installed at the congregation of Christmas Lutheran church in Bethlehem, with a deep passion for the Lord, a powerful gift for preaching, and a compassionate heart for the people of the Holy Land. As one whose faith roots and historic lineage reaches back to the first Pentecost (Acts 2), he believes it is God’s desire for all people to live together in peace in this sacred land.

He is keenly aware of the vulnerabilities around him and lives in the tension of watching the international community — and the global church in particular — remain silent while people are murdered, dismissed, and beaten. He has seen olive groves, cared for through generations, burned to the ground — not only by military forces, but also by civilians known as “settlers” who illegally seize land legally owned by Palestinian farmers and families who are offered no legal recourse in the Israeli legal system. As he says, "living is very hard right now", but that, "we are to love everyone", and he is asking for our help in prayer and purpose.

Rev. Tannous calls us not only to pray for peace but to take part in the sacred work of building it — for Palestinians and Israelis alike — for all human beings created in God’s image and worthy of God’s grace.

https://christmaslutheran.org

The Common Table Podcast UMC is supported by the Creation Justice Team (part of the UNY AC UMC General Board of Global Ministry) and Peace with Justice for Palestine/Israel (also UNY AC UMC). Our focus is on Creation Justice, Creation Care, and the urgent need for peace with justice—recognizing how climate change and war disrupts the health of the Earth and all living things. We seek to prayerfully respect and love the creation we were born into, caring for all that lives.

We invite you to join us for conversations rooted in justice and compassion. Every episode is produced by volunteers, and we publish as often as we are able.

Our mission is to lift awareness, foster education, and encourage faithful action within the human community—in the name of Christ.

Hosted by Rev. Dr. Robin Blair.