We are delighted to share with you a new book titled "Between Politics and Religion: a Christian Approach to Political Issues from the Middle East." The book, written in Arabic by distinguished Arab theologians from different countries in the Middle East, includes seven chapters that focus on the challenges faced by Christians in the Arab world when participating in local politics. The book provides a Christian response to contemporary political issues, analyzing them from biblical, theological, and historical perspectives. The book was published by the Middle East and North African Association for Theological Education and was launched at a special event at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo.

II'm grateful to have contributed a chapter to this timely and insightful book. The chapter provides a theological framework for Christian involvement in peacemaking. It emphasizes the importance of ensuring that our peacemaking practices are reflective of Kingdom ethics. In addition, our approach to peacemaking should include mending broken relationships through transformative peacemaking initiatives, creating right relationships based on justice, and promoting the common good. The chapter, also, stresses the importance of actively engaging in the community and showing love as a fundamental aspect of the peacemaking vision.

Last month, the Fellowship of Christian Students in Israel hosted a conference for its alumni with the theme "Let Your Light Shine." The conference was a great success and brought together a diverse group of individuals who share a common passion for fulfilling our Christian mission.

Through our lectures and workshops, we delved deep into the significance of comprehending our individual, ecclesial, and social identities, and how this understanding can guide us in fulfilling our mission. Our discussions highlighted the importance of loving God and our neighbors as ourselves, which is essential in becoming a beacon of hope and love in our communities.

At the conference, we had table discussions where we explored ways to bring light to our society in times of darkness. We discussed offering healing where there is suffering, seeking justice where there is injustice, and initiating peace where there is conflict. The discussions were insightful and generated practical ideas that can help us fulfill our mission. 

We are grateful for the attendees' participation and dedication and look forward to continuing to work together to fulfill our Christian mission and spread light in a dark world.

I am pleased to share with you my recent experience leading and facilitating a training program for ministers of the Association of the Baptist Churches in Israel in partnership with Nazareth Evangelical College. The training consisted of three workshops that explored the topic of "Understanding Conflict" from three different perspectives: theological, social, and personal.

Theologically, we have discussed how conflict can be an opportunity for growth and transformation. Through the study of biblical stories, we have learned that by inviting God into our conflicts, He can transform them into holy ground, where we receive protection, guidance, and enlightenment.

In our social discussions, we have explored the different lenses through which we see and interpret conflict and others. These lenses are shaped by a variety of factors, including our culture, identity, education, experiences, background, biology, and personality. The differences in our lenses explain why we have different points of view when it comes to conflict and how we deal with it.

During our personal exploration of conflict, we examined five different strategies for dealing with it and discussed the respective strengths and weaknesses of each approach. This exercise was designed to help participants gain insight into their own conflict management style and to identify areas where they can improve their ability to handle conflict in a constructive and effective manner.

Overall, it was a delightful experience to share insights on the importance of understanding conflict and how it can benefit individuals and communities. We are grateful for the opportunity to share our knowledge and skills with the ministers of the Association of the Baptist Churches.

We appreciate your partnership and value the connection we have built with you. Your friendship and support have been instrumental in our success.

Much love 

Rula