August 27, 2007

Hello and warm summer greetings from Bethlehem!

Dar al-Kalima College

Thanks to several of our partners, including Memorial Presbyterian Church in Michigan, the library of Dar al-Kalima College now has an embryonic collection of music resources. Some of the more fun developments are a small collection of donated jazz CDs and the work of our main librarian, Anan Hamad, to begin an archive of Palestinian rap music.

We are still waiting for news from the Palestinian Authority regarding our proposal for accreditation of the College’s music program. Assuming all goes well, we could begin classes as early as next month, though at this late stage, January 2008 is the more likely start date.

Two months ago I began an Internet blog about Bethlehem Star Music. There you can read updates on our activities, brief biographies of musicians, and articles related to music in Bethlehem.

Cellist Nachy Kanfer is co-founder of the environmental organization LifeSource, which deals with the issue of water rights in Palestine and Israel.

Our newest personnel addition to the music program is a young American musician, linguist, and environmentalist, Nachy Kanfer. A recent Yale graduate and Fulbright Scholar in Damascus, Syria, Nachy will be playing cello in the Bethlehem Star Quintet and working directly with me as his accompanist. The first task we adopted is a bit daunting, the magnificent cello sonata of Sergei Rachmaninoff. I am hoping that the Quintet will act as a nucleus for a larger chamber ensemble with advanced performers from the National Conservatory of Music and Dar al-Kalima College.

Nachy is also co-founder of LifeSource, an environmental organization designed to research and document water rights and access in Israel/Palestine. The Presbyterian Hunger Program, as well as thousands of organizations, churches, and governments, have failed to address this issue, yet it remains a primary component of the occupation and denial of basic human rights to Palestinians. If you are interested in learning more or want to support this largely unprecedented research and upcoming documentary film, contact Nachy directly at nachy@thelifesourceproject.org or visit the Lifesource Project's Web site.

In my last newsletter, I wrote that the church has a way of making mission difficult at times. A few days ago I received a letter asking me how Presbyterians can help solve this challenge. The PC(USA) has an answer, and you are invited to participate.

This October 47 PC(USA) missionaries will travel to 143 presbyteries across the country to share their stories of national and global ministry. As many as 700 churches will hear news that happens every day around the world, stories that bring hope where it is needed most.

One part of Mission Challenge ’07 is an appeal to every church in the denomination to support a Presbyterian missionary.

In mid-September a letter will go to the pastors and clerks of session in all 10,884 churches in our denomination. This will inform them of materials coming in early October that interpret the excellence of the Presbyterian Church as a mission-sending agency and invite them to offer financial support to Presbyterian missionaries through World Mission.

During the first week of October, a box will arrive in every church with bulletin inserts. The inserts include a call to action, inviting all to participate in mission by praying faithfully and giving generously. These are accompanied by a DVD featuring our new director, Hunter Farrell. It contains two brief but compelling videos that bring to life a representative sample of my fellow colleagues in mission.

A missionary will not be able to visit every congregation this October. However, you can learn about our work at home and abroad by watching the DVD, distributing the bulletin inserts, and prayerfully considering your church’s involvement in mission. Visit the Mission Challenge Web site for more information.

Matt Middleton

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 170