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ISRAEL AND PALESTINE

A Symposium on the Obstacles to Peace

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

1:30 pm - 9:00 pm

Villanova University, Connelly Center Cinema

1:30 pm            WELCOME  Bishop Allen Bartlett - Episcopal Church

            Professor Shams Inati  - Villanova University 

1:45            “LIFE IN OCCUPIED PALESTINE:  EYEWITNESS STORIES & PHOTOS

Anna Baltzer – Author of “Witness in Palestine:Journal of a Jewish-American Woman In the Occupied Territory               

2:45            PANEL 1:  SETTLEMENTS , VIOLENCE AND SECURITY

            Geoffrey Aronson – Editor of newsletter on Israeli settlements

            Foundation for Middle East Peace .  

            Daoud Nassar  Tent of Nations - Works with Israelis and Palestinians

 3:45                                                            Break        

4:00             PANEL 2:   JERUSALEM AND REFUGEES

 Lawrence Davidson – Professor, Middle East History, West Chester U.

Susan Abulhawa  - Scientist,  Founder of Playgrounds for Palestine and author of the novel “The Scar of David”

5:00          EXPERIENCING PALESTINE:  You are welcome!

Rev Sunny Hallanan and son Payne present their summer experience in Palestine.  Villanova graduate student  Naziha Mustafa talks about her family’s life in the West Bank.

6:00          SUPPER: purchase at CONNELLY CENTER 

7:30            WHAT CAN CHURCHES DO FOR MIDDLE EAST PEACE?

Speaker:  Ambassador Warren Clark , Director of Churches for Middle East Peace,  Foreign Service career in Africa and the Middle East

9:00 pm            CLOSING 

SPONSORS

Ecumenical Working Group for Middle East Peace

Villanova Center for Arab and Islamic Studies

The Justice and Peace Office for the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova

Villanova Center for Peace and Justice Education

Further information contact Bishop Allen Bartlett - allen.jerrie@worldnet.att.net 

Suggested Donation $15                                                                                    Students Free  

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This morning’s headlines shouted “540 children dead in swine flu epidemic in the last 6 months.”  As sad and frightening as this is, we must remember and continually remind others that nearly 3 times that many children have died in gun violence in the same time period! 
 
8 Children die each day. (Lord have mercy)  
That’s 240 each month. (Lord have mercy). 
We are still trying to figure out how to prevent swine flu. (Lord have mercy). 
We know how to prevent gun violence!  (Send us your Love) 
It doesn’t have to be this way!  (Send us Your Power)  
This is a preventable epidemic! (Send us Your Grace)
 
Join us in Harrisburg on Thursday (Nov-19) as we make clear to legislators, the media and public that people of faith will not stand aside while this epidemic continues.  We will not stand by and let the gun lobby make our state less safe, just to sell more guns.   Following are some important details:
 
SCHEDULE:
7:00 AM – Bus leaves center city Philadelphia (see details below)
7:30 AM – Bus leaves St. Luke United Methodist Church in Bryn Mawr
9:00 AM – Important briefing, preparation for our witness and prayers at Grace United Methodist Church, 216 State Street, Harrisburg. It is critical that all attend this meeting!
9:30 AM - We will walk together to the Capitol and seek to enter the room in which the Judiciary Committee will meet. 
10:00 AM – Scheduled time hearing begins
11:00 AM – Heeding God’s Call will host a press conference in the Capitol Rotunda and all should attend to stand with our speakers
12:30 PM – We will reassemble at Grace UMC at 12:30pm for a light lunch and debrief
1:15 PM - Buses will depart for the return trip to Philadelphia
 
TRANSPORATION:
We are arranging for a bus that will make two pick-ups, one at a Center City Philadelphia location at 7am and a second on the Main Line at 7:30am on Thursday.  Two mini-buses will be leaving from other Philadelphia locations a 7am, as well.  Please reply to this email to let us know if you want a seat on the bus.  Seats will be granted on a first-come, first serve basis. Donations (of any size) are very much appreciated. Cost of bus rental will average about $25/seat.  Details of bus transportation will be communicated to those who let us know you are interested.  Amtrak train service to Harrisburg is also an option (www.amtrak.com for service information).
 
PREPARATION:
·         Pro-gun extremists will be out in force next Thursday and will be evident everywhere in the Capitol, on its grounds, in the Rotunda and committee room.  If past experience is judge, we will encounter hostile stares and perhaps even some verbal abuse.  It is highly unlikely we will encounter any physical abuse.  A major reason for faithful to be in Harrisburg will be to provide a telling contrast to such hostility through our seriousness and solemnity.  Pennsylvanians across the Commonwealth will identify with us and our life-saving cause. 

·         It is likely that only a few of us will actually be able to enter the committee meeting room.  The rest of us will stand in witness and in prayer a nearby location within the Capitol building.

·         It is crucial that we stay together as much as possible
·         Please understand that the above plans may be subject to change.  We do not control such issues as the agenda of the Judiciary Committee, use of the Rotunda, ingress and egress of the Capitol and adjacent buildings or (believe it or not!) the weather - all of which may affect events in unforeseen ways.  This is one reason we must stay together.
 
Contact us, and let us know if you have any questions plan to ride a bus, at info@heedinggodscall.org.
 
PLEASE PLAN TO JOIN THIS IMPORTANT WITNESS!
PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR CONGREGATIONS.
CHOOSE LIFE!