Pastoral letter, from Garrett
A year ago, Hamas orchestrated a horrific attack on the State of Israel, leading to the deaths of about 1,200 Israelis. Since then, over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in a war that seems to have no end in sight. Now, the war has expanded to the north as Israel engages Iran-backed militant groups in Lebanon. It seems there is no place for civilians to be safe in the region.
A few people from Woodland arrived in Israel just as the attack was beginning last year. They were on pilgrimage with a tour group comprised of Jews and Christians led by my father-in-law, George Mason. They heard the bombs overhead. They took cover as the alarms sounded. As you can imagine, this was a traumatic experience. And the individuals in that group are in my prayers today.
To our Jewish neighbors, this is a day of mourning and remembrance. At the Jewish community prayer service after the attack last year, I was surprised by how many Jews here in San Antonio have family in Israel. They have witnessed a rise in anti-semitism even by those who report to support them. A rabbi friend told me last week some of the Christian Zionists are so outspoken in their support of Israel that “They actually make us less safe. I wish they would tamp down their support.”
And to our Muslim neighbors, this has been a difficult year. They have watched Palestinian civilians pay the price for Hamas’ atrocities. Last fall, I was in a meeting with Jews and Palestinian Americans where a Muslim woman shared that she had been attacked in the Costco parking lot. A man started throwing stones at her car and chased her out of the parking lot. She wept as she told her story.
After all this, it would be easy to let despair set in and fester. And yet, at the edge of despair, we can find hope. At the margins of possibility lies hope for transformation in the God who has promised to be present with us. “Blessed are the peacemakers,” Jesus says. Somehow, this is still the church’s vocation. It’s not easy. But perhaps we can find ways to speak and act with justice, righteousness, and truth.
Hardened ideologies emboldened by idolatries threaten the work of just peace. In these moments, the biblical prophets are as relevant as ever. Solutions and ceasefires seem impossible. And yet, as peacemakers, we should seek to be relentless advocates for human rights.
Speaking of challenging topics, the Wednesday night Serendipity series continues with a conversation on the theme, “Something wicked this way comes.” We’ve been discussing theology on Wednesdays through the lens of Louis Penny's mystery novels. We’ll get started at 5:30 p.m.
Update on the 2025 budget: Our committees have been diligently preparing the 2025 budget over the past four months. At this point, we think that the first budget draft will be available on October 20 after the Council votes on it next week. At this point, we are thinking of having a budget hearing on October 27, with an eye on November 10 as the day we would vote on the final budget after worship.
Grace & peace,
Garrett Vickrey