In Bethlehem, Christmas festivities are canceled this year.
With an estimated 20,000 people dead in Gaza from Israel’s counteroffensive after the October 7th Hamas attack, Palestinian leaders of different Christian denominations unanimously decidedto cancel public celebrations.
WXPR spoke with local church leaders about how they’re approaching Christmas services this year.
Bethlehem is known as the birthplace of Jesus and the setting for Christmas.
At holiday services, Christians sing hymns like “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, referencing the Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
However, this year, Christmas won’t be business as usual in Bethlehem.
Palestinian leaders of multiple different Christian denominations announced that they have unanimously decided to cancel public Christmas celebrations due to the devastating recent violence.
In the Northwoods, we’re thousands of miles away from Bethlehem, but some Christian leaders are still thinking of ways to acknowledge this recent suffering in their Christmas services.
Miles Alexander is the intentional interim pastor of First Congregational United Church of Christ in Rhinelander.
“That's just Christmas, Emmanuel, God with us. So the whole point is that we, we cross the chasm, as God crossed the chasm to be with us and for us, we have to cross the chasm to be with and for other people, even when we don't initially understand what's happening. And we may all be hurt,” said Alexander.
He says that while the violence won’t be a major focus of his Christmas service, he will acknowledge it.
“There needs to be something said about it,” he said.
Some pastors that I spoke with disagreed, saying that they try to keep politics fully out of their services and that they won’t address it.
Ann Larabee is the pulpit supply for Grace United Church of Christ in Wausau.
“I do ask each Sunday during silent prayer for our congregation to pray for the civilians in the Middle East and in Ukraine who are caught in the middle of these wars. Because it's the civilians who are being hurt the most. I will continue to include and to pray for the release of the hostages to get everyone safely back home. I will continue to pray for that,” she said.
Larabee says that she’ll pray for this at the Christmas service, as well as subsequent services.
“The Bible calls for peace on earth, and goodwill,” said Larabee. “Please, please pray for the people who are caught in the middle."
Larabee says that as we go into 2024, we need to focus on peace.
