Kairos Day of Prayer and Reflection - Sat 7th June

At St John the Baptist Parish Church, Crowthorne, we have been spending some time learning more about the situation in Israel and Palestine as part of our Kairos Action Plan.

The second step in our plan is to reflect prayerfully on this situation. There will be an opportunity to do this on Saturday 7th June.

We will start at 10am with a short act of worship in the Church. There will then be various prayer stations around the Church for people to use to reflect and pray about the situation. There will be refreshments and further information in the hall, including some short videos and a chance to ask questions. People will then have the opportunity to express your views and to provide some input to the PCC discussion on 9th July on the third step of the plan, which is to respond faithfully and courageously. The PCC will consider whether the Church should become a Kairos Congregation. All are welcome, even if you have not taken part in earlier activities.

Click here if you would like to know more about this event.

Details of St John the Baptist Church

Destruction of the orchards at the Tent of Nations

While I was in Israel during February and March, I visited the Tent of Nations several times. I found it to be a wonderful witness in how to live peacefully under occupation. Today I heard that Israeli bulldozers moved onto the land on Tuesday morning (20th May) to demolish 1500 apricot and apple trees and vines. This action is illegal and heartless. It has no security justification - the Nasser has documentation proving ownership back to the Ottoman Empire. Israel wants the land and will do anything to steal it.

The Amos Trust has issued an appeal for action and we would urge readers to respond to that.

Ken Perrett

Kairos Training Day

Four of us are going to the Kairos Training Day on 21st June to learn more.

Talking about Israel/Palestine

Around 40 people gathered at St John's in Crowthorne to see the film "The stones cry out" and to hear about Ken Perrett's stay in Bethlehem. It was a lively evening and there were many questions.

Ken's stay in Bethlehem

As part of the Kairos Action Plan, Ken Perrett spent 8 weeks staying in the Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem. You can read Ken's blog at kenperrett.blogspot.com. 

Kairos Crowthorne blog goes live

Kairos Crowthorne is a group of people living in Crowthorne, Berkshire who are interested in working for peace and justice in Israel and Palestine.

Kairos Palestine - a moment of truth was published by all the Churches in Jerusalem in 2009.

It called upon the Israeli and Palestinian Leaders, the International Community and the World Churches, to accelerate the achievement of justice, peace and reconciliation in the Holy Land. Kairos Britain - a time for action was published in 2013 and calls upon British Christians to be aware of the present situation in Israel and Palestine, to reflect prayerfully on it, and to respond, faithfully and courageously.

St John the Baptist Parish Church in Crowthorne has responded to these challenges by approving a "Kairos Action Plan". The plan follows the guidance in the Kairos Britain documents and has three stages. They are:-

1. to be aware of the present situation in Israel and Palestine

2. to reflect prayfully on it, and
3. to respond faithfully and courageously. 

The Church expects to take a decision on whether to formally become a Kairos Congregation on 9th July 2014.

Palestinian evening

St John's hosted a showing of the film "Bethlehem - Hidden from view", after which Ken Perrett talked about his plans to stay in Bethlehem for 8 weeks. We also enjoyed some traditional Palestinian food.

Su McClellan from Embrace the Middle East comes to talk

Su McClennan from Embrace the Middle East gave a very inspiring talk on Israel and Palestine - Su has been invited to return to preach on 23rd November 2014 for Christ the King. The evening was well attended with lots of questions.

Talk to the Mothers' Union on Israel/Palestine

Ken gave a talk to the Mothers' Union on the Pilgrimage to Israel/Palestine which four people from St John's had attended in Feb/Mar 2013. This was led by the Bishop of Oxford, and included the Bishops of Reading and Dorchester.

St John's approves the Kairos Action Plan

On 23rd October, the PCC of St John the Baptist Parish Church approved the Kairos Action Plan.

St John's decides to prepare a Kairos Action Plan

On 11th September 2013, the Parochial Church Council of St John the Baptist Church, Crowthorne, Berkshire, decided to set up a Kairos Group and charged them with preparing a draft Kairos Plan, in response to the Kairos Britain document, "A time for Action".

Kairos Britain is launched

The Kairos Britain document was launched at Greenbelt in August 2013.