Sheikh Ghassan Manasra traveled to meet with supporters and interested folks in Washington DC, NYC, and was part of programs at the Community Church of Durham, NH with Rev. David Grishaw-Jones, reaching 80 people across all events.
“It was very important because the people were very, very thirsty for more information about the situation in the Holy Land, and especially about the clash between the people there,” said Ghassan. “They asked very deep questions, and they were very happy to hear about the conference to train the leaders. In Israel, and many places, they didn’t stop to think about the day after the war – but in AR, we are thinking about The Day After The War, and working to prepare people so they can jump directly to the field.”
Longtime AR supporter and former kibbutznik in the 70’s, Annie Borofsky (pictured above, 2nd from the left), traveled with Ghassan in NY and NH.
“For me, it was wonderful, it was amazing to see these people of Christian faith so interested and motivated to really find out about the details of AR’s peacemaking,” said Annie, after the event. “Reverend David gathered people at his house for dinner, we had really good conversations, and it was really good to see how other people see our work, asides from Jews and Arabs who we spend so much time working with.”
At the Community Church in Durham, NH, Ghassan joined Rev. David Grishaw-Jones in the front of the church for the sermon, which then turned into a sit-down dialogue. This was followed by a coffee-hour Q&A with the congregation, and later, an interfaith dinner gathering.
Rev. David sent this follow-up message after the programs: “Twice in the past year, Sheikh Ghassan has spent time with us—as a teacher, peacemaker and conversational partner. Out of his own Sufi tradition, he brings integrity, wisdom and the most patient kind of human spirit. In conversation, he invites our Christian community to consider the depth and truths of his tradition, and its bearing on ours; and then to dare imagining interfaith relationships near to us, and urgently needed in our own community.
Sheikh Ghassan speaks from the heart of his own experience, and his love for the many peoples of the Holy Land. In his voice one hears both deep grief and resilient hope, sometimes within a single thought, or a single story. Among us, his teaching provokes heartfelt prayer, deep reflection and a passion for the kind of peace that begins most intimately in the human heart. But leaps from one to another, from people to people, from this Land to Holy Land
I’d urge each and every Christian church out there to spend a weekend (or better yet, a week!)
with Sheikh Ghassan. His faith will fan the flames of your community’s passion for peace. And you’ll begin to imagine the kind of ministry that busts walls, bridges differences and brings into view a vibrant wholeness!”
Thank you to Rev. David, the CC of Durham Community, Annie Borofsky, Nancy Kadian, Jack Mangold, and Lamont Green in DC, and all those who supported or participated in these events.
Are you or your community interested in hosting a speaking engagement with Sheikh Ghassan and the Abrahamic Reunion? Contact chris@abrahamicreunion.org for details.
