The message we will share with one another is the message of Advent. We are going as pilgrims. I have been as a pilgrim before and when you go as a pilgrim you stop at the holy sites, read the Scriptures and you pray. That is what we are going to do. We are going to have our own walking nativity over a period of four days. Each day will begin with prayer and end with prayer. There is a sense in which the message will be a shared message, the message of Scripture, the message of praying together.I am hoping that what we do will serve as an example. Because there is no doubt about it that the Christian pilgrims have dropped off in large numbers. And what we want to say is that, if you want to show real solidarity with brothers and sisters in Christ in the Holy Land then go and visit them - as we used to.
Rev David Coffey
I don't think I could give any advice. Just as if I am in a situation having to make a decision, only I with my family and friends can make that decision. What I can do is listen and show solidarity and I wouldn't begin to give advice unless it is asked for.
How do you think your experience in Bethlehem is going to shape your own celebrations of Christmas this year and impact you on your return?
This year I celebrated my 65th birthday and I can't say I remember the early Christmases but I think for all the Christmases I can remember and as a pastor I have led congregations many times I can't think of a time when my mind has been so focussed and to even sing 'O little town of Bethlehem', I already feel a warming of the heart and exciting of the mind in preparing.
I travel a lot and however much you prepare there are those little surprises that happen in the journey and that's true of the Christian life. You commit yourself to a journey and God walks with you and there are surprises along the way. I am ready for that and my heart is prepared that every day we should say that this day is a new day given by God, we should never just sleepwalk into a day. And with this journey I want to prepare my heart and say, "David each day is a new day and will bring its surprises." I want to be open to that.
So I think it will be a memorable journey. When I prayed this morning with my wife we prayed not only that the Lord bless us for the journey but also for the return, to know what to do and what to say when we return.
You are Moderator of the Free Churches and President of the BWA. Are you going to be encouraging members of these churches to be doing the same thing and go on a pilgrimage to Bethlehem?
I think so. I am hoping that what we do will serve as an example. Because there is no doubt about it that the Christian pilgrims have dropped off in large numbers. And what we want to say is that, if you want to show real solidarity with brothers and sisters in Christ in the Holy Land then go and visit them - as we used to. It used to be very much a part of the Christian experience and for some reason we have backed off from that.
So yes, we are hoping it will have that knock-on effect, especially going to the most besieged parts of the Holy Land and to meet with believers there. We must remember to pray for all sides but I think sometimes in our praying for the situation in the Middle East the ones who have been most forgotten and most neglected are the Christians of Palestine. Bethlehem for me is a symbol of the many communities where there are Arab Christians who meet and pray. They pray for all of Israel, that's the important part.
I am going to meet the Israel Baptist Convention. It is a very spiritually vibrant group of people so my prayer is for them and they feel squeezed. They are not Jews and they are not Muslims. And sometimes the Christian community does feel squeezed in that situation so let's pray for them. And what a great time to pray for them! I am saying to folk, when you sing 'O little town of Bethlehem' remember we are not just looking back, we are saying 'O little town of Bethlehem' we still remember you today.
