Update letter for supporting parishes back in the USA

“But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” Mark 16:7

Dear friends in Christ,

Greetings from a peaceful day here in Nazareth in the Holy Land.  Out my apartment window lies the apse of Christ Anglican Church, and two hundred feet away the Basilica of the Annunciation, where Catholic tradition remembers the angel Gabriel visiting Mary. Since January, I have been serving at Christ Church in Nazareth and teaching in local schools as a missionary of the Episcopal Church and member of Jerusalem Peacebuilders. It is another chapter of my life and ministry, rich with our Lord’s gentle guiding and steadfast love.                                     

After a cold arrival in January characterized by two weeks without hot water in my apartment, I quickly went to work in reaching out to the schools where I had previously arranged to lead Jerusalem Peacebuilders (JPB) Leadership and Peacebuilding programs. What unfolded was a surge in demand and multiple grace-filled meetings with schools who were interested in bringing JPB programming to their students. In total, I secured four programs, with each class meeting weekly. Combine four days of teaching with two and a half days of volunteering at Christ Church and you end up having a very busy servant! Deeply rewarding, I have observed each of my nearly one hundred students grow and develop as a result of my teaching, example, and witness. They have grown in confidence, both personally and in their command and use of English as a second or third language. They have grown in their capacity to see the other side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and have developed new skills in communication and peacebuilding. Most importantly, they have a renewed sense of hope for their future – that things will get better and peace is possible.

One very special moment came when the Presiding Bishop Michael Curry of the Episcopal Church was on pilgrimage to the Holy Land in late-March during Holy Week and visited one of my school programs. Leading up to his visit, I had been working with the 11^th graders on writing speeches and they were ready to share their words with Bishop Curry. Each student spoke well and captured the attention of the Presiding Bishop and his delegation, leaving me feeling like a proud parent but shying away from stealing the spotlight from the teens. For more detail, read the Episcopal New Service article on the visit.

JPB Teens from Christ School, Nazareth present speeches on leadership
and peacebuilding to Presiding Bishop Curry

These sacred moments of teaching in schools and serving in worship and parish administration have taught me one important lesson: that I am called to use my gifts to serve the Church and further the Kingdom of God in this life. And so, with this quiet confidence and sense of righteousness, I rise each day and go out into the Galilee to do the will of our Father in Heaven. Sending my prayers and thanksgivings for the community that so warmly welcomed me last fall.

In Christ,

Jack Karn

Gone on to Galilee

Dear friends,

Greetings from Nazareth! The city where our Lord grew up from a vulnerable infant into an unrivaled man. I will be here for four months, the length of the spring semester in Israeli schools. My role includes serving at Christ Church alongside its Vicar, The Rev. Nael Abu Rahmoun, and teaching leadership and peacebuilding courses in several middle and high schools. With just under three weeks into my term of mission service, much has been accomplished in the name of the Church and Christ’s peace.

My mentor, friend, and manager, likes to describe my work thus far as “opening doors and moving mountains”.  It makes me chuckle, but I don’t contest its meaning and authenticity. In the Holy Land, sometimes things don’t work out exactly as planned or only take real shape when you are in-country and meeting with people face-to-face. 90% of life is simply showing up. Indeed, it has been these in-person meetings, informative presentations, and key relationships that have led to my ministry flourishing here in Nazareth.  With four in-school leadership and peacebuilding programs established and now launching, my hands, in service to our Lord, are quite full.

Just last weekend, I traveled to Tel Aviv and Jaffa for an overnight youth leadership retreat with 20 Jewish and Arab teens from across Israel. For two days, we had dialogues on inequality and gender norms, workshops on the religious significance of Jerusalem, field visits to the beach and a historic Libyan synagogue, and project planning to overcome misperceptions in our home communities.  While the two days were brimming with programming and hard work, the result is always what I give thanks to God for allowing me to see. A microcosm of the dream of God, to see our youth, growing up in divided communities where they don’t have the easy opportunity to meet and interact, now coming together to learn, communicate, listen, play, laugh, eat, pray, and love. It is these experiences, and those of the summer programs in the USA each year, that fill me with an indescribable joy, hope, and peace. For me, these experiences and the feelings invoked provide an incontrovertible sign of God’s truth and presence in this world.  My prayer is that I can share this part of God’s Good News with boldness and with as many people as I can.

Jack with young Israeli and Palestinian teens participating in a two-day
youth leadership retreat in Tel Aviv/Jaffa, Israel

The journey continues and I am ever grateful to all of you, known and unknown, who take the time to read my blog and share in this exciting adventure and encounter with the Divine Presence. With Lent fast approaching, you will be sure to hear more of me, as I enter into a more penitent and contemplative state of being. It is only with God’s help and mercy that I will succeed and accomplish the task laid before me.

In Christ,

Jack Karn

The journey continues... Houston

Dear friends,

I now write to you from Houston, TX where I arrived almost 1 month ago days ago after driving all week from my former home in Brattleboro, VT.  It has been quite the journey getting here and I have enjoyed seeing parts of the American south which I have never seen before.  In part, what was interesting is that this plan for me to relocate to Houston was envisaged weeks before Hurricane Harvey came in being.  After the storm, I didn't know whether I would still be moving due to the extent of the damage and disarray created by Harvey.  However, once the floodwaters receded and the city got back on its feet, it was clear that I would still be going, albeit with a slightly different plan in mind.  For me, this experience perfectly captures a part of the Divine Mystery: your plan for your life may not be the same plan that God has in mind.

"Your plan for your life may not be the same 

plan that God has in mind." 

I had originally planned on this move to Houston, and now this big devastating storm had come in a disrupted my plans. While this seemed largely inconvenient and negative, I quickly began to rethink how I could be of greater service to God's people through offering more of myself and my gifts to those in need.  It looks as though my work with Jerusalem Peacebuilders would now be even more crucial in the Houston area because of the growing need for interfaith understanding, conflict resolution, and dialogue between Americans of all stripes.

Introducing the JPB program to Jewish teens at the
Houston Congregation for Reform Judaism

Through the generous support of Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, JPB was afforded a dedicated office space at the church, which I have been using daily to further the work of JPB.  Here I am working with the local youth group, developing an interfaith youth group, connecting with local organizations and faith communities, and recruiting teens for JPB's summer leadership institutes in 2018.  It is a busy, but rewarding time for me.  I continue to discern and listen to where the Lord is leading me through this next chapter of service and peacebuilding.  In January, I will return to the Holy Land and be based in Nazareth to teach in local schools there.  Stay tuned for more updates soon!

In Christ,

Jack Karn

The end of one chapter and the beginning of another

Dear friends,

As I round the corner marking my final month of service in the Holy City of Jerusalem with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, I reflect on my ministry here over the last eight months and look forward to the many opportunities to serve our Lord Jesus Christ and discern God's call in my life, both here in the Holy Land and back in the USA.

During my time in Jerusalem, I have intentionally sought to serve the Church and the people of God through my many roles as Teacher, Sacristan, Communications Minister, Jerusalem Peacebuilders Camp Director, Youth Mentor, and Pastoral Assistant.  There have been plenty of moments of stress, hard work, joy, learning and growth.  Each time I enter into a new assignment or responsibility in life, I think to myself "Will I succeed or fail in this new role?  What will I learn?  How will I change? Where will I find God? Where will God lead me to?".  These questions are important to ponder and reflect on during a Christian's journey of service to the Church and faith in our Heavenly Father.

Visiting the desert of Wadi Rum, Jordan

At the Treasury in Petra, Jordan

With my Jerusalem school programs all wrapped up, I am able to focus my attention on summer program planning with Jerusalem Peacebuilders (JPB), more reading of Scripture and theological books, discernment and reflection, and being a pilgrim and visiting Biblical sites.  One thing I've always struggled with since being here is that I don't travel around as much as I would like to because, for one, I don't have a car, and two, I have had a very full work-load which has prevented me from taking more personal time for leisure and tourism.  (Above are two pictures of me last year on a previous trip when I visited Jordan for a few days)

So, I guess for this final blog post on this current mission assignment with the Young Adult Service Corps, I would like to offer my answers to the above questions:

1). Will I succeed or fail in this new role?

Speaking with over 100+ students about the
JPB Leadership Program

In sum, my time spent here and the ministry I undertook was a great success, for me, for the Church, and for Jerusalem Peacebuilders. I launched two new high school leadership and peace-building programs and led the second year of a third program. In total, I worked with close to 100 teenagers, Israel and Palestinian, Muslim, Christian, and Jewish in the school programs and other youth and MUN conferences. In doing so, I enhanced my knowledge and skills in teaching and training, curriculum design, content delivery, classroom management, dialogue facilitation, networking, youth leadership development, intercultural communication, public speaking, peace-building, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.  I balanced a hefty portfolio of programs, communications, and cross-cultural relationships, deepening existing partnerships and expanding JPB's reach to new organizations and entities involved in similar peace-building work.

With JPB Leadership program students
at a school near Ramallah

With my roles at the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, I also garnered great support. As a Sacristan, I prepared services daily, and the St. George's Cathedral staff and clergy were impressed by my attention to detail, organization, and overall reliability in making sure worship and Cathedral events went smoothly. As a Communications Minister, I was in charge of social media and email communications for the diocese. During my time here, I published several bi-monthly newsletters covering different events and ministries of the church in this land. The increased communications were a welcome blessing for the diocese, which led to greater engagement by the local church and the wider Anglican Communion. As a Pastoral Assistant, I helped the Dean of St. George's Cathedral with office work, Bible Study, and assignments related to his completion of a Doctor of Ministry degree from Virginia Theological Seminary in the USA.

My efforts to serve the church did not go unnoticed, as I have received support to return to the Holy Land in 2018 and serve at Christ Church, Nazareth and teach in high schools in the area.


2). What will I learn?

To say the least, I have learned a lot since I arrived here last October. First, I have learned more about my strengths and weaknesses for ministry. I feel that my strengths developed in my personal qualities such as my compassion, integrity, flexibility, communication, initiative, and organization. In serving others, be they Cathedral staff and clergy, College course members, or pilgrims and guesthouse visitors, I approached these opportunities to express my love and the love of God with willingness and and joy. In essence, I learned that I have so much love and kindness to offer others regardless of the person or context. I also learned more about my limits and when to step back and focus on self-care and personal time, which I found absolutely essential in this context.

Diocesan clergy at the Chrism Mass service on Maundy Thursday

Professionally, I brought a high level of professionalism to my ministry and interactions with others, maintaining healthy boundaries at all times both personally and professionally. I regularly communicated with clergy and staff related to work assignments and events going on at the Cathedral. Within my roles, when I saw opportunities to take initiative and self-direct, I acted upon them to complete tasks without error or conflict. This was a major take-away of my learning here as there is a strict hierarchy here that an outsider must adapt to and accept if they are going to be successful in their ministry. With my work, I aimed to do good work and do it right, which helped lessen the risk of potential conflict and miscommunication. If I didn't understand a particular assignment or responsibility, I made sure to ask questions and seek a better understanding.  If there was a conflict that was going on within the community, I was careful to avoid gossip and unnecessary involvement. Lastly, I worked hard to establish and maintain good relationships with those I interacted with on a daily basis, thus allowing opportunities to organically develop.

Regarding my weaknesses, I learned that I continually need to work on being more assertive in my communications and presence. My personality tends to track more towards a passive stance, thus I was constantly reminded to be more proactive and forward if my needs were not being met or if I was unable to complete an assignment or attend events. I am a humble and modest man, and so I continue to seek to strike a better balance between these good Christian qualities with my own need for more self-advocacy.


3). How will I change?

While these questions and answers can blur, I also changed in several distinct ways. I developed a deeper sense of maturity and confidence in my call to the Diaconate, my purpose as a peacemaker, and overall person.  Through this experience I have grown in ways that I never would have anticipated beforehand, but only could have learned through direct experience and the passage of time.  Through a busy schedule of both church and work responsibilities, I had to maintain a high level of organization, discipline, and time management. Deadlines, meetings, classes, and services, all influenced my day-to-day lifestyle. Large parts of the self had to die so that I could maintain and excel in this routine.

Singing in the choir

Importantly, my worldview has changed during my time here. I have grown more humble and modest in my actions, and more open and nonjudgmental in my perceptions of other people and events. Spending a year in Jerusalem and being in the middle of what is perhaps the most intractable conflict in the world leaves one feeling like they have a lot more to learn. More people to meet, more stories to hear, more history to study, and more places to see. Often, people can get easily swept up in picking one side or the other to support and claim as right, good, and just.  The challenge for a peacemaker is to stay in the middle and bring the parties together, whether through top-, middle-, or bottom-level approaches. Its easy to pick sides, its hard to recognize and hold competing truths simultaneously. I return home next month forever changed by my experience here, ready to share my witness to the ancient and living stones of this Holy Land. 

4). Where will I find God?

Through this wonderful and blessed year of service, I believe I have felt God in all places and at all times. While I still don't have highly developed answers for where God is in the midst of war and horrific atrocities, I am assured of His presence with us and in us as we walk through life and create the beloved community. God's love shines forth in my life on a daily basis, largely in part because I believe that I see God working through us in gentle and profound ways. I witness to God transforming who I am and the lives of those around me. 

At the historic reopening of 
St. Savior's Church in Acre

A significant factor for why I feel this deep sense of God's love in this place, its people, and during the short time that I've been living and serving here is because of the development of my prayer life. In both corporate and private prayer, I am becoming more trusting and open to God's presence. Through giving God thanks and praise, as well as petitioning for God's help in my life with various challenges or for others whom I've met along the way.  I feel God and His son Jesus working in me in new and powerful ways. Sometimes these experiences of Christ's presence working in me are easy to recognize, and other times they are more hidden.  The same applies for when Christ reveals himself to me in other people or events.

Another area of my life here where I have found the Hand of the Unseen at work is in the community here at St. George's Cathedral: the Diocesan (Majma) offices, the Guesthouse, the School, and the College. In all these places I have met many amazing, loving, and committed people. From the deep sense of love and faith I feel in the Dean of St, George's Cathedral, The Very Revd Hosam Naoum, to the leadership and perseverance of our dear Archbishop, The Most Revd Suheil Dawani, and all the indigenous and international support staff who live and work here each day -God's presence is here in this loving community. While the Anglican presence in the Holy Land is very small, we are a stalwart denomination doing good work in service to the Kingdom of God in this place. 

To close this blog entry and cap off my first year of mission service with the Episcopal Church in this land, I leave you with a prayer for Jerusalem:

Psalm 122:

I was glad when they said to me,

   “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

Our feet are standing

   within your gates, O Jerusalem.

Jerusalem—built as a city

   that is bound firmly together.

To it the tribes go up,

   the tribes of the Lord,

as was decreed for Israel,

   to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

For there the thrones for judgment were set up,

   the thrones of the house of David.

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem:

   “May they prosper who love you.

Peace be within your walls,

   and security within your towers.”

For the sake of my relatives and friends

   I will say, “Peace be within you.”

For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,

   I will seek your good.

In Christ,

Jack Karn