December 30, 2020
A Message from Kairos USA
Executive Director Mark Braverman
The year 2020 was pivotal for the kairos movement. One legacy of the departing Trump administration is that the veil was ripped from the illusion of the United States as standing for self-determination and the restoration of human rights for Palestinians. We report briefly below on how action by churches to keep Palestine on the agenda of the incoming administration has begun. On the global front, the release of “Cry for Hope: A Call to Decisive Action” has spurred the churches on national and denominational levels to challenge Christian Zionism as theology and as political policy. As reported previously here, the debate over Christian Zionism has begun on every continent, with dialogue with church leaders taking place in Germany, Scandinavia, and the UK and open political debate beginning in the U.S. and in South Africa. In India, West Asia and Latin America, kairos organizations and their affiliates in the churches and the human rights community are organizing in support of "Cry for Hope" and in solidarity with Palestinians. Kairos USA will continue to cover these developments in the national and global arenas.

It has been a long and productive journey since our founding in 2011. It would take too long to list the joys that have accompanied my years with Kairos USA and to fully express the honor it has been to serve this organization. From our beginnings and along the way, there have been extraordinary individuals who have shared the vision, whose support and wisdom guided us through the writing of Call to Action, and who shared in the conceiving and building of Palestine Portal. Throughout, it has been you, our readers and contributors, who have made this possible through your gifts of financial support.

Thanks to your support, Palestine Portal serves a growing audience of educators, clergy, church leaders and activists seeking study and training materials, alerts to events and campaigns, and news. Every month, between 1000 and 1200 people open the “Celebrating our Global Community” newsletter. If every one of our readers were to make a financial gift, we would easily meet our end of the year goal. Every gift, no matter the amount, helps get us there. Please consider making a tax-deductible donation today.
"The mission of Kairos USA is to mobilize the churches in the United States to respond faithfully and boldly to the situation in Israel and Palestine. In December 2009, the Christians of Palestine brought forth “A Moment of Truth: A Word of Faith, Hope and Love from the Heart of Palestinian Suffering.” U.S. clergy, theologians and laypersons have gathered to write this response to the Palestinian document. In gratitude for the courageous witness and call to action issued by our Palestinian sisters and brothers and, inspired by the prophetic church movements of southern Africa, Central and South America, Asia and Europe, we have prayed for the guidance of the Spirit so that we might also respond with integrity, love and wisdom."

These are the opening words of "Call to Action: U.S. Response to the Kairos Palestine Document." The product of a two-day retreat attended by 50 leaders representing an ecumenical and wide-ranging cross section of clergy, theologians, educators and activists, “Call to Action” is the voice of the church in the U.S., expressing our responsibility as Americans, Christians and people devoted to human rights for our country’s role in the oppression of the Palestinian people.

Take a moment to get reacquainted with "Call to Action." It speaks with as much urgency today as it did in when it appeared in 2012. Perhaps this is the time to organize a study group in your congregation or your local organization or to share this document with family, colleagues, your pastor, or church educator. "Call to Action" includes a study guide and a scalable curriculum is also available. Take advantage of the 10th anniversary 50% discount on copies of the "Call to Action" booklet and study guide. "Call to Action" is also available for download.
"Call to Action" is our foundational document. Please make a gift today to help us continue our work. Donate online or by check to Kairos USA, PO Box 340, Carlton, OR 97111.
Kairos USA Goals for 2021
The coming year will be critical for our movement. In the U.S., advocacy with the incoming administration on the part of the churches has already begun. New voices in Congress and pending legislation represent important opportunities to keep Palestine on the agenda. Campaigns and initiatives at national and denominational levels are ongoing and on the horizon. As reported here, the achievements of the Global Kairos for Justice Coalition in the releases of "Cry for Hope" and the BDS Toolkit represent significant steps forward in the implementation of a global strategy for the kairos movement. The strategy set out in "Cry for Hope" includes advocacy with churches, taking on Christian Zionism, support for BDS, direct support for Palestinian institutions, and pilgrimage. Success will depend on how well information flows and on the level of connectivity within and between local, national and regional organizations.

Accordingly, we have set these goals for 2021:

-Increase utilization of Palestine Portal nationally and internationally. A part-time consultant or intern will be engaged for outreach, research, and developing a social media strategy to increase utilization of Palestineportal.org and to increase subscriptions to the "Celebrating our Global Community" newsletter.
-Update and maintain “Mapping the Movement.” This unique feature of Palestine Portal provides interactive maps of kairos organizations at local, congregational, national, ecumenical, and global levels. It is a critical tool for network connectivity, serving the kairos network here in the U.S and globally. The part-time consultant or intern will do outreach and research in order to ensure that the mapping is complete and up to date. Populating the map of congregational and city-based groups in the U.S. and creating similar maps for Europe, Africa, Asia and Latin America is a priority for 2021.
-For Kairos USA’s 10th anniversary, we plan a promotion for the distribution of “Call to Action: A U.S. Response to the Kairos Palestine document” The time has never been more right for lifting up the voice of the churches in the U.S. in support of advocacy with our government and for direct acton in coordination with local, national, and denominationally-based organizations. 
With your help, we can pursue these objectives in 2021. Your tax-deductible gift helps us get there!
Donate online or by check payable to Kairos USA, PO Box 340, Carlton OR 97111.
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