Hello Friends!
It’s with joy and excitement that I get to share with you what I’ll be up to at the end of this year. I’ve decided to join a team from my church to visit the Holy Land (Israel and Palestine) from December 26 to January 8. I will be traveling with about 18 others from ROCKHARBOR church to visit this part of the world to engage in peacemaking and reconciliation. Our purpose is to support and bless the people living in the Holy Land. As you may know, this is an area of the world that has seen bitter conflict for a very long time. We are going to be equipped with experiences, resources, and relationships to help us learn about Israeli and Palestinian culture, history and the modern conflict in all its complexities. Through visiting sites of biblical relevance and meeting with key leaders of many differing political and religious perspectives, we will be learning how we may be better peacemakers in every area of our lives—not only abroad, but also at home.
Jesus Christ spent His time incarnate on the Earth in this region, and He spent it teaching people about God’s heart for wholeness and peace. He was radically inclusive, choosing to spend time ministering to people of all backgrounds, often ones rejected or marginalized by others. For as long as I’ve followed Him, it has been a dream of mine to visit the Holy Land... To walk where Jesus walked, and contextualize my faith with personal experiences in the very real spaces He was in. I didn’t consider that when I did, I would get to place my feet in the deeper footprints He left: ministering to people of all backgrounds, advocating for wholeness and peace, and humbly honoring the people of this very region.
This incredibly special component of the trip is possible because of an organization called The Telos Group. They, in addition to ROCKHARBOR, will facilitate the entire trip. Since 2009, The Telos Group has taken hundreds of teams to the Holy Land for the purpose of equipping leaders to build a pro-Israeli, pro-Palestinian, pro-Peace movement. You can learn more about The Telos Groups at www.telosgroup.org.
How you can help:
First, and most importantly, pray!
Pray that God would use me and my team to bless those we encounter who are living in the Holy Land. Pray that the Gospel would be on display and that it would deeply impact those we meet as well as those on our team. Pray that God would use the seeds of this experience to change hearts and bring peace, by His design, both in that region and here at home. And of course, pray for safe travels and good health.
Next, as you may imagine, a trip like this can cost a lot of money. I have committed to raising $2,100 to cover part of my trip expenses. If you feel led to support me in this goal financially, I would greatly appreciate the help. A donation of any size, big or small, is an investment in me and those who will be blessed by our team. If you are interested in partnering with me in this way, you can donate at this site.
If you would like to send a check, please make checks payable to ROCKHARBOR Church and please do not write anything on the memo line. Mail the check to:
ROCKHARBOR Church
ATTN: Holy Land / Paul Slemmer
3095 Red Hill Ave
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
**Donations made by check are tax deductible and non-refundable, and all donations will go toward the cost of my trip. Excess funds will help support the rest of the team and the ministries we are serving.
Whether or not you are able to contribute financially, again I ask that you would join me in prayer over this trip. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter. God is going to do great things through this trip. I can’t wait to tell you about the impact of it when He does.
Thank you,
Paul Slemmer
P.S. If you are visiting my site as a motion designer, you can make a donation as part of your purchase of one of my tools! All proceeds through the end of 2018 will be used towards my trip. Donations made this way are not tax deductible. See above for tax deductible options.