One of the most senior Catholic churchman in the Middle East has predicted that Jerusalem's already diminished Christian population will shrink within seven years unless urgent steps are taken to reverse their exodus.

Patriarch Fouad Twal, who was invited to Britain by Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), the charity that helps suffering Christians, said the population in the holiest city for Christians would fall from 10,000 today to little more than 5,000 in 2016.

By Ed West, Catholic Herlad (UK), Sep 18, 2009

For thirty years Bethlehem Bible College (BBC), an Evangelical interdenominational Bible college in the West Bank, has been a living testimony that God is alive among Palestinians and a witness to the blessings of God in the Middle East.

Now the College will host an International Conference, which will be held March 13 - 17, 2010 in Bethlehem.

The theme of the conference is "Christ at the Checkpoint: Theology in Service of Peace and Justice."

By Michael Ireland, ASSIST News Service, July 10, 2009

On June 12, 2009, 1000 people came from all around Bethlehem and the area to the Intercontinental Hotel in Bethlehem to celebrate the graduation of Bethlehem Bible College (BBC) marking 30 years since it was established in 1979. Faculty, Students, parents and many of their friends had a great occasion and were reminded of what has been achieved so far and need to look to the future.

Another interesting development of this college is the launching of the M.A program in ministry this coming year. This very exciting program is designed locally in order to meet the needs in Palestine and Israel

Special For "Come and See", July 1, 2009

The ancient tradition of carving olive wood brings hope and fulfillment to a 24-year-old paraplegic man from the Dheisheh Refugee Camp in Bethlehem who recently received international recognition for outstanding achievements.

The second place award presented by the Palestine International Award for Excellence and Creativity in the special needs category recognizes Mu’in Al-Atrash’s tenacity to learn and perfect wood carving skills, overcome personal challenges and reach out to others living with disabilities.

Al-Atrash attributes his success to the support he received from the staff and volunteers of the East Jerusalem YMCA rehabilitation program in Beit Sahour, a program supported by Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). With the right support, people with disabilities can meet the challenges that they have to face, he said.

Gladys Terichow, Mennonite Central Committe Web site, June 30, 2009

Most members of a local congregation have never met 5-year-old Grace Awad.But her vocabulary, they say, has strengthened their faith.

On Sunday, Grace's dad, the Rev. Daniel Awad, shared a story about a family vacation to visit relatives in Michigan. When it was time to go, Grace grew upset.

"I don't want to go home," she said. "I don't want to go back to the siege."

BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE, Jerusalem Gateway, April 4, 2009

The Gaza Strip, a piece of land within Israel, was center stage during Dr. Hanna Massad's lecture Monday in Kayser Auditorium.

Titled "Being a Christian in Gaza", Massad's talk was part of the Global Issues Lecture Series and focused on the struggles Christians within Gaza face.

The Islam/Judaism conflicts within and surrounding the borders of the Gaza Strip are the usual attention getters for the Middle Eastern country, Massad said.

Baylor Web site, April 7, 2009

The Old Testament is a Jewish book and a Christian one at the same time. Palestinian Christians struggle to reconcile these paradoxical identities of the Old Testament. On the one hand, the Old Testament belongs to the church. On the other hand, it has been politicized and employed to support oppressive violent acts. This tension in understanding the Old Testament led to organizing a conference on reading the Old Testament in Bethlehem. (Feb 10 – 13, 2009)

Special For Come and See, Feb 14, 2009

A three-member medical team from Hungarian Baptist Aid is in Egypt, helping both Palestinians and Israelis affected by the current Gaza crisis.

Baptist World Aid, the relief-and-development arm of the Baptist World Alliance, gave an initial grant of $10,000 for medical treatment of people who have fled the fighting, in its 13th day as of press time Jan. 8. Other planned relief projects include counseling and relief programs in the heavily bombed Israeli city of Sderot, said BWAid Director Paul Montacute.

By Bob Allen, ABPnews, 08 January 2009

Pastor of the Christian Alliance Church in the old City of Jerusalem writes 12 practical ways you can pray for the situation in Gaza.

"I am not going to report to you more of everything that is going on, since all the news are talking daily about it. The following are ways you can pray for the situation"

Jack Sara, Special For "Come and See", Jan 14, 2009

The pastor of the Catholic parish in Gaza City described Gaza as "drowning in blood" as hospitals overflowed with patients.

In a message to participants in a special Mass for peace at St. Stephen Church in Jerusalem Jan. 4, Msgr. Manuel Musallam, pastor of Holy Family Parish in Gaza City, wrote: "What you see on television cannot be compared to what is happening. The word love is choking in my throat. ... We are living like animals in Gaza. We cry and nobody hears us. I am asking God for mercy and pray that the light of Christianity continues to shine in Gaza."

By Judith Sudilovsky, Catholic News Service, Jan 5, 009