In September 2019, 21 members of the United Reformed Church (URC) accompanied Derek Estill, Moderator of the URC General Assembly, on a visit to the Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territories (IOPT). It was not a tour or a holiday for any of them, but for everyone it was an immersive pilgrimage as they spent much of their time immersed in the lives of people who are among the world’s most maligned, treated as strangers in their own land. The group has produced some materials for worship and Bible study leaders this advent.

In these materials, the pilgrims seek to use the experiences they gained during their visit, literally Walking the Way of Jesus, to read the Bible in a new light, particularly the Old Testament book of Isaiah and the Gospel according to Matthew, to enable those who are leading worship, Bible study or theological reflection during Advent, to explore and share some of these insights.

The four sections of these materials cover Hope, Justice, Power and Equality, which can be looked at over the four weeks of Advent. Each section opens with notes about the Old Testament and Gospel Readings before sharing a brief story or experience from our visit, followed by some prayer and hymn suggestions for organising worship around the theme.

The notes are quite detailed and extensive to give as much insight as possible, especially into the Gospel readings, which we feel must be read in a particularly new light, given our experiences on the visit. Please feel free to use what is useful for engaging people in your context.