
Interfaith Dialogue
Check out the many opportunities to be informed and involved in our interfaith community

Interfaith Dialogue
Check out the many opportunities to be informed and involved in our interfaith community
STATEMENT ON ISRAEL/PALESTINE CONFLICT

As a congregation, we seek to be a faithful witness on the conflict in Israel/Palestine. Based on our Christian values and guided by the materials and positions of the Presbyterian Church (USA), we support and pray for lasting peace and an end to hostilities in all of Palestine/Israel and Lebanon, the safe return of all hostages and prisoners held indefinitely without charge, and a dramatic infusion of humanitarian aide for all those suffering in Gaza. We also recognize the traumatic impact these hostilities have had both on our local Jewish brothers and sisters and on our local Arab and Muslim brothers and sisters.
We join our Jewish, Muslim and Arab neighbors, especially our interfaith partners at congregations of Temple Isaiah and San Ramon Valley Islamic Center, in decrying the tragic loss of civilian lives, the taking of hostages and prisoners without charge, the torturing of those being held, and the mass suffering of civilian populations being denied the necessities of life. We call for the immediate and permanent halt in violence and the restoration of lifesaving aid and infrastructure.
Under the guidance of the PCUSA, we acknowledge the complexities which have led to these enormous tragedies while being faithful to the teachings of the Gospel that all lives are equally precious. On the one hand, we continue to support Israel’s right to exist as a free and sovereign nation within their internationally recognized borders, the right of Israeli citizens to live safely in secure borders, and for the state of Israel to hold accountable to justice those who carry out acts of violence and murder against them. We also call on Israel to release all Palestinian civilians being held hostage and without charge, and to stop all violence against those being held.
Likewise, we stand firm in support of the right of Palestinians to self-determination, including the right to establish an independent sovereign nation within their internationally recognized borders, the right of its citizens to live safely without occupation in secure borders, and to hold accountable to justice those who carry out acts of violence and murder against them. We therefore urge the Israeli government to honor the Palestinian people with the same freedom they offer their own citizens. We also urge Hamas to release all hostages safely and refrain from additional violence. Moreover, we urge all leaders to maintain a permanent ceasefire, put an end to the bloodshed, end the fighting, and to provide the people of Gaza with medical attention and necessary humanitarian supplies (sufficient food, safe water, fuel, electricity, etc.) to everyone who is in need.
Recognizing the immense destruction that has been inflicted in the Gaza strip, and in support of our mission partners there, LOPC has raised funds to provide relief and humanitarian support to the victims; and we hope to continue to do so. In worship and through prayer, we will lift up the families of victims on both sides, the hostages who are held captive, and intercede for lasting peace and the cessation of hostilities. We will also remain in contact and solidarity with our Jewish and Arab and Muslim neighbors as well as our mission partners in Gaza, and keep the congregation informed on any actions developed in support of those interfaith and mission partners.
RESOURCES AND ACTION ITEMS ON THE WAR IN ISRAEL/PALESTINE
There are many ways in which you can get informed and involved in advocacy for peace and justice. Click on any of the links below to learn more and find easy ways for your voice to be heard and to sign up for PC(USA) email updates
Read about Israel Palestine and the Presbyterian Church (USA)
Learn about Israel-Palestine Ministries | Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Join the advocacy efforts of the Office of Public Witness Action Alerts PCUSA Home
- Call on the US Senate to uphold international law and affirm the mandate of the International Criminal Court
- Urge the U.S. Senate to reject initiatives to curb free speech and advocacy for Palestinian rights
- Sign up to receive the latest Action Alerts from the Presbyterian Office of Public Witness here.
See the Letter of October 13, 2023 from the Stated Clerk of the PC(USA) General Assembly Condemning the Violence, found HERE.
FURTHER ACTIONS YOU MAY TAKE
You may also write a Letter to any or all of President Trump, Senator Alex Padilla, Senator Adam Shiff and/or Congressman Mark DeSaulnier. Download a Proposed Letter that you can use/customize for each or any of them by clicking here.
Addresses are as follows:
President Donald Trump
The White House 1600
Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
Senator Alex Padilla
331 Hart, Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Senator Adam Shiff
B40B Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Congressman Mark DeSaulnier
3100 Oak Road
Suite 110
Walnut Creek, CA 94597
PLANNED PROGRAMS AT LOPC
LOPC is planning additional expert speakers following Sunday morning worship. Watch the LOPC Monday e-blast and the Sunday Bulletins for details and the opportunity to register.
Past Programs
A Call for Peace and Justice for both Palestinians and Israelis with The Rev. Dr. Alex Awad:
To view on LOPC’s YouTube channel, click here
Countering Christian Zionism with The Rev. Dr. Alex Awad:
To view, click here
On September 15, 2024 Rev. Dr. Alex Awad spoke to LOPC members. Rev. Awad was born and raised in Jerusalem. For 26 years, Rev. Awad, along with his wife Brenda, served as missionaries with the General Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church in Israel/Palestine. He was the pastor of an international church in East Jerusalem and served as a faculty member, dean of students, and board member for Bethlehem Bible College. Until his retirement in June 2015, Rev. Awad directed the Shepherd Society which is the humanitarian arm of Bethlehem Bible College. Many needy Palestinians seek the help of the Shepherd Society in meeting emergency needs such as food, medicine, and employment. Rev. Awad has written Through the Eyes of the Victims and Palestinian Memories. Both books reveal the realities of life under Israeli military occupation. He has published numerous articles that call for justice for both Palestinians and Israelis.
Update on Gaza/Israel from Doug Dicks:
On August 4, 2024 we heard from Doug Dicks, PCUSA’s Regional Liaison for Israel, Palestine, and Jordan. His work informs and enables PCUSA’s advocacy for peace and justice in the region. Watch his update on the situation in Gaza and Israel on LOPC’s YouTube channel by clicking here. You can sign up for his newsletter here.
“Table Talk: Presbyterians Dialogue on Israel/Palestine”
On December 10, 2023 Pastor Peter Whitelock, Mission Elder Chris Johnson and Clerk of Session Terry Clark led a discussion for our congregation. Here are the PowerPoint slides from the program which covered LOPC’s history with mission partners in Gaza, the current situation with those mission partners during this war, a review of the evolving history of Israel/Palestine since 1948 and the PC(USA) denomination’s statements over the years on the self-determination rights of both Israel and Palestine, together with the impact the war in Gaza has had on LOPC’s local interfaith Jewish and Muslim partners.
MISSION STATEMENT / Interfaith dialogue
LOPC has a long history of Interfaith work based in love, collaboration, and mutual respect. We encourage members and friends to build friendships and discover more about other faith traditions through our partnerships with Neighbor 2 Neighbor and the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County. Our desire in our Interfaith dialogue is to hold onto and understand our own Christian identity more deeply while growing in friendship and shared understanding of how people of faith can benefit from each other and can benefit our local community.
People of Faith Respond
On March 5, 2023, LOPC Hosted a discussion on the historic 2022 Supreme Court decisions relating to abortion and prayer in public school. Panelists included LOPC’s Pastor Peter Whitelock, Sheik Hassan Maseehullah, Rabbi Jill Perlman, and Terry Clark, LOPC elder, as Moderator.
Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County

LOPC has had a long-standing relationship with the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County (ICCCC), a not-for-profit corporation with 108 congregations representing a wide variety of faith traditions. ICCCC is one of LOPC’s mission partners. Our own Terry Clark has been instrumental with ICCCC, having served 10 years on their Governing Board, and most recently for 6 years as President; Ken Sargent just retired from serving on the Governing Board and had also been Treasurer for several years; Sharon Campton currently is an Elected Council member. LOPC members and friends have participated in many ICCCC-sponsored programs and events over the years, including worship services, concerts, educational and advocacy programs and retreats.
Through its many programs and activities providing advocacy, education, awareness, and safety net services, ICCCC is responsible for meeting local needs as they arise on major issues affecting this area. ICCCC also partners with other established community programs to support their activities under ICCCC’s ICARE and “Caring Contra Costa” initiatives, linking and working with faithful volunteers to carry out needed projects across the County. In addition, ICCCC sponsors the Social Justice Alliance, Juvenile Chaplaincy Ministry, Singing Messengers, Interfaith Climate Action Network, Interfaith Disaster Preparedness Network, numerous retreats, concerts, worship services and prayer vigils, programs/education on racial justice, food insecurity, and homelessness. It also partners in support with Winter Nights Shelter, Trinity Center Walnut Creek, Monument Crisis Center, Shelter Inc., United Religions Initiative, and the Multi-Faith Action Coalition.
Visit ICCCC’s website for details about many upcoming programs and events, where you can sign up to receive their email blasts for updates. Some events will be highlighted in future Staying Connected emails, but there are so many things happening, it’s best to check the website to not miss out on events of particular personal interest.
Neighbor to Neighbor
For the past several years, LOPC has had an on-going interfaith “Neighbor to Neighbor” dialogue underway with Temple Isaiah and the San Ramon Valley Islamic Center.
Neighbor to Neighbor (N2N) is an East Bay initiative among Christians, Jews and Muslims whose mission is to grow understanding and respect for the religions of the world, through social initiatives that promote deep inter-relationships among neighbors of different religions, ages and cultures.
As part of the N2N initiative, the LOPC Interfaith Team periodically presents speaker programs of significance on our efforts to learn more about each other and in the process deepen our own faiths. Other events involve:
- Joining in each others’ worship and prayer services
- Gatherings to discuss books we have read together
- Small group discussions on current timely events
- Informal “getting to know you” dinners
- Educational presentations on what each of us believe
- Classes on our respective faiths and holy scriptures
- Social Justice Projects for the Hungry and the Homeless
- Gathering for our Annual Interfaith Picnic