For several years the Justice and Peace Team of Edgewood UCC in East Lansing, MI has prioritized action toward justice for Palestinians . This year, we wanted to mobilize our congregation to take action to address the US complicity in the ongoing violence and oppression perpetrated by Israel against the Palestinians. We decided that we could use the after-church coffee hour to encourage our fellow parishioners to sign online letters to members of the U.S. House urging the curtailing of U.S. military aid to Israel to protest a rampant increase in violence in the West Bank. 

In early March, UCC PIN's E-News included an action alert from Global Ministries to “Tell the Administration and Congress to hold Israel accountable and end unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel.” The call noted that “the oppression of Palestinians is at a crisis point.” On February 26, settlers had rampaged in Hawara causing one death, injuries of 120 and damage to Palestinian homes and possessions. This was only the latest in attacks associated with an escalation of violence – with 85 Palestinians killed in the first 10 weeks of 2023. The message called for an end to U.S. military aid to Israel as long as the state continues to perpetrate escalations of violence. We created a pamphlet which not only noted that “73 House Democrats […] have written to President Biden to reverse more of Trump’s Israel policies and calls on him to declare the settlements illegal.” But that: “Rep. Elissa Slotkin of Michigan and other representatives from central Michigan did not sign the appeal.” 

We then decided to see if we could get signatories during the coffee hour after a Sunday service. Our pastor, Liz Miller announced that we would be there, facilitating electronic signing of messages to House members and the President. Four of us, with our computers, set up on tables at the edge of the social hall. When people came up, we explained the action and enrolled people to send their message online on the spot. We also asked to include their names on a list to contact them about future mobilizations. 

By the end of coffee hour, we had registered 19 members of the congregation and had given handouts with the URL and draft language to several others who preferred to sign and send the letter later at home on their own. We had lots of conversations with people who don’t attend our Justice and Peace Team meetings, but were more than willing to sign a statement for holding Israel to account!