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Irish Church Leaders Pray for Peace with Palestinian Christian Leaders in Beit SahourApril 29, 2008 - The leaders of Ireland 's four main churches prayed for peace with justice with Palestinian Christian leaders in the chapel of one of the Beit Sahour shepherds' fields tonight. The Rev. Dr. John Finlay, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, said this:
"We are here most especially to be in solidarity with the Christians of Bethlehem and throughout Palestine and Israel who suffer so much because of the current political conflict in this land. We know something of what it is to have incompatible histories, and we wish to offer hope for peace.
With the people here we will pray for a treat of peace that will finally put an end to the occupation imposed by one people on another, grannting freedom to Palestinians, giving security to Israelis, and freeing all from fear," said Rev. Dr. John Finlay, Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland."
The church leaders are here to express a desire for peace in the area and offer Christian hope in a situation where continuing hostilities are causing increased hardship for ordinary people. Cardinal Seán Brady, Roman Catholic Primate, Rev Roy Cooper, President of the Methodist Church , Dr John Finlay, Presbyterian Moderator and Archbishop Alan Harper, Church of Ireland Primate are responding to the urgent need for solidarity with local Christians and are bringing a message of peace from the Churches in Ireland. The leaders' visit will focus mainly on Bethlehem and Jerusalem where they will meet local church leaders and representatives from the Palestinian Authority and Israeli Government, as well as seeing first hand the relief and development work that is being undertaken by partners of Christian Aid and Trócaire.
Cardinal Brady, who visited the area last January, and who is scheduled to accompany the Latin Patriarch on a pastoral visit to Gaza tomorrow, recently described the situation:
"The situation in the Holy Land and the continuing hostilities are causing great hardship to both Palestinian and Israeli, and to Jew, Muslim and Christian in both jurisdictions. There is a sense of absolute desperation and that hope is running out. It is in this kind of situation that voices of moderation need to be heard; that actions of kindness and solidarity need to be undertaken; that all the people of faith in God need to join together and work together for peace
Archbishop Harper sees the visit as one of listening to and experiencing the difficulties of others. "This is an opportunity to show the solidarity of churches in Ireland with people living in the Holy Land and especially the Christian community. By sharing our experiences of living through troubled times and listening and observing we hope to share an authentic message of peace and reconciliation which will offer hope in this awful situation."
Dr John Finlay hopes the reporting of the visit will create better understanding of the Middle East situation in Ireland . "For many of us we only think of the Holy Land as it is portrayed in the Bible and pay little attention to what is happening there at present. By experiencing today's Holy Land for ourselves, establishing new links, building on existing contacts and recounting what we see and hear to others, we hope that our churches will be able to make appropriate gestures of solidarity."
Rev Roy Cooper thinks the visit will be an encouragement to all they meet. "As well as showing solidarity, all our churches are involved in supporting the practical action of relief and development work being carried on in the area by local agencies with the help of our partners, Christian Aid and Trócaire. Through our visits to various projects we want to broaden our understanding and show our support and encouragement for all that is being done to help those who are suffering in a very difficult situation."
On
26 of February, the Israeli Army issued (6) military orders of closure and
eviction for (2) orphanages and (3) schools and other facilities of the
Islamic Charitable Society in Hebron charging that they support terrorism.
Lawyers for the Society have said that the IDF refuses to show them the
evidence, claiming it is secret. The lawyers are asking them to
prosecute individuals with due process and not to punish needy children and
the 500 people the organizations employ. Human rights groups,
including the United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner
for Human Rights in the occupied Palestinian territory are working together
to keep the organizations open. Many of the children at the orphanages
have no place else to go but already large extended families.
See www.hebronorphans.blogspot.com
To see a video clip of the orphanages click here.
The ELCJHL received some well-needed new printing equipment this month for the ELCJHL print shop which prints hundreds of publications for the Arabic, German, English and Danish-speaking Redeemer Congregations as well as for other ecumenical international services with our Swedish, Finnish and Norwegian colleagues. A delegation from Lutheran Partners in Global Ministry, an organization founded by Gordon and Betty Olson after the death of their missionary son, Tim, raised the funds and then visited in April to install the equipment. Pastor Russ Siler (above right), the former pastor of Redeemer's English-speaking congregation and Pastor Mark Nelson, a former volunteer pastor there, were instrumental in initiating and completing the project. Mabruk and thank you to LPGM from Printing Director Antoinette Karam (center) and all of the ELCJHL!
To see more photos of
the dedication, click here.
To read Evan Hansen's Blog about the Trip, click here.
About 200 people gathered on Easter Morning at the back of Augusta Victoria complex on the Mt. of Olives while still dark for the Easter Sunrise service. Although the earliest Easter for a long time, it was also the warmest, and though many came prepared with blankets and hats, this year they didn't need them. Pastor Mark Holman was sick, but Pastor Dale Finch from Canada preached his sermon and presided over the sacrament, while Pastor Karl Reko of Chicago assisted. Music of trumpet, keyboard, viola and guitars added to the service. For pictures click here. For video click here.
Good Friday in Jerusalem is teeming with Christian pilgrims. T
housands from all over the world come into the narrow streets of Jerusalem to sing, pray and walk the Via Dolorosa, the 14 Stations of the Cross, Jesus journey to crucifixion and death. The Lutheran/Anglican time slot is at 6:30 am every year, and this year was led by
Lutheran Bishop Munib Younan, Anglican Bishop Suheil Dawani of the Jerusalem
Diocese and Presiding Bishop of the US Episcopalian Church Katharine
Jefferts Schori. For pictures,
click here.
For Lutherans in Jerusalem, Maundy Thursday celebration begins with a late afternoon joint Holy Communion Service at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer between the Arabic, English and German-speaking congregations. The congregations proceed from there - in different language groups singing Lenten songs - through the streets of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Via Dolorosa, out St. Stephen's Gate, up to the Gethsemane grounds of the Russian Orthodox Church church. There, on the steps of St. Mary Magdelene Church, the service concludes with more scripture and song overlooking the lights of old Jerusalem. For photos click here.
For video, click here. If it stops and starts, give it some time to download then start again.
Palm Sunday begins for Lutherans at Palm Sunday services at the Arabic, English-speaking and German-speaking congregations in the morning. Today, there was procession that began at Lazarus' Tomb in Bethany, where Jesus' Holy Week journey began with the death and resurrection of Lazarus. Now, the Separation Wall cuts off the traditional Jericho to Jerusalem road that Jesus would have used. So Christians in Bethany and just on the other side of the Mt. of Olives can't celebrate the traditional Palm Sunday procession with the rest of the Christian community in Jerusalem. The journey begins at the Bethphage Church, with a portrait of Jesus on the donkey and the stepping stone, and continues up and over the Mt. of Olives, past Dominus Flevit church, where Jesus wept over Jerusalem, past Gethsemane, where he prayed on that Thursday evening, and up into the Old City.Thousands come from all over the world to celebrate, sing and process in this historic tradition.
See photos and
video clip of procession.
See photos.
Friday, March 28 - Bishop Younan met today with Mr. Hoybraten, the Chairman of the Christian Democratic Party and Parliamentary Group in Norway, Mr. Odd Jostein Saeter, Senior Advisor the the CDU and Morwegain Representative Mr. Sten Arne Rosnes, about the ministries of the ELCJHL and prospects for peace with justice.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori of the US Episcopal Church Visits Holy Land for Holy WeekSee Ann Hafften's coverage at http://voicesforpeace.blogspot.com/
See the US Episcopal Church website
Sat. March 15 - The Environmental Education Center, an educational program of the ELCJHL, organized over 100 people including students from the Ramallah School of Hope to plant trees in Biddu Village near both Ramallah and Jerusalem. The village is about 10 kilometers from Jerusalem but a world away. The area villages once had 6000 dunums of land, but 4000 has been confiscated for illegal Israeli settlements. One man kept his house only through the action of the Supreme Court, and the most of his land was confiscated except for about 10 ft. on all sides that are now enclosed by a fence from the settlement. All visitors must be out of the house by 6 pm, and a loud radio or TV brings the IDF. See pictures.
Two important statements were released this week calling for an end to the spiraling violence in Israel/Palestine and a cease-fire in Gaza:
Lutheran World Federation Calls for End to Self-Destructive Cycle
International NGOs Call for Immediate, Formal Cease-Fire in Gaza
Pastor Imad Haddad Installed as First Ordained Pastor at Beit SahourSun. Mar 9, 2007 - Bishop Younan installed Pastor Imad Haddad today as the first ordained pastor at the Lutheran Church of Beit Sahour. Bishop Erik Aurelius, Int'l Secretary Goren Rask and deans of the Skara Diocese of the Church of Sweden came to participate in the installation. Other Finnish and Swedish pastors living in the area also participated. For pictures, click here.
Fri. Mar 7 - Bishop Younan issued a statement today asking for people in the Holy Land to unite against extremism, work against violence and toward a just peace.
For the full statement, click here.
Pastor Imad Haddad and Pastor Saliba Rishmawi "Ordained in the midst of reality" in ELCJHLMarch 2, 2008 - Pastor Imad Haddad and Pastor Saliba Rishmawi were ordained into the ELCJHL today in the midst of massive loss of life in Gaza. About 100 people have been killed in Gaza in the last 5 days in massive and constant airstrikes, incursions and bombings, sparked Israel says by one man killed in Sderot on Wednesday and Palestinian rockets reaching into Ashkelon. The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer was filled, although many, including the whole choir of the Beit Sahour school, were not able to attend despite having received permits. Click here for pictures. Click here for video.
Hundreds from Beit Sahour community and the ELCJHL said thank you and goodbye to Evangelist Hani Odeh, who was headmaster of the Beit Sahour Lutheran school and Evangelist from 1984-2005.
Hani was born and raised in Beit Sahour, and attended the Beit Sahour school, which then only went up to 6th grade. He then taught at the school and went to Lebanon to study law, alternating months. After working in business with an electronics business, he was asked again to teach and then to become both headmaster of the school and preacher at the church in 1984.
During Hani's tenure, the church was refurbished and the school grew up through senior high. He retired from the school in 2005, when they realized the Beit Sahour school needed a fulltime and separate headmaster. Vicar Imad Haddad, to be ordained Sunday, March 2, will succeed Hani and become the first full time Pastor of the Beit Sahour Lutheran Church. For more photos click here.
Pastor Imad Haddad Pastor Saliba Rishmawi Evangelist Hani Odeh
Please keep the ELCJHL and these men in your prayers this weekend as we mark two important occasions. Saturday we will celebrate Beit Sahour's Evangelist Hani Odeh's almost 25 years with the church and school at his retirement party. Sunday Mr. Imad Haddad and Mr. Saliba Rishmawi will be ordained at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem. Pastor Rishmawi will serve at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation with Pastor Jedallah Shihadeh and Pastor Haddad will serve at the Lutheran Church in Beit Sahour.