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The Council of Religious Institutions in the Holy Land met with Israeli Foreign Minister
Tzipi Livni today to discuss the potential positive role religious leaders
can play in helping to build peace, mutual understanding and reconciliation
in the Holy Land. The Council also released a statement declaring the sacredness of human life as a basic premise of all three religions and therefore calling for a ceasefire and end to violence. Last week, the Council released a statement denouncing the recent burnings of
Christian Bibles in Or Yehudah.
Click here for the statement calling for a ceasefire.
Click here for the statement on book burnings.
A
common prayer and message for peace in Palestine and Israel is ready for use
in about 100 countries. Churches in 17 countries, plus two international
ecumenical organizations, are planning various education and advocacy
activities. These and more are part of a global week of action led by the
World Council of Churches (WCC), 4-10 June 2008. This year marks 60 years
since the partition of Palestine and 41 years of occupation.
The Heads of Churches in Jerusalem have issued a common prayer they are asking churches to use on Sunday, June 8, to pray for justice and peace in the Holy Land. Click here for prayer.
"After 60 years of peace denied in the Middle East, churches on five continents are demonstrating their concern together," said WCC general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in announcing the week. "It is encouraging to see so many churches speaking out together for peace. The message for the action week says "It's time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace."
Click here for Action Week Message: It's time for Palestinians and Israelis to Share a Just Peace.
For more on the WCC's week of action, click here.
Graduations
in the ELCJHL SchoolsIt's graduation season at the ELCJHL schools. Talitha Kumi School and the Ramallah School of Hope held their graduations last weekend, and Beit Sahour and Dar al Kalima will hold theirs this coming weekend. There are also graduations at the kindergartens, including Al Mahaba on the Mt. of Olives. High school graduation ceremonies have many speeches, music and three student speeches, one in Arabic, German and English. Senior Hania Halabi, giving the English speech at the School of Hope ceremony, shared her personal motto:
"Do what is necessary, then what is possible, and all of the sudden, you will discover doing the impossible. Keep the hope."
Senior Hania Halabi from Ramallah School of Hope
Archbishop Paarma from the Lutheran Church in Finland Signs Historic Muslim-Christian Coexistence DocumentMay 15, 2008 - Archbishop Jukka Paarma from the Lutheran Church of Finland added his name to the document issued by Christian and Muslim leaders promoting coexistence at the Coexistence and Peace Making Conference hosted by the Jordanian Interfaith Coexistence Research Center (JICRC) in Amman, Jordan, in January of this year. Thirty-five Christian and Muslim leaders from the Middle East signed then, and since then more international faith leaders have added their signature and support. The signing followed a dialogue between Archbishop Paarma, his delegation, Bishop Younan and his delegation, JICRC Executive Director the Very Rev. Nabil Haddad, HE Mr. Sami Gammoh, Deputy Chair, and HE Minister of Islamic Affairs, the Awqaf and the Endowment for Jordan Mr. Abd AlFatah Salah. For more information about the JICRC click here. For a photoshow click here.
May 15, 2008 - His Majesty King Abdullah of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan has given 5 dunums of land on the Jordan River where John the Baptist is thought to have baptized Jesus. Prince Ghazi bin Mohammed, the king's adviser on churches in Jordan, officially gave the land to ELCJHL Bishop Munib Younan during a visit by Archbishop Jukka Paarma of the Lutheran Church in Finland and his delegation, where the group and members from the ELCJHL's Amman Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd participated.
Prince Ghazi, a Muslim scholar, has been trying to reawaken awareness of the holy sites in Jordan, particularly the Baptismal site. Land is being given to individual local churches to create a church home and center of their own at the site so that they can invite their churches worldwide to use the site for pilgrimage and baptism.
For a photo slideshow, click here. For more information on the Baptism Site, click here.
Pastor Mitri Raheb confirmed twelve young people Sunday, May 18, at Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem. On May 4, at the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Beit Jala, Pastor Jadallah Shihadeh and Ass't Pastor Saliba Rishmawi confirmed 14 young people, and the Lutheran Church of Hope in Ramallah will hold their confirmation on Sunday, June 1. Please pray for our young people.
Sources in Hebron said that General William Fraser was about to enter the city of Hebron when a group of Israeli radical settlers rammed their car into the envoy of vehicles hitting the security escort car. The sources added that a small clash took place between the bodyguards of General Fraser and the radical settlers, then the American official turned back to Jerusalem. General William Fraser is the US President Bush administration envoy who was dispatched to the region for monitor the implementation of the road map peace plan.
The Lutheran Church of the Redeemer celebrated Ascension day as they do every year on the Mt. of Olives Ascension Church. The Arabic, English and German-speaking congregations share Holy Communion and then process out to the Mt. of Olives, overlooking the Jordan Valley, to conclude the service.