November 2013 Newsletter

Transcription

1 November 2013 Newsletter The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Peace to you in the Name of the Lord Greetings from Bishop Suheil Dawani Dear Friends, Greetings from the Holy City of Jerusalem! As a Diocese, we gathered in Amman, Jordan, for the annual Majma (Synod) and together had time in fellowship, prayer, and strategic discussion. It was a spirit-filled occasion and we were encouraged by the many positive achievements of the previous year and the many promising possibilities before us. Majma was immediately followed by a Women s Workshop, and here too, there was a spirit of joy and thanksgiving as this important ministry of the Diocese continues to flourish. It has been a particularly busy month with efforts to strengthen our many institutions, especially the Princess Basma Center and the Al-Ahli Arab Hospital, both of which are undergoing restructuring, as well as initiatives to secure long-term financial sustainability. A fundraising banquet was held in Ramallah for Princess Basma Center, which raised approximately $70,000. This event was the first of its kind at the local level and revealed the tremendous support that is within the community for our healthcare and educational ministries. November was also a time to remember those who gave their lives during times of war. Their sacrifice reminds us of the cost of human conflict and the importance of pursuing peace. Salam, Peace + Suheil Dawani Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem info@j-diocese.org Editor: The Rt. Rev d Bishop Suheil S. Dawani Page 1

2 Bishop Tim Stephen of the Diocese of Leicester Con-celebrates with Bishop Suheil the All Saints/All Souls Bishop Tim Stephen of the Diocese of Leicester brought a group of 90 pilgrims to Jerusalem, the Dead Sea and Galilee. The pilgrimage group attended the 9:30 morning service on Sunday, 03 November 2013 at St. George s Cathedral, Jerusalem, celebrating the All Saints/All Souls special service. Bishop Stephen participated in the service along with the Rt. Rev d Suheil Dawani, The Very Rev d Hosam Naoum, and Canon John Organ, Chaplain to Bishop Suheil. Bishop Suheil preaches on All Souls/All Saints at St. George s Cathedral in Jerusalem on Sunday, 03 November 2013 Bishop Suheil Meets with Mr. Ryan Purnell, Political Officer of the US Consulate General Bishop Suheil met with Mr. Ryan Purnell, Political Officer of the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem, Monday, 4 November They discussed religious issues, including the issue of religious freedom. The Rev d Canon John Organ, Chaplain to the Rt. Rev d Suheil Dawani, was also in attendance. Bishop Suheil Meets with Members of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs Bishop Suheil Dawani participated in a discussion meeting that took place between a delegation of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) from the United States and Christian leaders in the Holy Land. The JCPA places a high priority on the Christian community, and the challenges facing Christians in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. The delegation was led by Larry Gold, Chairman, and Rabbi Steve Gutow, President of the JCPA. The meeting was held at the Armenian Patriarchate in the Old City of Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, 06 November Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 2

3 Bishop Suheil Addresses Members of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs (JCPA) Bishop Suheil Congratulates Newly-Elected Mayor of Nazareth on his Election Bishop Suheil along with a number of clergy from the Israeli/Palestinian part of the Diocese of Jerusalem paid a visit to the newly-elected Mayor of Nazareth, Mr. Ali Salam, to congratulate him on his recent election as the Mayor of Nazareth, Wednesday, 06 November St. John s School Board Meeting Held in Haifa St. John s School Board of Directors held a meeting to discuss the construction works, which recently took place in the school. A small kindergarten (KG) was added to the school premises. The meeting was chaired by Bishop Suheil Dawani and was held in the family house hall (St. Luke s) in Haifa on Wednesday evening, 6 November During the meeting, Bishop Suheil thanked Engineer Mousa Daher for the recent construction works in the school. Mt. Zion Cemetery Board Meeting Held at Diocesan Offices On Thursday, 07 November 2013, the Mount Zion Cemetery Board met under the chairmanship of Bishop Suheil Dawani, Bishop of Jerusalem. The meeting was attended by The British Consul General, The Cultural Attaché of the German Embassy, the Propst of the Lutheran Church, The Dean of St George's Cathedral, a representative of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and other representatives of churches in Jerusalem and the Diocesan Office. The Board was called to discuss the serious desecration and destruction at the Cemetery taking place over the last couple of months. The damage is serious and ongoing and the Board is taking steps to secure the area and try to prevent further damage. However, without the support and protection of the police, this is a very difficult and expensive task. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 3

4 The School Year Starts with Peace For the beginning of this school year, we have chosen the theme of peace, as part of our focus on peace education, which is part of our mission here at the Arab Episcopal School (AES). Peace is an especially important topic this year because of the growing violent conflict in the problematic situation in Syria prompted us to give the students an introduction to ways of handling various emergency situations. For example, they were shown how to use gas masks. We decided to do this so that the students are prepared, and can help each other, in case of an emergency. Two teachers developed the introduction. In order to remember and support our brothers and sisters whose lives are affected by the conflict in Syria, the school fasted for a day. During the early morning celebration Reverend Samir Esaid began the day of fasting by praying for peace in Syria and the safety of all the nation's residents and those who have fled to other countries. Fasting was on a voluntary basis for the students, but everyone prayed together for those affected by the violence. We continue to hope and pray for peace in Syria. Diocesan Synod Holds its 105th Annual Session in Amman, Jordan The Diocesan Synod held its 105 th annual session during the period from Monday to Wednesday, November 2013 at Pristol Hotel in Amman, Jordan. The threeday Synod was opened by a mass service at Christ Church in Schneller, during which The Rev d Hanna Mansour, Rector of St. Luke's Anglican Church in Marka Jordan, delivered a sermon. The Synod was attended by delegations of the Diocese of the Province of Jerusalem (Jerusalem, Palestine, Israel, Jordan, and Syria), and was held under the theme of "The Word of God is Obedience and Life. During the Synod, His Grace Bishop Suheil Dawani presented a lengthy and comprehensive report on issues related to pastoral matters, church activities and programs, investment projects, local and ecumenical relations. In addition, the Synod discussed all topics of interest to the service of the Diocese and its witness in the Middle East. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 4

5 Women s Workshop Held in Madaba, Jordan A one-day workshop was held for the women from all the Episcopal Anglican churches throughout Jordan, during which Bishop Suheil Dawani presented morning reflections. The workshop included lectures on Christian education for children. Participants also paid a visit to the holy places in Madaba, Jordan. Mrs. Shafeeqa Dawani, Coordinator of Women s Work, participated in the workshop. Bishop Suheil Dawani Meets with a Group of Church Leaders from UK On Tuesday 19 th of November, a group of church leaders from the UK, led by Richard Jones, the Regional Manager of Embrace the Middle East (EME), paid a visit to the Diocese of Jerusalem where they met with Bishop Suheil Dawani. The group participated in a presentation on Embrace ME programs with the Diocese, which was delivered by Mrs. Sawsan Aranki-Batato, Head of the Diocesan Programs Department, and was followed by active discussion. It is noteworthy to mention that the group expressed great interest in the work of Embrace ME with the Diocesan Institutions. Princess Basma Centre for Children with Disabilities Holds its First Annual Fundraising Event at Movenpick Hotel The Princess Basma Centre for Children with Disabilities organized its first Annual Fundraising Event in partnership with the Private Sector in Palestine. The purpose of the event was to raise the visibility and awareness of the local community on the important service and leading national role that the organization has in the field of rehabilitation and education of Palestinian children. The event was opened by Bishop Suheil Dawani. In his speech, the Bishop highlighted the importance of the service provided by the Princess Basma Centre to the local community. Bishop Suheil read a message from HRH Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 5

6 Princess Basma, who stated her long-standing admiration of the Center, named in honor of her, and the important and significant service its provides to children since HRH opened the Center in Another speech was delivered by the Director General of the Centre, Mr. Ibrahim Faltas, who thanked the attendees and confirmed the important relationship between the private sector and the non-profit sector in creating positive change for children with disabilities in Palestine. The event was sponsored by several private sector companies and banks, including the Bank of Palestine, the National Bank, Birzeit Pharmaceuticals, National Insurance Company and Al-Quds Bank. The event was held in a joyous banquet at Movenpick Hotel in Ramallah on Thursday, 21 November A total of $70,000 was raised by this event. Bishop Suheil Celebrates Holy Eucharist with the Focolare Bishops Bishop Suheil celebrated Holy Eucharist with the Focolare Bishops at St. George the Martyr Anglican Cathedral in Jerusalem Saturday evening, 23 November A spirit of ecumenism and Christian solidarity was evident throughout the gathering and a source of encouragement for all assembled as we continue to witness to the Love of God in Jesus Christ in the Land of the Holy One and throughout the world. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 6

7 Arab Episcopal School's 10 Year Anniversary We have finally reached our 10 th anniversary here at the Arab Episcopal School, and we thank God for getting us through. We remember back before we even had a school, back when all we had were big dreams of school where blind, low vision and sighted students could learn together in integrated classrooms. By the grace of God, that dream manifested itself in the original kindergarten class and has grown exponentially ever since, so that today we have classes ranging from nursery school to 9th grade. 10 years ago, we started the school with just a kindergarten class of 13 students, with only three faculty and staff members, all in one room. Today, we have a beautiful building, where 42 teachers educate 254 students every day. When we first opened the school in the fall of 2003 we were unable to offer busing options to our students, but today we own 3 buses, which make it easier for students and teachers to travel to and from school. We cannot forget all that God has done for us and all of the people who have felt called to support the school. We feel that God is with us in everything we do, and we pray that God continues to be with us as we continue and expand in the coming years. A Healthy Lifestyle Healthy Nutrition Program at Christ School in Nazareth An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure For the third year in a row, the Christ Evangelical Elementary School has been fostering healthy nutrition values and habits in the hearts of its students in order to become an approach of their daily lives. These include taking healthy and nutritious food, and delivering valuable, informative lectures by specialists in this field. This week, the School Administration hosted Dr. Abla Darawshe and Dietician Ra eda Abu Sheikha. They gave two lectures on healthy nutrition and the damage caused by eating unhealthy food, as well as the importance of physical sports for a healthy physical development. The lectures were given to the primary grades and will be followed by other lectures for the preparatory and secondary grades. The Headmistress, Eva Naseer, extended her sincere thanks to the students and their families for their ongoing support and their participation in preparing healthy food. She also thanked Dr. Abla and the Dietitian Ra eda for their precious time given to raise awareness among students by providing them with important information on how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. She also thanked all educators for preparing these programs, which aim: To promote healthy and educational values at an early age; and To integrate parents in the extracurricular activities carried out by the school, which would enhance students sense of belonging to the school. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 7

8 Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System Launched in a Special Ceremony at Ahliyyah School for Girls, Amman The Solar Electricity Generation System (Photovoltaic) was launched in a special ceremony held at the Ahliyyah School for Girls in Amman, Jordan Thursday, 28 November The launching ceremony of the Solar Photovoltaic (PV) System was held under the patronage of His Excellency Dr. Mohammad Hamed, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, His Excellency Dr. Taher Shakhshir, Minister of Environment, in the presence of His Grace Bishop Suheil Dawani, Chairman of the School Board. This Photovoltaic (PV) Project, which is the first of its kind in the Kingdom's schools, is a practical translation of the school s philosophy and direction, which is biased to human being and is sparing no effort in providing a clean environment for him. The school is trying to contribute to overcome the scarcity of energy sources through towards using renewable energy sources. The Ahliyyah School for Girls and The Bishop s School for Boys Board Held in Amman The Ahliyyah School for Girls and the Bishop s School for Boys Board held a meeting on Thursday, 28 November 2013 at the Ahliyyah School in Jordan, Amman. The board meeting was presided over by Bishop Suheil, Chairman of the Board. Board members discussed the following items: 1. Director-General s report of the two schools (challenges facing the schools); 2. Financial reporting; 3. School tuition fees for the two schools for the year ; 4. Contracts for teachers for the year ; 5. Administrative file of the two schools for the year Bishop Suheil Celebrates Christmas Tree Lighting at Ahliyyah School for Girls Bishop Suheil Dawani celebrated the lighting Christmas Tree at the Ahliyyah School for Girls in Amman, Thursday, 28 November Christmas carols were sung by the School Choir. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 8

9 Candidates for TSS Director Position Interviewed Six candidates were interviewed for the position of the Director of Theodore Schneller School (TSS), Thursday, 28 November The selection committee was presided over by Bishop Suheil Dawani. The shortlisted candidates will be interviewed once again, and the most qualified candidate will be chosen for the vacant position of TSS Director. WCC 10th Assembly in South Korea Some 5,000 Christians representing more than 300 churches and 100 countries, including 2,500 Korean Christians, gathered in the city of Busan in the Republic of South Korea as the World Council of Churches (WCC) opened its 10th assembly on 30 October The theme of the assembly was "God of life, Lead us to Justice and Peace". Canon Samuel Fanous was nominated by Bishop Suheil Dawani to represent the province of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East. It was one of the most diverse gatherings of Christians in the history of the ecumenical movement. Participants attended the plenary sessions, bible studies, prayers, and small group ecumenical conversations. They reviewed WCC s work, elected a new Central Committee, and issued public statements. Canon Fanous participated in the small group whose justice and whose peace in the Middle East, which issued a statement of six points concerning the situations in the Middle East and especially the Christians who suffer these days because of some wrong policies. However, assemblies are turning points in the life of (WCC) and in the life of Christian churches. For Canon Fanous, it was also a turning point in life experience such big event. May God of life lead us to justice and peace. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 9

10 More stories and information are available at: enquiries to: Donations may be sent to: The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, PO Box 19122, Jerusalem, The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, a diocese of the worldwide Anglican Communion, extends over five countries, including Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel, within the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East. There are 27 parishes that minister to the needs of their communities, centered on the Cathedral Church of St. George the Martyr in Jerusalem. The church supports 33 institutions, which include hospitals, clinics, kindergartens and schools, vocational training programs, as well as institutions for the deaf, the disabled and the elderly, reaching out to interfaith neighbors in mutual respect and cooperation. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 10