February 2014 Newsletter The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem Peace to you in the Name of the Lord Greetings from Bishop Suheil Dawani Dear Friends, Greetings to you as we journey towards the Lenten season. The Diocese of Jerusalem continues to work diligently to support its institutions by seeking funding for the new Cancer Care Centre at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza, and scholarships to support children and families in education. One of our institutions in critical need of support is the Princess Basma Center. Any help from our friends is greatly appreciated. In February, we welcomed friends both new and old: pilgrims visiting the Holy Land for the first time and our valued friends and partners from around the globe whose support helps sustain the work of the Diocese. We joined in the joyful installations of clergy at Redeemer Church and St. Paul s Church in Jordan. Years of planning came to fruition with the inauguration of the Christ Church tower in Nazareth. We also held a Clergy Retreat, for the clergy of the Diocese, at St. George s College. It was an important time of fellowship and renewal, beginning with the ordination of two clergy. We ended the month with a Service of Baptismal Renewal at the Jordan River, renewing our faith and affirming the presence of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives. Salaam, Peace + Suheil Dawani Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem www.j-diocese.org info@j-diocese.org Editor: The Rt. Rev d Bishop Suheil S. Dawani Page 1
Diocesan Development Visit from Anglican Overseas Aid On 13 February, Tim Budge, Specialist Programming Advisor at Anglican Overseas Aid (AOA) in Australia, completed a successful 10-day mission in Palestine. At the outset of his mission, Mr. Budge met with Bishop Suheil and the Head of the Diocesan Development Department, Sawsan Aranki-Batato. Ms. Aranki-Batato provided an update on the Diocesan programs funded by AOA, particularly the Breast Screening Program at Al Ahli Hospital in Gaza. New development programs for funding were discussed and agreed. During his visit, Mr. Budge made a three-day visit to Al Ahli Hospital, among other program sites. At Al Ahli Hospital, he had the opportunity to observe the implementation of the Breast Screening Program, which included meetings and conversations with staff and patients. Mr. Budge concluded his mission with a highly positive debriefing session. Meeting with New Chair of Friends of the Holy Land On 26 February, Bishop Suheil met with Jim Quinn, the new Chair of Friends of the Holy Land in the United Kingdom. Mr. Quinn was accompanied by FHL Vice Chair Peter Rand. During their visit, Friends of the Holy Land also met with Sawsan Aranki-Batato, Head of Development, to discuss their programs within the Diocese and ideas for new projects. Friends of the Holy Land currently provides support for Diocesan medical institutions and scholarships for students. Diocesan News & Institutions Meeting of Property Committee The Property Committee in Palestine and Israel met on 4 February to discuss issues concerning Diocesan property and development. St. George s School Board Meeting On 15 February, the board of St. George s School met to discuss the future development and direction of the school, including its building plan, new curricula and the hiring of a new General Director. The board also received reports from the management team. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem www.j-diocese.org Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 2
Princess Basma Center Board Meeting On 17 February, the Board of the Princess Basma Center met to discuss the Center s progress and challenges, the annual plan and new direction. The Board Members discussed, together with the Senior Management Team, the achievements and plans ahead to continue providing services to children with disabilities through Comprehensive Rehabilitation and Inclusive Education. The Center, established in 1966, continues to reach out to children with disabilities all over the West Bank and works with children with a number of disabilities, including Cerebral Palsy, Autism and ADHD. The Center has a leading Autism Unit for children and provides physiotherapy services for adults. The Princess Basma Center also runs an inclusive school for children and a Sheltered Workshop providing vocational training for people with disabilities in a safe environment. Diocese of Jerusalem Signs Medical Cooperation Agreement On 27 February, Bishop Suheil met with Mohammad Tamimi, a representative of Al Ahli Hospital in Hebron, to sign a new medical cooperation agreement between the Diocese of Jerusalem and Al Ahli Hospital. Hospital. The Diocese also has an agreement with Hadassah New Semester at the Arab Episcopal School, Irbid Classes have started again after a wonderful month of Winter Break here at the Arab Episcopal School. All the teachers and students are excited to be back. We started out the semester by welcoming new students to our school and welcoming back returning ones, and by celebrating all the birthdays we missed over winter break. The Kindergarten and Nursery classes had a special celebration, where they ate popcorn and danced (pictured right). The new semester has also marked the conclusion of two big building projects at the school: the new gymnasium and the library. The gymnasium was built on the 3 rd floor over the semester holiday. Shams Jordanie supported the building of the gymnasium on the top of the school (pictured left). Money was raised from the sale of paintings made by our students and Ali Maher in May 2013. We are proud of our students for the work they did to make this possible. The whole school is happy about the new gymnasium and we are all looking forward to using it. The library was built over the last semester, with support from the German Embassy, and we are now in the process of equipping the library with books, CDs, and other student resources. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem www.j-diocese.org Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 3
Parishes Installation of Priest-in-Charge of Redeemer Church, Jabal Amman On 2 February, Bishop Suheil installed the Reverend Canon Faeq Haddad as Priest-in-Charge of Redeemer Church in Jabal Amman, Jordan (right). Reverend George Kopti was also appointed as Assistant Priest. 25 th Anniversary Celebration of St. Paul s Church Also on 2 February, Bishop Suheil joined St. Paul s Church, Ashrafieh, for their 25 th anniversary celebration (left). Bishop Suheil installed Reverend George Kopti as Priest-in-Charge and, following the service, he and his wife Shafeeqa joined the jubilant reception. Inauguration of Christ Church Tower in Nazareth On 9 February, Christ Church in Nazareth held an inauguration ceremony to commemorate the completion of the church tower and spire. Bishop Suheil presided at the inauguration, which was well attended by Diocesan clergy, local clergy, Muslim religious leaders, and community members, as well as by Mr. Soroji, tower engineer, and Mr. Zaher, contractor. The inauguration of the tower, the completion of which marked the culmination of many years of planning, was followed by a very joyful reception. With its tower lit against the night sky, Christ Church adds another beacon of light to the holy City of the Annunciation. The tower was completed with support from the Diocese of Jerusalem, Bishop Suheil and the Pastorate Committee. Ordination of Clergy at St. George s Cathedral On 19 February, Bishop Suheil ordained two clergy to the Order of the Priesthood at St. George s Cathedral in Jerusalem. Deacon Owen Hoskin and Deacon Saleem Dawani were ordained in front of a large gathering of those from the community. Local clergy from Jerusalem, Israel, Palestine and Jordan participated in the candlelit evening service, which was accompanied by the Cathedral boys choir. A celebratory reception was held in St. George s Guest House following the service. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem www.j-diocese.org Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 4
Diocesan Clergy Retreat Bishop Suheil gathered with his Diocesan clergy for a three-day Clergy Retreat from 19-21 February. This joyful gathering was held at St. George s College on the Diocesan campus in Jerusalem, and was a time of fellowship, refreshment, renewal and hospitality. The Clergy Retreat was led by Bishop William Shomali, auxiliary bishop of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Renewal of Baptismal Vows at the Jordan River Bishop Suheil gathered with his Jordanian clergy and parishes on 28 February for a Service of Baptismal Renewal and Celebration of the Holy Eucharist. An estimated 1,200 faithful assembled on the warm, sunny day at Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, a site on the Jordan River thought by many, including archeologists, to be the authentic site where John the Baptist ministered. Bishop Suheil preached on the baptism of Jesus, which marked the beginning of Christ s journey to the Way of the Cross. Invoking the restorative power of baptism, Bishop Suheil invited the congregation present to renew their own baptismal vows and personal journeys of faith. Pilgrimages & Visits Bishop Suheil Hosts Canadian Bishops This month, Bishop Suheil hosted a group of bishops from the Anglican Church of Canada, whose visit was meant to show support for and raise their awareness of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. The group took the Palestine of Jesus course at St. George s College, and toured the Princess Basma Center, where they expressed their hope to support funding of the Center s hydrotherapy pool. Meeting with Shaun Casey, Special Advisor for Faith-Based Community Initiatives On 18 February, Bishop Suheil welcomed Dr. Shaun Casey, Special Advisor to U.S. Senator Kerry for the Office of Faith-Based Community Initiatives. Dr. Casey has been meeting with key religious leaders in the Holy Land in order to further his own outreach efforts to faith-based communities in the U.S. regarding the Israeli- Palestinian situation. Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem www.j-diocese.org Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 5
More stories and information are available at: www.j-diocese.org Email enquiries to: info@j-diocese.org Donations may be sent to: The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, PO Box 19122, Jerusalem, 91191 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 www.j-diocese.org Contact us at: info@j-diocese.org Page 6