Deaf Ministry Christmas Lunch
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, the ELCJHL Diaconal Ministry hosted the annual Christmas Gathering for the Deaf Ministry last week. This gathering is one of the highlights of the year for our Deaf Ministry. Due to increased checkpoints and restrictions on movement for Palestinians in the West Bank, it is more difficult to bring the entire group together these days, but we were very grateful to have many members join the event, including some of our group members from Ramallah. During the event, attendees spent time talking and praying together. Staff from Flowers ...
Read More
Gender Justice Ministry Starts Cooking Class Series in Jerusalem
Last Monday, the ELCJHL Gender Justice Ministry in partnership with the LWF VTC Jerusalem الاتحاد اللوثري العالمي برنامج التدريب المهني in Beit Hanina began a cooking course for women in Jerusalem. This class is the latest course in the Gender Justice Ministry’s Skill Development Course series. Courses have already been held for women in Ramallah and Amman earlier this year. Each Monday until the end of the year, women from the Jerusalem congregation will meet to learn new cooking skills and techniques. These skill development courses are designed to help women gain tools for fi...
Read More
EEC Holds Annual Conference
The Environmental Education Center launched the 15th Palestinian Conference on Environmental Awareness and Education, titled “Environmental and Climate Justice for Palestine,” in Jericho. Held under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, and in partnership with the Environmental Quality Authority and IUCN Palestine, the conference brings together national and international experts to discuss ecocide, climate change, and artificial intelligence. Bishop Azar highlighted four decades of environmental leadership by the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Environme...
Read More
Simulcast Service
Christmas Lutheran Church held the Annual Simulcast Service with the Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral and The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem....
Read More
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Hosts Wine and Cheese Event
In partnership with the Gender Justice Ministry, the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church - Amman كنيسة الراعي الصالح اللوثرية- عمان hosted the annual Wine and Cheese Advent Gathering on the second Sunday of Advent. Each year, the Gender Justice Ministry holds two Christmas gatherings, one for the five churches in Palestine and one in Jordan, as the Amman congregation is not able to easily join the gathering in Bethlehem. This event is a special time for the congregation to come together to celebrate the Advent and Christmas season and to spend time in fellowship, prayer, and song. ...
Read More
Advent Begins
The ELCJHL congregations celebrated the first Sunday of Advent today by lighting candles, singing, and praying together. Wishing you a peaceful and reflective Advent season. ...
Read More
Welcome Pastor Christy Lohr Sapp
Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land are proud to welcome Pastor Christy Lohr Sapp and her family to Jerusalem. Pastor Christy will serve as Pastor of the English Speaking Congregation of the Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem with Pastor Sally Azar. Ahlan w’ sahlan! ...
Read More
Teacher's Guided Hike
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, the ELCJHL Education Office led by Educational Director Eva Azar organized a special hiking day for teachers and staff from the Evangelical Lutheran School in Beit Sahour and Dar al Kalima Lutheran School. The hike was led by the tour guide Esperansa Hanania Qumsieh and went from Husan to Battir, passing many beautiful and historic springs along the way including Ain Al-Balad in Husan, Ain Al-Nab’a, Ain Al-Arousa, Ain Al-Amoud, Ain Al-Hawiya, Ain Al-Jami’, and Ain Al-Balad in Battir. The hikers also stopped for traditional Pa...
Read More
Ecclesiastical Court Judges Training with PJI
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, the ELCJHL Ecclesiastical Court in partnership with the ELCJHL Gender Justice Ministry held a three-day training for all judges and pastors for the church. This training was led by the Palestinian Justice Institute with support from the Sawasya Programme Palestine. In the Palestinian legal system, issues related to personal status and family law are handled by religious courts. All ELCJHL church members go to our Ecclesiastical Court to handle cases of marriage, divorce, child custody, inheritance, and more. The Bishop, ELCJ...
Read More
ELCJHL Welcomes ELCA Visit
Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar and the ELCJHL received with joy a solidarity visit from Latin American and ELCA church leaders last week. The delegation met with Bishop Azar and ELCJHL pastors, visited the ELCJHL schools and ministries, met with leaders from the Augusta Victoria Hospital, worshiped with the Jerusalem congregation, and more. During the visit, ELCJHL staff were able to share more about the situation on the ground and what life for Palestinians, including Palestinian Christians, is like today in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and beyond. We are grateful for the partnership and solidarit...
Read More
LWF President Visits ELCJHL
The Lutheran World Federation President Bishop Henrik Stubkjær visited the Holy Land on the 4th through 9th November with a delegation including LWF Regional Secretary for Asia Rospita Siahaan to meet with the ELCJHL, the LWF World Service program, and other LWF partners. We were honored to welcome Bishop Stubkjæer, Rev. Siahaan, and the entire delegation to learn more about the situation in Palestine and the work of the Lutheran, Christian, and broader Palestinian community on the ground. The LWF delegation met with Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, Bishop-elect Rev. ...
Read More
Teacher's Football Tournament
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, the Evangelical Lutheran Education Office, represented by Director Mrs. Eva Azar, organized the first Lutheran Schools’ Teachers’ Football Tournament, held in Beit Sahour. Both female and male teachers participated with great enthusiasm and team spirit, creating an atmosphere of joy and excitement for all who attended. The tournament concluded with Beit Sahour winning the first-place cup, while the School of Hope proudly claimed second place....
Read More
25th Annual Olive Harvest Festival
The Environmental Education Center of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land, together with the Peace Center of the Bethlehem Municipality, and in cooperation with the Ministries of Agriculture, Education and Higher Education, and Culture, as well as the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry, celebrated the silver jubilee of the National Olive Harvest Festival, which was first launched in the fall of 2000. As part of the celebrations, 91 drawings created by students from Palestinian universities were showcased, representing the significance of the olive tree in Palest...
Read More
Youth Old City Tour
The ELCJHL Gender Justice Ministry and Youth Ministry organized a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem for youth from the Jerusalem congregation, with help from church youth leaders. Despite living in Jerusalem, many of these youth have limited experience exploring their own holy sites due to safety concerns around accessing the Old City. Today, Palestinians in the Old City face violence and intimidation from Israeli soldiers, police, and armed settlers, leading to alienation within their own city. This tour gave youth the opportunity to learn more about their home and holy place...
Read More
ELCJHL Holds Annual Reformation Day Service
Today, under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, the ELCJHL held the annual multi-lingual Reformation Day Service in the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem. We were joined by many Lutheran and ecumenical siblings in Christ to mark this important day in our Lutheran tradition. In Bishop Azar’s sermon, he spoke about the importance of reformation not just in the history of our church, but in the world today. “Our church has long known that standing still or maintaining the status quo is not enough. It is why we have devoted ourselves...
Read More
ELCJHL Schools Hold Reformation Day Activities
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, 8th grade students from three of the four Lutheran schools came together at Dar al Kalima Lutheran School today to celebrate Reformation Day. In his opening speech, Bishop Azar spoke about how proud he is to be a graduate of the Lutheran Schools. He shared the importance of continual reformation in our lives and emphasized how our Lutheran church has continued the work of reformation over the last 500 years. Dar al Kalima Principal Pastor Anton Nassar spoke about the history of Reformation Day and explained how the colors of the stu...
Read More
Peace Mediation Graduation Held
At the beginning of each school year, we celebrate a special milestone for students from the three ELCJHL schools who have completed a year-long journey in mediation and conflict resolution, one of the key programs led by the ELCJHL Education Office to promote peace, emotional intelligence, and student leadership. Over the past year, these students have worked closely with their social counselors and teachers, learning how to become peacebuilders in their school communities. Through regular classes and hands on practice, they have developed essential skills like: Active L...
Read More
ELCJHL Students Travel for MUN
A group of students from ELCJHL schools recently traveled to Poland to participate in an international Model United Nations (MUN) conference. The event centered around a timely and thought provoking theme: "Understanding the Roots of Polarization to Achieve Harmony." Our students took on the roles of delegates in various committees, including the Security Council, UNICEF, and the General Assembly, engaging in high level debates and diplomacy simulations. We are especially proud to share that Mirna Rantisi was recognized with the Outstanding Speaker Award in the UNICEF committ...
Read More
ELCJHL Congregations Celebration Thanksgiving
Today is Thanksgiving Sunday for many ELCJHL congregations. In Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, Beit Jala, Ramallah, and Amman, communities gathered in prayer to give thanks to God who is with us through all circumstances. As we worship and break bread together in gratitude for God’s blessings, we pray for the coming season to bear the fruits of peace and justice. On Friday evening the ELCJHL Youth met at the Church of the Reformation for a special Thanksgiving evening of prayer, activities, and barbecue with our Anglican siblings. We give thanks for all the opportunities for fellow...
Read More
Fall Bird Week Begins
Under the patronage of Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar, the Environmental Education Center - Elcjhl launched the 26th Bird Week today at the EEC. The EEC hosts Bird Week every spring and fall to celebrate the bi-annual journey of migrating bird species through Palestine. The opening ceremony included remarks from Bishop Azar, EEC Director Simon Awad, and Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority Director Talib Hamid. They were joined by Talitha Kumi Principals Birger Reese and Laura Bishara, Dar al Kalima Principal Pastor Anton Nassar, EQA Assistant Director Khalid Salim, and t...
Read More1 - 20 of ( 196 ) records