ELCJHL Marks International Women's Day
Several of our congregations held special commemorations of International Women’s Day this weekend, including Beit Jala, Amman, Ramallah, and Bethlehem. This International Women’s Day, and every day, we honor the strength, wisdom, spirit, and sumud (steadfastness) of Palestinian women. We are proud of and thankful for all that women bring to our church and our community, and we strive to uplift them in our congregational and youth ministries, our Gender Justice ministry, our educational programs, and beyond. We celebrate the leadership of women in our church, society, and ...
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Youth Lent Service
Tonight the ELCJHL Youth Ministry held a special Lent service for youth at the Lutheran Church in Beit Sahour. After the service, the youth met for pizza and a discussion with LWF Youth Program Executive Savanna Sullivan about faith, the role of youth in the church, and LWF Youth programs. We are always thankful for opportunities to bring young people in the church together....
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World Day of Prayer - Cook Islands
Each year, Christian women from different traditions around the world come together for the World Day of Prayer. Guided by the World Day of Prayer International Committee, a different country is chosen each year to prepare the worship program. Thousands around the world gather to join in prayer with and for this country, and to grow our relationship with each other as the global church. This year women in Palestine and globally lifted up prayers for the Cook Islands and held services based on the theme “I Made you Wonderful” from Psalm 139. Due to restrictions from the occ...
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ELCJHL Marks Ash Wednesday
Many of our congregations marked Ash Wednesday this evening with the imposition of ashes. As we enter this time of fasting, we join Christ on the journey to the cross. As we pray for God’s justice and peace, we look ahead to the resurrection. We wish you a reflective season of Lent....
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A Statement by the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem on the Return and Burial of Bibas Family Members
Please click here for the full statement in English....
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Environmental Center Leads Special Workshops for Students
This month the ELCJHL Environmental Education Center partnered with the Environmental Clubs of the Lutheran Schools to lead special trainings for students in several areas including birdwatching, biodiversity research, environmental leadership, and more! During the Biodiversity Research workshop, students learned the scientific names and identifying characteristics of native plants. Then they explored the garden in groups to identify and record any plants they could find and present what they documented to their fellow students. The Center also partnered with...
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Gender Justice Jerusalem Activities
Throughout the last year, the ELCJHL's Gender Justice Ministry has organized a series of psychosocial relief activities for women in each of our six congregations. This series has been an important part of how the church seeks to care for our community's spiritual, mental, and emotional health during the current political situation. This week, a group from the Jerusalem congregation gathered for an afternoon of pottery at the Lutheran World Federation Vocational Training Center in Beit Hanina. The women were introduced to pottery by a trainer who demonstrated different techniqu...
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Archbishop of Finland Visits the ELCJHL
Last week the ELCJHL welcomed a visit from Archbishop Dr. Tapio Luoma of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Finland and a delegation of visiting Bishops, pastors, and other partners from the church and our local FELM Center Jerusalem. The visiting delegation included Bishop Dr. Mari Parkkinen, Bishop Dr. Jari Jolkkonen, Rev. Dr. Juha Meriläinen, Rev. Dr. Laura Huovinen, and Mrs. Laura Häkli, along with many from the local FELM team organized by FELM Center Director Mr. Tarmo Heikkilä. During Archbishop Luoma's visit, the delegation met with students at staff at ...
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Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem Condemn Unjust Foreclosure Against Armenian Patriarchate, Urge Immediate Intervention
Click here for the statement in English. Click here for the statement in Arabic....
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A Humanitarian Plea from the Jerusalem Patriarchs and Heads of Churches: Defending the Dignity and Presence of the People of Gaza
Please click here for the full statement in English. Please click here for the full statement in Arabic....
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ELCJHL Students Visit Local Cancer Patients
Earlier this week leadership students from The Evangelical Lutheran School in Beit Sahour visited the pediatric oncology department of Al Hussein Hospital in Beit Jala. Student leaders led activities for the children there and donated supplies requested by the hospital. Many children undergoing cancer treatment are required to be in isolation for their safety. Leadership students played music and sang to those unable to leave their rooms. Patients in the later stages of treatment were able to participate in special games and activities as a group. This visit is pa...
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ELCA Staff Visit to the ELCJHL
This week Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land were honored to host our Evangelical Lutheran Church in America partners for a solidarity visit. Rev. Gabi Aelabouni, ELCA Global Mission Desk Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Shadin Nassar, MENA Regional Associate, and Maren Olson, Director of Lutheran Disaster Response, spent five days in the Jerusalem area. They met with Bishop Azar and ELCJHL pastors and ministry directors, heard about the incredible work of Augusta Victoria Hospital, visited the Lutheran s...
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ELCA Solidarity Visit 2025
Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land were honored to host our Evangelical Lutheran Church in America partners for a solidarity visit. Rev. Gabi Aelabouni, ELCA Global Mission Desk Director for the Middle East and North Africa, Shadin Nassar, MENA Regional Associate, and Maryn Olson, Director of Lutheran Disaster Response, spent five days in the Jerusalem area. They met with Bishop Azar and ELCJHL pastors and ministry directors, heard about the incredible work of Augusta Victoria Hospital, visited the Lutheran schools, saw the Dia...
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January Partner Visits
In January Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar and the ELCJHL were honored to receive several solidarity visits from our international partners. Bishop Azar and ELCJHL Education staff met with Revered Erik Schumacher, Head of the Middle East Desk of Christian World Communications for the Evangelische Kirche in Deutschland (EKD) and gave Rev. Erik a tour of a few ELCJHL Schools. Bishop Azar also met with Bishop Marianne Christiansen, Bishop over Haderslev Stift in Denmark. Bishop Marianne participated in the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity service at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jerusalem, and ...
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Gender Justice Music Evening in Beit Jala
Tonight the Gender Justice Ministry hosted an evening of music with Palestinian musician Zaid Hilal for women from the Beit Jala congregation. The session was part of the Gender Justice Ministry’s series of psychosocial activities for each congregation, with the goal of providing opportunities for self-care and relief during the difficult situation caused by the war. This session focused on music as a form of self expression and gave participants space for stress relief while exploring themes of Palestinian identity and the roles of women in society through music. This session w...
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Church of the Redeemer Hosts Prayer for Christian Unity
This week is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Each evening this week a different church in Jerusalem will host a service for Christians of all denominations and confessions to worship in harmony. This year’s theme is “Do you believe this?” based on Jesus’s question to Martha in John 11:26. Tonight worship was hosted in the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem in Arabic, German, and English, and included prayers from our partners from Sweden, Finland, Scotland, Denmark, the U.S., and beyond. This year also commemorates the 1,700 annivers...
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ELCJHL Students Participate in PalMUN
24 students from the Evangelical Lutheran School of Beit Sahour, the Evangelical Lutheran School of Hope, and Dar al Kalima Lutheran School attended PalMUN in Ramallah this week.Zaid Mimi won Best Delegate and Nimer Dudin won the shout out.Model United Nations (MUN) is a powerful educational tool that teaches its participants essential skills for the future including public speaking, research, problem-solving, and debate skills. Each year, the ELCJHL education office organizes opportunities for our schools to participate in National and International MUN conferences in addition to hosting the ...
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The Ordination of Rev. Anton Nassar
Bishop Dr. Sani Ibrahim Azar and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land are proud to announce the ordination of Reverend Tony Nassar as a pastor in the ELCJHL....
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Gender Justice Ministry Hosts Christmas Lunch
The Gender Justice Ministry hosted a Christmas gathering for women from the five Palestinian congregations today in Bethlehem. The afternoon included lunch, songs and prayers, games, and small gifts including candles made by members of the ELCJHL Deaf Ministry. Though the typical Christmas Bazaar was not held this year, the lunch also offered an opportunity for women from the congregations to showcase handicrafts and support their small businesses. The Gender Justice Ministry also sponsored a special evening for the congregation in Jordan earlier this month. Coming together for fellowship and ...
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Christmas Greetings with the Latin Patriarch
Bishop Azar and Pastors Sally and Ashraf from Redeemer Lutheran Church in Jerusalem visited the Latin Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa on the occasion of Christmas to offer ecumenical greetings....
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