wfn.org | Christian World Communions Secretaries Meet In Jerusalem

["Christian B. Schäffler" <APD_Info_Schweiz@compuserve.com>]

January 2, 2000

Adventist Press Service (APD)
Christian B. Schaeffler, Editor-in-chief
Fax +41-61-261 61 18
APD@stanet.ch
http://www.stanet.ch/APD
CH-4003 Basel, Switzerland

Conference For Secretaries Of Christian World Communions 
Meet In Jerusalem

Jerusalem, Israel.        The annual meeting of the Secretaries 
of Christian World Communions (CWC) took place in 
Jerusalem, Israel, from December 1-5, 1999.  The CWC is 
composed of secretaries of every worldwide Christian church 
family.

Representing the Seventh-day Adventist Church World 
Headquarters were Dr Bert B Beach, General Secretary of the 
Christian World Communions, and director of Inter-Church 
Relations, Dr Ralph Thompson, Executive Secretary, and Dr 
John Graz, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty (PARL)
director.  Also present was Pastor Richard Elofer, President of 
the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Israel.

The theme of the conference was "Getting to Know the Living 
Stones" with a lecture presented by Bishop John Peterson, 
Chairman of the CWC. During the meeting every Secretary 
presented a report on his denomination.

The group visited many Holy sites in Jerusalem and in Galilee
during the conference, and paid a visit to some leaders of the 
historical churches in Israel: the Latin Patriarch, the Orthodox 
Patriarch, the Armenian Patriarch, the Bishop of the Lutheran 
Church and the Bishop of the Anglican Church.  During these 
visits the Patriarchs and the Bishops made a speech about the 
situation of the church in Israel and the support they
need from the worldwide Christian churches.

The climax of the Conference was the celebration on 
Saturday, December 4 in Bethlehem.  This celebration was the 
Inaugural Festive Ceremony for the Year 2000 with the 
presence of the Patriarchs and the Heads of the Christian 
Communities, President Yasser Arafat, and the Mayor
of Bethlehem.  Many songs were sung from the Latin, 
Armenian, Franciscan, Coptic, Syrian Orthodox and Ethiopian 
choirs.  The meeting concluded on Sunday evening after a 
visit to Galilee.