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[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

World Council of Churches
For Immediate Use Feat-02-14
27 September 2002

Pater Noster
By Royal Orr

(This is the third story in a three-part series on the accompaniment 
programme.)

Bishop Kamal Bathish of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem shook his head 
in sorrow.

"How can we come together to pray for peace," he asked, "when even I, 
having lived in this city for more than thirty years, often cannot find a 
way past the checkpoints?"

Standing beside the altar before a small gathering in the chapel of the 
Pater Noster Church on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, Bishop Kamal was 
addressing an ecumenical gathering from across the city.

"It was from this mountain," he reminded the faithful, "that Jesus looked 
down on Jerusalem and wept. Now we add our tears to His."

Bishop Kamal was at the midpoint of hosting a two-week-long series of 
evening prayer services for peace along with other church leaders in
Jerusalem.

At an earlier meeting with the most senior clergy in Jerusalem, the first 
participants of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme (EAPPI) in Palestine 
and Israel received good wishes and blessings for their own commitment to 
peaceful accompaniment.

Coptic Orthodox Archbishop Dr Anba Abraham pledged his support to the 
accompaniers, inviting them to come to him and his colleagues "for 
guidance, assistance, or any help that you think we might be able to offer".

"Take much courage with you," advised Bishop Kamal, also a participant at 
the gathering in the Old City. "Do not despair, for it is the Lord's work."

Christian leaders are becoming more active in the struggle for justice and 
peace in Palestine and Israel. Father Michael Sellors, Dean of St George's 
Anglican Cathedral (Jerusalem), sketched out the advocacy recently 
undertaken by Christian leaders in the cause of peace, including 
demonstrations and lobbying efforts with Israeli government and Palestinian 
Authority representatives.

EAPPI accompanier Bernt Jonsson asked the leaders whether they saw any 
signs of hope in the situation in Palestine and Israel.

"There are glimpses of hope," replied Greek Orthodox Archbishop Aristarchos 
with a smile. "Your presence is a glimpse of hope."

"We need your solidarity and your input," agreed Armenian Orthodox Bishop 
Aris Shirvanian.

"The task for all of us," responded Bishop Kamal, "is to pray for peace, to 
preach peace, to be ready for peace when it comes from the Lord of Peace."

Bishop Kamal returned to the same theme at the prayer service at the Pater 
Noster Church, but with added urgency.

"Let us pray for peace," he said. "Let us pray and work so fervently that, 
as at the wedding at Cana, we might advance the hour when God's power will 
come."

EAPPI is an ecumenical programme of the World Council of Churches.
For more information on the programme, reports from the accompaniers, and 
photos, see:
http://wcc-coe.org/wcc/what/international/palestine/eap.html

Royal Orr is a senior consultant with Columbia Communications in Canada and 
president of the video production company N.E.X.T. Productions. He is also 
the host of The United Church of Canada's national religious affairs 
programme, Spirit Connection. He was in Jerusalem in August 2002 to assist 
the local EAPPI orientation.

For further information, please contact Media Relations Office,   tel: +41 
(0)22 791 64 21

**********

The World Council of Churches (WCC) is a fellowship of churches, now 342, 
in more than 100 countries in all continents from virtually all Christian 
traditions. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member church but works 
cooperatively with the WCC. The highest governing body is the assembly, 
which meets approximately every seven years. The WCC was formally 
inaugurated in 1948 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Its staff is headed by 
general secretary Konrad Raiser from the Evangelical Church in Germany.

World Council of Churches
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