wfn.org | ELCA Bishops Prepare for Uncertainty in Israel, Advance Group in Jordan

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: ELCA Bishops Prepare for Uncertainty in Israel, Advance Group in Jordan
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>January 5, 2009  

ELCA Bishops Prepare for Uncertainty in Israel, Advance Group in Jordan
09-003-JB

AMMAN, Jordan (ELCA) -- Despite the continued conflict
in Gaza, bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) are
proceeding with plans to travel Jan. 6 to the Middle East.  A
smaller group of seven ELCA bishops, including the ELCA
presiding bishop and the national bishop of the ELCIC, spouses
and staff arrived here for a series of meetings Jan. 3-5 with
religious, community and political leaders.

The Lutheran leaders are here to provide support for
the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land
(ELCJHL), to learn more about the realities of living in the
Middle East and to advocate for peace.

Leading the bishops are the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA
presiding bishop, other leaders of the ELCA Conference of
Bishops, and the Rev. Susan C. Johnson, ELCIC national bishop.
The Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop, ELCJHL, leads the host church.

Hanson, Younan and six ELCA bishops participated in worship
services Jan. 4 at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, an
ELCJHL congregation here. Hanson and Younan joined the Rev. Samer
Azar, the congregation's pastor, in the Christian rite of
confirmation for six young people.

"Tonight we come as leaders from the United States and
Canada to publicly commit ourselves to pray for peace in the
Middle East," Hanson told the congregation.  He said he fears
people in the United States view the Middle East in its
complexity, which prevents speaking clearly for an end to
violence, for the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, for a
return to negotiations, for a reestablishment of human rights,
and for an opening of borders so that medicine and basic
necessities can get to the people of Gaza.

Hanson said his denomination will advocate for peace with
political leaders and will pray for peace.  He expressed
appreciation for Jordan's King Abdullah II for his efforts to
stop the violence in Gaza, for sending humanitarian relief to
people in Gaza, and for the king's respect for deeper
relationships between Muslims and Christians.

While in Jordan, the ELCA bishops, spouses and staff toured
the ruins and excavation at Petra.

The North American bishops are here as part of their 2009
Academy, an annual time for theological reflection and study.
Though planned for months, the visit is especially timely given
the current conflict in Gaza between Hamas and Israel.  Israel's
decision to send ground forces into Gaza has heightened concerns
throughout the region.

Throughout the weekend, ELCA bishops and staff monitored the
situation in Israel and Gaza. They met by conference call to
discuss concerns with bishops and staff in the United States.
Options included reducing the size of the bishops' delegation
because of security concerns. Leaders determined that the visit
should proceed as planned, with as many bishops from both
churches participating as possible.

Following their itinerary here, the bishops plan to travel
Jan. 6 to Jerusalem. They will be joined by about 29 more bishops
from the ELCA and four more bishops of the ELCIC. That group will
meet with religious, community and political leaders in Israel
and the West Bank through Jan. 13.

>----

Information about the 2009 Bishops' Academy is at
http://blogs.ELCA.org/09cobacademy/ on the ELCA Web site.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog