Archbishop of Canterbury launches appeal for Christians in the Holy Land

[George Conklin <gconklin@igc.org>]

Archbishop of Canterbury launches appeal for Christians in the Holy Land

Posted On : July 12, 2011 1:12 PM | Posted By : Webmaster
ACNS: ACNS4904
Related Categories: England  Lambeth

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams,
today launched an Appeal at General Synod's July
2011 Group of Sessions, for funds to help sustain
Christian communities in the Holy Land.

?I returned from a visit to the Holy Land last
year with a very, very strong sense that we had
to do more to express our solidarity with the
Christian communities there...We know our
brothers and sisters there are suffering; and we
don?t always ask ourselves often enough what our response needs to be.?

He hoped that Anglicans and others would give
generously to help build a fund from which
community projects could be supported ­ projects
which would contribute to the sustainability of
the most vulnerable Christian communities, especially on the West Bank.

?I want to appeal today to you, for your support
in creating in the near future, a fund with which
we might assist projects of community development
and work creation, especially among Palestinian Christians.?

The Archbishop?s appeal comes ahead of a

conference on Christians in the Holy land which
he and the Archbishop of Westminster Vincent
Nichols are jointly hosting at Lambeth Palace on
18/19 July. They explained the purpose behind
holding the conference in a short video which was
screened as part of the Archbishop?s appeal to Synod.

To view the video click here:

http://bit.ly/ndFcC2 and to view a transcript click here: http://bit.ly/oo7 wyc

?The rate of emigration from Christian

populations in the Holy Land has been growing
steadily for a long time? said the Archbishop of
Canterbury in the video. ?People are leaving,
Christians are leaving, and we want to say that
the Christian presence in the Holy Land is
important to its balance?not just its historical
reality, but to its present and future viability?
added Archbishop Vincent Nichols.

?I want to say to Christians in the Holy Land
that we treasure enormously their presence and
witness. A witness which has gone on throughout
Christian history?often in conditions of great
trial and stress?Christians in the West?need to
be aware that the Christians of the Holy Land are
an intrinsic part of our Christian family? (Archbishop Williams).

Dr Williams commended to Synod the work of the
Friends of the Holy Land:?A small but growing
ecumenical charity?made up of parish-based
groups?dedicated to praying with and for
Christians in the Holy Land, and supporting them
in practical and personal ways.? He hoped that
more Anglicans would consider joining the Friends
of the Holy Land, which had agreed to collect and
hold in trust all funds donated in response to
the Archbishop's Appeal. The Archbishop hoped
that in the coming year a substantial fund would
be established from which regular income could be
derived for channeling into simple but effective
projects with partners in the Holy Land.

The Archbishop was delighted that Anglicans and
Roman Catholics, with the personal support of
Pope Benedict - with whom the Archbishop had
discussed the situation of the Christians in the
Holy Land during his visit to Britain last
September - were committed to collaborating
closely to focus attention on the plight of
Christians in the Holy Land and to find practical ways to make a difference.

?I hope that in the weeks ahead, fellow Anglicans
will give generously to support this vision and
consider ways of becoming better informed and
more involved with the issues ­ not as part of
any kind of political campaign but as part of
what we owe to our brothers and sisters in
Christ?s Body, in supporting the continuance of
the vital presence of Christian communities in
the land where our Lord preached, lived and died the Gospel.?

> ENDS

> Notes to editors:

Projects currently being supported by Friends of
the Holy Land include hiring local craftsmen to
renovate the dilapidated homes of vulnerable
people, and establishing and running a day care
centre for elderly widows in Bethlehem. Future
projects will include supporting new small
businesses to provide employment opportunities in
areas such as olive wood carvings, and the production of soap and wax candl es.

For more details and to donate, please see the
Friends of the Holy Land website: http://www.friendsoftheholyland.org.uk/

The video of the Archbishop of Canterbury and the
Archbishop of Westminster speaking of their hopes
for the Conference can be viewed here:
http://bit.ly/ndFcC2 and the transcript can be
viewed here: http://bit.ly/oo7wyc

The complete text of the Archbishop?s appeal to
Synod can be found here: http://bit.ly/qnanVo