Title: Church Leaders Head to Middle East to Bolster Peace Efforts
ELCA NEWS SERVICE
December 1, 2000
CHURCH LEADERS HEAD TO MIDDLE EAST TO BOLSTER PEACE EFFORTS
00-295-JS*
NEW YORK -- A high-level delegation of American church leaders
is headed for the Middle East Dec. 7-12 to express solidarity with
Christian churches there and to lend their voices to a growing chorus
calling for renewed efforts to find a peaceful solution to the crisis
in the area.
Representing the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA)
in the delegation are the Rev. Herbert W. Chilstrom, Green Valley,
Ariz., former ELCA presiding bishop, and the Rev. Margaret G. Payne,
bishop of the ELCA New England Synod, Worcester, Mass.
The delegation hopes to meet with Israeli and Palestinian
political and religious leaders to discuss the escalation of violence
and collapse of the peace process, as well as difficult issues such
as the future status of Jerusalem, Israeli settlements in Gaza and
the West Bank, refugees and the protection of human rights.
"It is crucial that we sit down with those who are victims of
the violence, as well as those who are working to restore the peace
process," said the Rev. Mark B. Brown, assistant director, Lutheran
Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA), Washington, D.C., who was
instrumental in arranging the visit. LOGA is the ELCA's federal
public policy office in the nation's capital.
Despite the heightened tensions in the area, Brown said the
delegation also hopes to visit institutions in Jerusalem, Gaza,
Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour and Ramallah.
"We need to understand the breakdown in peace negotiations
better and discuss ways in which churches in the U.S., Palestine and
Israel can work together to strengthen the Christian communities and
to promote a just and lasting peace between Israelis and
Palestinians," he said.
The delegation includes participants from the National Council
of Churches, the United Church of Christ and the Armenian Apostolic,
Roman Catholic, Episcopal, Greek Orthodox, Lutheran, Mennonite,
Presbyterian, Quaker and United Methodist churches.
The visit comes at the same time many of the churches are
involved in a Prayer Vigil for Middle East Peace. The vigil begins on
the first Sunday in Advent, Dec. 3, and will continue until the
violence ends and a peace agreement emerges.
Based on an ELCA initiative and organized by the ecumenical
working group Churches for Middle East Peace, the vigil holds in
prayer all those who are suffering in the Holy Land, including
Palestinians and Israelis.
Participants in the delegation include:
+ Bishop Viken Aykazian of the Armenian Apostolic Church
+ The Very Rev. Brother Stephen Glodek of the Catholic
Conference of Major Superiors of Men's Institutes
+ The Rev. John McCullough of Church World Service and Witness
of the National Council of Churches
+ Bishop Vincent Warner of the Episcopal Church's Diocese of
Olympia
+ Patti Browning, wife of the former presiding bishop of the
Episcopal Church
+ Bishop Dimitrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
+ Donella Clemens of the Mennonite Central Committee
+ Inez Allan of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
+ Mary Ellen McNish of the American Friends Service Committee
+ The Rev. Bernice Powell Jackson of the United Church of
Christ
+ Bishop William Oden of the United Methodist Church
For details of the Prayer Vigil for Middle East Peace, go to
www.loga.org/PrayerVigilHome.htm on LOGA's Web site.
To receive daily press reports and photos of the visit, send
your e-mail address to [log in to unmask] at Churches for Middle East
Peace. During the trip the delegation's press officer, *James
Solheim, director for news, The Episcopal Church, can be reached at
[log in to unmask]
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or [log in to unmask]
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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