First Friday Letter
  • About
  • Past Letters
    • 2018
      • January 2018
      • February 2018
      • March 2018
    • 2017
      • January 2017
      • February 2017
      • March 2017
      • April 2017
      • May 2017
      • June 2017
      • July 2017
      • August 2017
      • September 2017
      • October 2017
      • November 2017
      • December 2017
    • 2016
      • January 2016
      • February 2016
      • March 2016
      • April 2016
      • June 2016
      • 2016 World Methodist Conference
      • October 2016
      • November 2016
      • December 2016
    • 2015
      • January 2015
      • February 2015
      • March 2015
      • April 2015
      • May 2015
      • June 2015
      • July 2015
      • August 2015
      • September 2015
      • October 2015
      • November 2015
      • December 2015
    • 2014
      • January 2014
      • February 2014
      • March 2014
      • April 2014
      • May 2014
      • June 2014
      • July 2014
      • August 2014
      • September 2014
      • October 2014
      • November 2014
      • December 2014
    • 2013
      • January 2013
      • February 2013
      • March 2013
      • April 2013
      • May 2013
      • June 2013
      • July 2013
      • August 2013
      • September 2013
      • October 2013
      • November 2013
      • December 2013
    • 2012
      • July 2012
      • August 2012
      • September 2012
      • October 2012
      • November 2012
      • December 2012
Home» 2012 » November 2012 » Methodist Liaison Office opens in Jerusalem

Methodist Liaison Office opens in Jerusalem

by Melissa Hinnen

With a spirit of ecumenism, the new Methodist Liaison Office opened on October 11 in Jerusalem “to engage the world Methodist family in Christ’s ministry of peace, justice, truth and mercy among all peoples living in this land in partnership with the Palestinian Christian community.”
According to the purpose statement, the office will serve as a Wesleyan-based resource, connect with local initiatives, encourage theological reflection and facilitate visits for pilgrims and volunteers.

The office is a partnership of the World Methodist Council, the Methodist Church of Britain and the United Methodist General Board of Global Ministries (GBGM).
Bishop Ivan Abrahams, who leads the World Methodist Council, was unable to attend the opening, but said in a submitted statement, “The opening of a Methodist Liaison Office in Israel/Palestine is consistent with the work, witness and vision of the World Methodist Council, who on several occasions has passed resolutions on the situation in the Holy Land.”
Local heads of churches, including His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilus III of the Greek Orthodox Church and Evangelical Lutheran Church Bishop of Palestine and Jordan Munib Younan, attended the event along with representatives from partner organizations, Methodist volunteers and United Methodist missionaries.
The program and reception took place at Tantur Ecumenical Institute in Jerusalem, where the new office is located.
Bishop Hope Morgan Ward of the North Carolina Conference and nominated president of the Global Ministries board offered a prayer for the office. “We give thanks for our mingled spiritual gifts and pray that they will work for God’s will in this land for all God’s people,” she prayed. “May this new beginning be a sign of hope, strength and light.”
Michael King, vice president of the Methodist Church in Britain, addressed the gathering stressing the ecumenical nature of the office. “As much as we are committed to being salt and light in this part of the world, the success will depend on all of you gathered in this room who are the people that live and work here,” he said. “We welcome you as our key partners.”

Pursuing peace, justice, dignity

Earlier in the week, the Methodist delegation visited holy sites in Jerusalem and spent time grappling with the complexities of the Israel and Palestine relationship. The Methodist leaders walked through the Bethlehem checkpoint at 5 a.m. with hundreds of Palestinians who were going to work. They visited the struggling Palestinian community in Wadi Fuquin.
Meeting with Palestinian Christians provided a unique lens through which to view the issues while peace and justice advocacy groups provided avenues for response.
Barbara Boigegrain, top staff executive of the United Methodist General Board of Pension & Health Benefits, traveled with the delegation.
The group met with leadership and constituency groups in Israel and Palestine to learn about the impact of the Israeli occupation. At the 2012 General Conference, a resolution on aligning United Methodist investments in Palestine/Israel was amended and called “on the General Board of Pension & Health Benefits to explore serious peacemaking strategies in Israel and Palestine, including positive economic and financial investment in Palestine.”
Boigegrain said she is thankful for the opportunity to have learned firsthand about the issues of justice, dignity and fairness affecting those who live together in this land. “Our visit provided us with a wealth of information to share with our board as we explore ways to fulfill our mission in an informed, responsible and credible way,” she said.

Leaping over walls

GBGM has five missionaries serving in the Holy Land:

  • Janet Lahr Lewis and Kristen Brown are heading the new Methodist Liaison Office.
  • Alex Awad is a Palestinian Christian who along with his wife, Brenda, faithfully serves in Jerusalem and Bethlehem.
  • John Daniel Gore is a young adult missionary working with WI’AM Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center.

In addition to missionaries, three Methodists are serving through the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel.

  • Numerous Methodist volunteer teams spend time in the region each year.

Thomas Kemper, GBGM chief executive, is from Germany. Seeing the wall that is being built to separate Israel and Palestine, he could not help but make a connection to his own experience with the Berlin Wall.

At the Methodist office opening in Jerusalem, Kemper recounted a visit to East Germany in the early 1970s and the stark reality of the wall dividing his people. One of the Scripture passages that gave them particular hope during that time was Psalm 18:29, “By my God I can leap over a wall.”
Expressing gratitude for the churches that are in the Holy Land, Kemper said, “We hope that through our deepened ecumenical cooperation, all of us will be stronger in our pursuit of the things that make for peace.”

Sign up for Emails

Receive the FFL by email
* = required field

powered by MailChimp!

    Translate to:

    Powered by Google Translate.

Archived Editions

  • April 2018 (12)
  • March 2018 (10)
  • February 2018 (14)
  • January 2018 (11)
  • December 2017 (9)
  • November 2017 (9)
  • October 2017 (14)
  • September 2017 (5)
  • August 2017 (27)
  • July 2017 (16)
  • June 2017 (11)
  • May 2017 (15)
  • April 2017 (15)
  • March 2017 (11)
  • February 2017 (6)
  • January 2017 (6)
  • December 2016 (12)
  • November 2016 (12)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • July 2016 (6)
  • June 2016 (4)
  • May 2016 (15)
  • April 2016 (15)
  • March 2016 (12)
  • February 2016 (11)
  • January 2016 (15)
  • December 2015 (15)
  • November 2015 (13)
  • October 2015 (12)
  • September 2015 (13)
  • August 2015 (12)
  • July 2015 (12)
  • June 2015 (12)
  • May 2015 (6)
  • April 2015 (12)
  • March 2015 (9)
  • February 2015 (9)
  • January 2015 (8)
  • December 2014 (11)
  • November 2014 (11)
  • October 2014 (10)
  • September 2014 (9)
  • August 2014 (11)
  • July 2014 (10)
  • June 2014 (11)
  • May 2014 (12)
  • April 2014 (9)
  • March 2014 (9)
  • February 2014 (9)
  • January 2014 (6)
  • December 2013 (7)
  • November 2013 (9)
  • October 2013 (8)
  • September 2013 (6)
  • August 2013 (8)
  • July 2013 (8)
  • June 2013 (8)
  • May 2013 (9)
  • April 2013 (8)
  • March 2013 (10)
  • February 2013 (7)
  • January 2013 (7)
  • December 2012 (8)
  • November 2012 (10)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (9)
  • August 2012 (6)
  • July 2012 (9)

(c) 2015 World Methodist Council