What are these Marks of Mission?

In the latest post on the General Synod web forum, retired Director of Partnerships Dr. Ellie Johnson introduces the Marks of Mission, five powerful statements that describe what the Anglican Church of Canada is called to do in the world. These marks will feature prominently at the next national meeting, General Synod, to be held June 3 to 11 in Halifax, N.S.

Curious about specifics? You are invited to visit the web forum, where you can also post comments and join the conversation.

Over 300 delegates will gather in June for General Synod, which is held once every three years. The "Setting Sail: Conversations before General Synod" web forum is a place to discuss the major topics that will arise at General Synod--from governance to sexuality. New articles will be posted every one to two weeks leading up to General Synod.

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Anglican Church of Canada, ACC-News: News From General Synod, March 17, 2010

Alban Weekly,  Issue: 294,  March 15 , 2010

The Interim Period

By John Vonhof

To read:

http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=8974

For more information and/or a free subscription to Alban Weekly, published by the Alban Institute, visit the website:

http://www.alban.org

Episcopal young adults at UNCSW look to create a new Beijing

By Karen Longenecker

[Episcopal News Service] In 1995 women from all over the world traveled to Beijing for the United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women. Their dedication and labor resulted in the adoption of what is now known as the Beijing Platform for Action, a social justice platform for work towards a more equitable world for women and girls.

In 1995, I think I was learning how to dance the Macarena and trying to catch the eye of just about any boy that would look my way. I was, after all, in the seventh grade.

In 2000 the UN had its five-year review of the Beijing Platform to assess progress, evaluate country reports, identify new problems and create solutions for women across the globe still facing poverty, discrimination and unequal access to resources.

In 2000 I was just beginning to freak out about where I was going to go to college. In 2005 as the UN had its ten-year review of the Beijing Platform, I was about to graduate from college and had no idea what I was going to do with my life.

This year was the 15-year review of the Beijing Platform and as part of the Episcopal young adult delegation to the UN's annual meeting of its Commission on the Status of Women, I was there.

A UNCSW delegates said that one of the greatest things about being a young adult is that we are both learning and feeling the world -- feeling passionate about our place and work in the world, and still learning at the same time. The learning began in 2009 with the Episcopal Church's first young adult delegation to the UNCSW. We learned how to advocate towards a more sustainable platform for care giving in the context of HIV and AIDS. Most importantly, we began to see the relationship between the church, the UN, social justice and our own faith.

This year, the Office of Young Adult Ministries sponsored a group of ten delegates to attend the 54th UNCSW meeting, which included the 15 year review of the Beijing Platform. The platform encompasses every issue that women still face in the world and can feel overwhelming, but hearing about it on a personal level is an experience nearly impossible to capture in words.

Imagine listening to a woman from Malawi who works for better access to reproductive health care, or a woman from Palestine who lives in a conflict zone and is a target for violence. Imagine a woman in Mexico who makes one-third the salary of her male counterpart and who lives in a country where women are murdered or trafficked in massive numbers every day. Or imagine a woman in the U.S. who is constantly bombarded with negative sexual images of her body, its purpose and value in her culture and who is supposed to be sexually liberated and certainly not a feminist. These women, and so many more, and their male allies and supporters make up the global face of the reason for the Beijing Platform.

The Young Adult Delegation attended the UNCSW for the first week of the March 1-12 meeting. Each of the nine women and three men chose an area or a couple of areas of the platform that we were passionate about and identified events those interests. We networked with other organizations, formed partnerships and expanded on the work being done at the UN. Our interests varied from women in conflict zones, woman and health, the rights of the girl child, violence against women, women in leadership, human rights of women, and women and education.

Together with young adult delegations from the World Council of Churches, the World Student Christian Foundation and the National Council of Churches, a group of nearly 40 people participated in an event titled A Rapper, A Rabbi and a Radio Host to discuss access to meaning-making and the institutions and authorities that are given power to assign meaning in a society. One of the three panelists was Garrett Braaf, aka G-Quinn, who is a Christian rapper and an Episcopal Church young adult delegate.

We also formed intergenerational partnerships with other delegates from the Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion. In order to continue the work of the Beijing Platform, it is necessary to partner with and learn from those who have gone before us, the women who were in Beijing and have been working ever since. If we are to continue with this work, we must learn from those before us in order to educate those after us.
 
The delegation left the UNCSW with the hope of bringing the work being done across the world and presented at the United Nations to their local communities. For some of the delegates, this means beginning what is known as a Beijing Circle, a sacred space where women listen to each other's stories and move towards action in their home communities.

For other delegates this means empowering young girls to understand their bodies and have a positive body image. Other delegates choose the sometimes-unrewarding work of spreading awareness that there are still women's issues in the world and certainly still in the church.

For all of the delegates, we came home inspired to have experienced the relationship between our church, global politics, social justice and our faith. Through this relationship and through our relationships with each other, change is transformative and equity in the world not just a hope, it is the agenda.

Karen Longenecker was a member and co-convenor of UNCSW Episcopal young adult delegation to the 2010 UNCSW. Jason Sierra, the Episcopal Church's officer for young adult and campus ministries, was the other convener. _____________________________________________________________________________

Episcopal News Service, March 12, 2010

Episcopal News Service provides information and resources which we
consider to be of interest to our readers.

However, statements and opinions expressed in the articles and
communications herein, are those of the author(s) and not necessarily
those of Episcopal News Service or the Episcopal Church.

Common Ground: Islam, Christianity and Religious Pluralism

By Paul L. Heck

Georgetown U. Press (2009)
$24.95 US. Paper.240 pp.

ISBN #978-1-58901-507-4

Review By Wayne A. Holst

My Thoughts:

Thirty years ago - I was making door-to-door contacts
with people in my North West Calgary community as a new
congregational developer - I became aware of the growing
number of Muslims living in my suburban neighbourhood.

They came from many parts of Asia and Africa, and were
drawn to the educational and occupational opportunities
they found here in Calgary.

Over time, I became aware of similar changes in the
population configuration of many Canadian cities. Town
and country/rural parts of the country have not been
similarly affected.

I invited the imam of the local Sunni mosque to speak
to my congregation because I wanted to "humanize" the
development I saw taking place. Interestingly, the
inter-national magazine of my denomination picked up
the story. Apparently, a new trend was detected.

Three decades later the trends have only continued to
demonstrate that my country and city is going through
a major transformation of its citizenry. The majority
of students at the university where I teach are no
longer of white racial background (this includes Asians
and Latinos.) What we once called "visible minority"
folk are truly becoming "the visible majority."

I find the book "Common Ground: Islam, Christianity
and Religious Pluralism" by Paul Heck most helpful to
me because it acknowledges the cultural pluralism I
have been describing - not just in other parts of the
world, but right here at home.

Heck approaches the challenge as an evolution in human
relations. He assumes, for example, that Muslims are
growingly comfortable living in Western nations and
are open to the secular, democratic institutions that
have emerged in our socities. Christians would do well
to see these Muslims among us as allies, and not
adversaries, in terms of religious committments.

The author of this book wants his readers to view
the two faith traditions standing on a certain
"common ground" regarding theology, ethics and
politics. We need to work together, recognizing our
differences, but determined to build societies
together that reflect the values we share.
This is a perspective that applies globally as well
as locally. We can demonstrate - generally and
specifically - that religious committment can be a
unifying, peaceable phenomenon and not a divisive,
confrontational reality.

We can recognize there will always be religious
differences, but our commonalities can prove to be
more significant.

Together, we can build new societies - globally and
close to home - as we grow more aware and respectful
of the various faith traditions which which we share
our lives.

If you are interested in building bridges with people
of other faith traditions - as I have for thirty
years here in Calgary - this book could provide some
excitingly new perspectives.




Buy the book: http://tinyurl.com/ylop4dr

Dr. Wayne Holst teaches religion and culture at the University of Calgary and co-ordinates adult spiritual development at St. David’s United Church in that city.

____________________________________________________________________________

Colleagues List, Vol. V. No. 29, March 12 , 2010

Anglican Communion Theological Education group (TEAC 2) commits to the
work of 'building up' the Church through theological education

Meeting in Canterbury at the beginning of Lent 2010, the first meeting
of the Steering Group of TEAC2, established by ACC 14 in Jamaica in May
2009, has been nourished and undergirded by the Scripture-soaked worship
of this Cathedral in which we have been privileged to share.

As we sought to express our vision for the fostering and celebration of
theological education in the Anglican Communion, a wealth of scriptural
wisdom formed and shaped our reflections. Lent is a time of discipline
and catechesis, of preparation to enable the baptised to share more
fully in the mysteries of the death and resurrection of Christ. We want
to share our perception that the path of theological education
appropriately reflects the Lenten journey in the life of the Church.
This path may begin inviting us out to the wilderness where 'silence
reigns' enabling us to listen more acutely to the voice of God; yet in
the wilderness we are also invited to pitch a 'tent of meeting', of
encounter with God and with others.

In the wilderness also God gives the gift of water and this visible
symbol of his presence (Exodus 17.7) is a reminder that God meets
physical and material, spiritual and intellectual needs of his people.
Theological education needs to take account of all these aspects.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Gospel story of the encounter
between Jesus and the woman at the well of Samaria (John 4.5-42) where
the need for, and gift of, water, vital for human existence, provides
the starting point for probably the most extended theological discussion
which Jesus has with any individual in the Gospels. We noted that this
text appears in the Revised Common Lectionary as a reading for the
Lenten period (Year A). We have discovered that the well that this story
taps into is indeed deep and offers rich resources to be explored in the
context of theological education.

Earlier work of TEAC produced the 'Signposts statement' which sought to
set out the essentials of the Anglican Way. This was widely shared in
the Anglican Communion, and used as a resource for the reflection on
Anglican identity at the 2008 Lambeth Conference. This statement about
the Anglican Way suggested that as Anglican Christians we are:

* Formed by scripture
* Shaped through worship
* Ordered for Communion
* Directed by God's mission

In our deliberations in Canterbury we have come to realise that this
four-fold 'Signposts' statement not only sets out the structure of the
Anglican Way but can also provide an appropriate framework for
theological education itself. This too needs to be formed by scripture,
shaped through worship, ordered for communion and directed by mission.

Our fruitful discussions have enabled us to draw connections between the
'Signposts', the Gospel narrative of John 4 and the needs of theological
education. We have noted, for example, that the discussion between Jesus
and the woman is embedded in the scriptural heritage which both shared;
that the need for 'true worship' is a significant focus of their
conversation; that it addresses the ordering of healthy relationships,
and the priority of living in God's time; and that the discourse has a
profoundly missionary thrust, ending with the affirmation by the woman's
Samaritan co-religionists that 'we have seen that this is the Saviour of
the world'. (John 4.42)

We have established our goals and priorities for the work of TEAC 2.
These will fall in five areas.

* Facilitation of networking
* Development of resources
* Funding
* Communication
* Advocacy

We have discussed and assigned specific tasks for TEAC that come within
these parameters. Out of this we have begun to develop our programme of
work for the forthcoming year. We intend to hold a consultation for
theological college principals, as well as building further on the work
done at a consultation organised for women theological educators in
2008. We will develop a database of Anglican theological educators, and
revise and update existing lists of Anglican theological education
institutions. We hope to develop an email network of those with
Provincial roles in training for ministry. We will seek to publish four
more booklets in the 'Signposts' series, each of which will offer an
accessible guide to an aspect of the 'Signposts' statement. We will
continue our programme of translating key resources into a variety of
the languages used in the Anglican Communion. We will explore the
viability of developing a web-based course in Anglican Studies. We will
work at issues of communication, developing further the TEAC section on
the Anglican Communion website. In particular we will ensure that the
'ministry grids', already published on this site, become more widely
known. We will continue, in so far as we are able, to work with a
variety of regional bodies and groups, to strengthen Anglican
theological education at the regional as well as Provincial level. We
consider that theological education is vital for the whole people of God
as they seek to give 'an account for the hope' that is in them (1 Peter
3.15).

As we have begun to plan our Steering Group meeting for 2011, we state
our commitment to using it as an opportunity not simply for meeting, but
also to be a time for offering practical support and advocacy for
theological education in an under-resourced part of the Anglican
Communion.

As members of TEAC 2 we are very conscious that we are building on the
foundations laid by the members of the earlier TEAC Working Party and we
want to offer them our gratitude. (A brief resume of some of the work
done by the earlier Working Party is listed at the end of this email.)
TEAC 2 holds similar values to its predecessor in relation to
theological education - that it should be life-long, multi-faceted,
accessible to all, encouraging active learning, attending to context as
well as content, and valuing the vital ministry of theological
educators.

Christ our Teacher,
you alone are the way, the truth and the life:
so lead this Theological Education group in its work,
building trust and understanding,
that, in sharing our stories, vision and resources,
all your people may grow in faith
and your whole Church built up in love,
in the power of the Holy Spirit
and to the glory of the Father.
Amen.
(Colleen O'Reilly, originally written for TEAC1)

Members of TEAC 2 Steering Group

Archbishop Colin Johnson (Toronto, Canada, Chair)
Revd Dr Sathianathan Clarke (India) *
Canon Dr Ed Condry (UK, Canterbury)
Rt Revd Dr Michael Fape (Nigeria and TEAC Regional Associate)
Rt Revd Dr Chad Gandiya (Zimbabwe)
Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley (UK)
Revd Sally Sue Hernandez Garcia (Mexico and TEAC Regional Associate)
Rt Revd Kumara Illangasinghe (Sri Lanka)
Revd Professor Cynthia Briggs Kittredge  (USA)
Rt Revd Dr Stephen Pickard (Australia)
Very Revd Dr Patrick Tanhuanco (Philippines)
Revd Dr Joseph Wandera (Kenya and South Africa)
Ms Sue Parks (representing the staff of the Archbishop of Canterbury)
Mrs Clare Amos (Director of Theological Studies Anglican Communion
Office, and Secretary to TEAC 2)

* Dr Clarke was unable to be present at the 2010 meeting.


Notes:

ACC 14 Resolution 14.08: Theological Education in the Anglican Communion
(Theological Studies)

Resolved, 11.05.09

The Anglican Consultative Council:

* thanks the current members of TEAC for their work and
contribution to the development of theological education in the
Anglican Communion;
* welcomes the new phase of the Working Party;
* endorses the proposed structure and tasks as set out in the
submission received;
* welcomes the establishment of the informal network "Connecting
Anglican Women in Theological Education" and asks those
responsible for the work of TEAC to support and encourage its
further development.

The tasks accomplished by the first TEAC Working Party include the
following:

The production of a series of ministry grids setting out necessary
competencies, skills and qualities for the exercise of various forms of
ministry and Christian discipleship in the churches of the Anglican
Communion. These are available electronically at
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/ministry/theological/teac/grids/index.c
fm

The setting out of a guidelist of books relating to the teaching of
Anglican Studies, which the group believed ought to be in the libraries
of all institutions training people for ordained Anglican ministry. Also
the provision of these books to over 35 colleges/training courses in the
developing world.

The translation of a core textbook for Anglican Studies 'Something in
Common', by Adrian Chatfield (published by St John's College,
Nottingham) into Spanish, Portuguese, Swahili and shortly French. Copies
of the translations have been distributed. Copies will also shortly be
available for purchase via a 'shop' on the Anglican Communion website.
The 'Signposts' statement, 'The Anglican Way: Signposts on a Common
Journey', which seeks to set out the essentials of Anglican identity and
ministry, and which was used as the basis for the session on Anglican
identity by the bishops at the 2008 Lambeth Conference. This is
available in a number of languages. See
http://www.anglicancommunion.org/ministry/theological/signposts/english.
cfm

Establishing a series of booklets, 'the Signposts series', as a teaching
resource linked to the above statement. Copies of booklets already
published will be available via the Anglican Communion 'shop'. Further
booklets in the series will be published over the coming years.

Seeking to support and develop the ministry of theological educators. A
consultation for Anglican women theological educators was held in
February 2009, and there are a number of follow up projects from this
consultation.

Beginning the development of the 'Theological Studies' section of the
Anglican Communion website as a resource for theological education.

___________________________________________________________________

Anglican Communion News Service (ACNS 4690), London, March 11, 2010

Holy Food and Groceries

By Nicole Seiferth

[Episcopal News Service] Every week, the Food Pantry at St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco, California, gives away 11 tons of food from the altar in the middle of the sanctuary, to anyone who shows up, no questions asked.

Journalist Sara Miles, who founded the food pantry in 2000, put it into theological perspective during a conversation at Trinity Wall Street, New York, on March 5. "The Gospel forces us to see that the bread of heaven and macaroni are meant for everyone without exception," she said.

Miles has written two books about her experience with the pantry and at St. Gregory's: "Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion" and "Jesus Freak: Feeding, Healing, and Raising the Dead."

The people who gathered at Trinity understand where she's coming from. Most lead or work with food pantries, street churches, and drop-in shelters in their own communities.

"The food pantry is not a social service program," she said. "It's a Eucharistic community. By eating together in thanksgiving, by making Eucharist together, we will taste God: holy food and groceries."

One of the key elements of that community is its emphasis on volunteers who, according to Miles, "do it all" at the food pantry. "All kinds of inappropriate, unqualified people."

The rules are simple: anyone can participate in giving away the pantry's food. You can be homeless and volunteer. You can be a junkie. But you can't be high and you can't steal food. And when a volunteer is given a new job, he or she is asked to identify two more people whom they will pass that work along to, as well.

Giving away work and authority is no easy task for Miles, a self-described control freak. But she sees it as a key element to an authentic, successful food pantry. Too often, she said, churches work for -- but not with -- the people they are trying to serve.

"If you want your food program to die, do it for them," she said bluntly.

The people listening to Miles know something about the challenges of ministry with and not for people.

"How do you not lose it?" one participant asked.

Miles acknowledged that, like anyone else, she does lose it on occasion.

"It's really hard," she said. "It's not fair how people behave. God is merciful, not just. This work allows you to experience conversion in an ongoing way, which is not always a pleasant process."

Following Miles' presentation and sharing Holy Communion, the workshop participants had an opportunity talk with each other about their ministries -- a rare opportunity for some.

Mary Eaton, who leads the Wooster Fellowship, a non-denominational outdoor church in Wooster, Massachusetts, called Miles' presentation "a reaffirmation."

Steve Ruelke, who runs Ekklesia Newburgh, a street church in Newburgh, New York, said that the workshop was "a reminder we're not there alone. I know Mary's up in Wooster doing same thing, in her style."

Valeria Vasilevski and Phillip Trimble are new to both Trinity and the kind of ministry some of their fellow participants have been doing for years. Practicing Buddhists, they saw a sign calling for volunteers for Trinity's Brown Bag Lunch program last October while attending a Trinity Choir concert. Since then, they have become two of the program's most dedicated volunteers, providing lunch to anyone who's hungry every Tuesday and Thursday in Trinity's churchyard.

"The Brown Bag is very compatible with Buddhism because both place great emphasis on giving rather than receiving," Trimble said.

Vasilevski echoed Miles' point about a ministry's community.

"We've really bonded -- the volunteers and the people who come as our guests," Vasilevski said. "People want lunch, but they're also hungry for something else."

"A spiritual life is a physical life," Miles said. "What are we here to do on Friday and Sunday? We are here to raise the dead."

Nicole Seiferth is assistant editor for website and parish publications at Trinity Church Wall Street.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Episcopal News Service, March 11, 2010

Episcopal News Service provides information and resources which we
consider to be of interest to our readers.

However, statements and opinions expressed in the articles and
communications herein, are those of the author(s) and not necessarily
those of Episcopal News Service or the Episcopal Church.

Interfaith Leaders and G8 - A Call for Action

Anglicans are invited, along with other Christians and people of faith, to host an interfaith dinner or reception or gathering in your community and invite your MP. You can do this any time between now and June 20, 2010. Resources and suggestions for hosting can be found at bit.ly/faithg8. The purpose of these dinners is to talk with your interfaith neighbours and your MP about what message you want to send to Prime Minister and other world leaders in anticipation of the G8 and G20 summits. The G8 and G20 summits will meet this year in Canada from June 25-27, 2010 in Huntsville and Toronto, Ontario.

Interfaith Leaders will meet at the University of Winnipeg, with leadership from the Primate, Archbishop Fred Hiltz. Together they will discuss ways to communicate with world leaders and press them for action on the 2010 Interfaith Summit Statement, A Time for Inspired Leadership and Action, which urges world leaders to inspired leadership and action to address poverty, care for the earth, and invest in peace. View the statement here: bit.ly/interfaithstatement

__________________________________________________________________________

Info! News from General Synod, March 2, 2010

National Gathering on Theological Education Jan. 5-7, 2010

From maintenance to a missional church

This webspace contains preparatory materials for the National Gathering on Theological Education that will take place January 5-7 at the Manoir D’Youville in Chateauguay, Montreal.

The event will gather the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada along with representatives of theological educational institutions affiliated with the Anglican Church of Canada, clergy and lay people involved in Diocesan and Provincial candidacy processes, students and teachers.

Explore the site by using the links to the left.

Documents:

For more information please visit the website:

http://www.anglican.ca/faith/ngte/

March 8, 2010 marks the 99th anniversary of International Women's Day [IWD].

Alban Weekly,  Issue: 293,  March 8 , 2010

Stations of the Search

By John Vonhof

To read:

http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=8964

For more information and/or a free subscription to Alban Weekly, published by the Alban Institute, visit the website:

http://www.alban.org

Alban Weekly,  Issue: 292,  March 1 , 2010

Failure to Thrive

To read:

http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id-8954

For more information and/or a free subscription to Alban Weekly, published by the Alban Institute, visit the website:

http://www.alban.org/conversation.aspx?id=8954

Indian Residential Schools: Another Picture

By Eric Bays

Review By Wendy Fletcher

Book on residential schools 'an exercise in revisionist history'

The author’s counter-point is problematic in that his work and those he attempts to “refute” are not in the same genre.

The earlier volumes are peer-reviewed by recognized historians. They are works tested by the standards of critical historical scholarship. By comparison, Eric Bays' book, published by the author himself, has undergone no peer review process of any kind. As a result, it does not adhere in any way to the standards of accepted historical discourse.

If the results of the work were not so inflammatory, one could, perhaps, more easily overlook the genealogy of the book. However, by insisting on throwing this work into the public arena as a refutation of accepted interpretation, the work must be held accountable to the standards of historical writing.

This book functions as a form of proof-texting; isolated examples of comments and events are strung together at random with the purpose of demonstrating that the schools were not all bad—a point already conceded by earlier authors. However, by placing anecdotal material in a loose arrangement as an alternative historical view, the author is conducting an exercise in revisionist history.

Orthodox Rabbi Irving Greenberg, writing about historical interpretation in light of the horror of the 20^th century, wrote, “No statement, theological or otherwise, should be made that would not be credible in the presence of burning children.” Such a thing might be said as we approach the question of how to tell the story of residential schools. The author notes that rumours of harm are greatly exaggerated, that only about 100,000 children were drawn into the residential school experiment (p.13). How can it be that we think that harm done to even a single child is insufficient to raise alarm about the meaning of the residential school experience, let alone 100,000? Were the lives and well-being of 100,000 of our children dispensable?

The author compares the residential school experience to Robertson Davies’ experience as a student at Upper Canada College, on of Canada's premier educational institutions (p. 79).

Residential school deniers often make the argument that it was just like boarding school. The meticulous work of historians such as Milloy leaves us with no doubt that these schools were not elite establishments of privilege. They were chronically under-funded institutions from which the vast majority of students left (note: left, not graduated) alienated from their own cultures and illiterate in English culture, totally unprepared to face the world which met them. This of course refers to those who survived the experience. It does not take account the many, still not fully documented thousands of students who died in the schools. I wonder, what was the death rate among students at Upper Canada College in a comparable period?

The author’s inclination to re-write the story of the residential school experience is of course understandable. As a church leader, the author presided over a diocese with just such a school. Who among us wants to face the full horror of that in which we as a people have participated?

The dilemma is that the benevolent paternalism which reaches to re-write the story in such an anecdotal fashion (“the staff members I contacted were not racist”, p.135) is reminiscent of the benevolent paternalism which made these schools possible in the first place. An uncritical desire to make things right will not make it so. To insist that we weight the so-called “positive side” of the residential school experience as equal with its horror re-victimizes those already harmed and prevents the enlightenment necessary for true reconciliation.

Wendy Fletcher, PhD, is principal and dean, as well as professor of History of Christianity at Vancouver School of Theology.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Anglican Journal, January 15, 2010 

Archbishop of Canterbury visits the West Bank and Gaza 

[Episcopal News Service/Lambeth Palace] Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams visited the West Bank and Gaza Feb. 22-23 as part of his four-day visit to the Holy Land.

Accompanied by Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem Suheil Dawani and Church of Ireland Bishop Michael Jackson of Clogher, Williams met with representatives of the local Christian community, the Palestinian Authority and local civic authorities, and visited church-run institutions in the health sector.

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad hosted Williams at a reception for the local community in Ramallah on Feb. 22. The reception was also attended by Mayor of Ramallah Janet Khouri and Governor of Ramallah Leila Ghannam.

During a 20-minute discussion, described by a Lambeth Palace press release as "lively and engaged," Williams and Fayyad spoke about the challenges currently facing the Palestinian community in the West Bank, the state of the peace process, and prospects for continued improvements for the economy.

According to the release, Fayyad "spoke warmly of the vibrant and important contribution made by the Christian community and Anglican institutions such as St. Luke's Hospital in Nablus to the whole of the Palestinian community, regardless of faith. He also spoke of his personal concern at the continuing shrinking of numbers of Christians living in the West Bank and of the importance of halting, and ideally reversing, that process. The archbishop spoke of his and the Anglican Communion's pride in the contribution local Christians were making to the service of the whole community in very challenging circumstances."

Williams and Dawani paid a pastoral visit to the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on Feb. 23 while Jackson toured the newly renovated St. Luke's Hospital in Nablus. The hospitals are among more than 35 institutions run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem.

Concerning the visit to Gaza, the Lambeth release said: "The continuing humanitarian crisis was evident with acute, and well-documented, shortages of basic foodstuffs, medicines and building materials. In the face of the very grave situation facing the inhabitants of Gaza the Ahli hospital provides desperately needed health care. Though small in size the hospital provides in-patient care to a maximum of 80 patients with a range of medical and surgical needs, as well as providing in 2009 care or treatment to 42,000 outpatients (nearly double the figure for 2008)."

Williams and Dawani rededicated the hospital's St. Philip's Chapel, which had been damaged during the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and has been newly renovated for use by the hospital staff and community.

Suheila Tarazi, hospital director, explained the vocation of the hospital and its staff to respond to the Christian imperative to serve the poor. "We seek to bring hope to the hopeless and bring good news to the poor," she said. "Ahli is a tangible sign of how Christians can serve their fellow human beings in love." Tarazi paid tribute to the cooperative spirit which exists between the Christian and Muslim communities in responding to the current crisis.

In Nablus, Jackson described the ministry at St. Luke's Hospital as "nothing short of inspirational. Despite tremendous shortages of equipment and medicines St. Luke's serves the whole of the community without exception, to the very best of its capacity and with a dedication which is humbling to witness. I want now to ensure that, alongside my own diocese which already has a relationship with St. Luke's, others in the church know how great the needs are, what can be, and is being done often with very little basic equipment, and respond generously in whatever ways we can."

According to the Lambeth release, Williams recalled the appeal in 2009 to which all three faith communities -- Jewish, Muslim and Christian -- had responded so generously in support, among other humanitarian projects, of the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in the wake of the January 2009 conflict, a three-week military operation during which Israel attempted to target militant Palestinians, allied with Hamas, who were firing rockets into Israel from Gaza. Many innocent Palestinian and Israeli lives were lost during the conflict.

Israel continues to impose a blockade on Gaza that began in June 2007, resulting in an ongoing humanitarian crisis for the 1.5 million residents, 80 percent of whom are unemployed.

The Lambeth Palace release said that Williams, during his visit, "urged a greater awareness of the humanitarian crisis and isolation which had ensued, to ensure that the people of Gaza were not forgotten."

Williams paid tribute to the "constant, caring and skilled work done by the hospital and its staff for people of all backgrounds, regardless of faith. It was a model of service born in, and sustained by love -- a model response to our Christian calling."

He also paid tribute to the contribution of the diocese, out of all proportion to its numerical presence, and pledged the continuing prayers and support of the Anglican Communion as a whole, and his personal support and prayers for all who felt so little hope for the future. His continuing prayer and hope, he said, was for "peace and for justice for all the people of the region."

On Feb. 22, Williams held a series of meetings with the three most senior heads of churches in Jerusalem: Theophilus III, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem and members of the Holy Synod; Torkom II, Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem; and Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

Along with Dawani and Jackson, the archbishop led the Anglican delegation in the fourth meeting of the dialogue with the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

Williams also was received by Israeli President Shimon Peres. In a 40-minute meeting "they discussed the current state of relations between Israel and Palestine, the contribution of Christian communities and their institutions -- especially schools and hospitals -- to national life, the importance of interfaith dialogue, and a range of environmental issues, including water," the release said.

On Feb. 21, Williams and Dawani were received by King Abdullah II of Jordan at the culmination of a two-day visit to the Kingdom.

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Episcopal News Service, February 24, 2010

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