elcjhl e-pistle Page 1 News from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land Salaam and grace to you from Jerusalem, City of Peace March-April 2009 Living Witness – Creative Diakonia ELCJHL prepares for anniversary commemorations “Living Witness – Creative Diakonia” is the theme for the Inside: • Waste into fertilizer upcoming ELCJHL an- at the EEC niversary celebration. • Students explore As well as its own 50th vocation anniversary, the synod • U.S. rabbis visit will observe the 30th an- ELCJHL niversary of the Arabic • ECLJHL delegation bishopric and 170 years in Sweden of evangelical mission • Women’s desk staff in Palestine. added Festivities kick off May 16 at the campus of the Lutheran school and church in Beit Sahour. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be a variety of activities. ELCJHL school children will present dabka dancing, singing and drama per- Calendar: formances. Items made The ELCJHL Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Beit Jala celebrated • March 10: Purim at the schools, such as its 125th anniversary last October. The congregation is pictured here in 1883, the year it was formed. • April 8-16 Seder candles and ceramics, • April 12: Easter will be for sale. A book fair will feature books by annual meeting of its international partners, the (Western) church pastors and laypeople. There will be chil- Coordination Committee for Cooperation, better • April 18: Organ dren’s games and snacks available. known as COCOP, who will also be in attendance. recital, Redeemer The celebration moves to the International Cen- A small reception and an exhibition will follow. • April 19: Easter ter of Bethlehem at 4 p.m., where there will be • a special commemorative edition of Kanisatuk, (Orthodox) interviews about the church’s past, present and vi- the ELCJHL’s quarterly Arabic magazine. The is- • May 8 & 9: Reem sion for the future. sue will include articles about the church’s theol- Banna concerts Among other plans for commemorating the an- ogy and witness, its ecumenical and interreligious • May 10-15: COCOP niversary are: work, its social • May 16-17: ELCJHL • a special Anniversary schedule of events work and mission 50th anniversary worship service Saturday, May 16: and biographies • May 30: Choir con- the afternoon of 2-4 p.m. Lutheran Church and School of Beit Sahour of past personnel. cert, Redeemer May 17 at the Festival featuring entertainment, food, book fair and games Pastors and lay Lutheran Church people alike are 4 p.m. International Center of Bethlehem of the Redeemer writing the ar- Interviews on the ELCJHL’s past, present and future in Jerusalem. ticles, which will be in Arabic. It is ELCJHL Bishop Sunday, May 17: Munib Younan 3 p.m. Lutheran Church of the Redeemer, Jerusalem hoped that it will will preach in Worship service, Bishop Munib Younan preacher be translated into Arabic, with an other languages After Reception and ELCJHL history exhibit English transla- at a later time. service tion provided on • an exhibition paper. The ser- on the church’s vice is open to everyone. Invitations are also be- history, which will include items such as photos, ing extended to the heads of all Christian churches books and magazines. The plan is to open the ex- in Jerusalem. ELCJHL staff will seek permits for hibition at the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer church members outside Jerusalem who wish to at- on May 17. Inger Jonasson, ICB art coordinator, is tend. The celebration coincides with the church’s heading up the project. X Page 2 Students make fertilizer from food waste at EEC by Kendra Kintzi fertilizer. set up the compost bins ate a complete waste The Environmental Mr. Odeh, a represen- and gained the neces- management system. Education Center im- tative from the Palestin- sary tools to teach other The fertilizer produced plemented a unique new ian Ministry of Agricul- students as well as their from the compost will composting program ture, worked with the families and friends be used to fortify school with multiple schools EEC to deliver a three- about composting. gardens and green ar- ELCJHL students are throughout the Beth- part series to students The EEC conducted eas, which the students turning food waste, pa- lehem area to enable covering the theoretical the project with envi- can then enjoy. per and other natural these schools to more and practical aspects of ronmental club students The simple process of material into fertilizer effi ciently manage the creating compost. from the schools of the creating organic fertil- with the help of the wastes they produce Through lectures the ELCJHL, numerous izer from useless scraps EEC. and to demonstrate a students learned about other private schools, has been around for sustainable, educational the importance of com- UNRWA (refugee centuries, and may just model of reuse and con- post, how it can help camp) schools and local be one of the most im- servation. reduce waste and create government schools. portant ways to move Using these new com- better agriculture, and Many of these clubs forward into a sustain- post facilities, students how they can play a key already have paper-re- able future. Requiring will be able to turn food role in improving their cycling and glass-reuse very little space and la- waste, used paper and school environments. centers in place, so the bor, compost provides other natural material In hands-on demonstra- addition of compost- an excellent way to turn into valuable organic tions, students helped ing facilities will cre- yesterday’s lunch into an enjoyable garden. As with all of the edu- cational programs of the STUDENTS FROM Dar EEC, this new project al-Kalima School in is designed to empower Bethlehem presented their third concert of Palestinian youth to en- the season on Jan. gage with their environ- 29, 2009. Students ment and model strate- from third grade and gies that can be widely up sang songs and adopted in the greater played a variety of in- community. struments at the con- Kendra Kintzi is a cert, which was held volunteer at the EEC at the International through the ELCA’s Center of Bethlehem. “Young Adults in Global Mission” program. She is a member of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Santa Maria, Calif. Awad represents ELCJHL at Interfaith Climate Summit in Sweden Many of the world’s religions gathered to discuss ers of our home, planet Earth.” the world’s climate at a conference in Sweden last The conference included pioneering seminars on November. Among participants was Simon Awad, ecumenical approaches to the environment, the lat- executive director of the Environmental Educa- est scientifi c discoveries, the effects of climate on tion Center of Beit Jala. Around 1,000 delegates different peoples around the world and much more. attended the Interfaith Climate Summit in Uppsala, The message of the conference was one of creative Sweden, held Nov. 28-29, 2008. response, resilience and cooperation, underscoring At the invitation of the Archbishop of Sweden a vital belief that “The world religions are a source elcjhl e-pistle Anders Wejryd, the conference gathered individu- of empowerment for change in lifestyles and pat- is a publication of the als from faith-based organizations around the world terns of consumption. Religious faith remains Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the to build new ways to integrate environmental con- a powerful force for good among a considerable Holy Land. cerns into religious discussions, and to address the number of the human family.” PO Box 14076 pressing need for action on climate change through Awad attended the ground-breaking conference Muristan Road the vibrant diversity of the world’s religions. Faith at the request of ELCJHL Bishop Munib Younan Jersalem 91140 Israel leaders came together to sign the Interfaith Climate as a demonstration of the church’s commitment to Your comments, critiques Manifesto, declaring that “From religious tradi- environmental education and interfaith dialogue in and questions are welcome tions with different approaches to religious life, we working toward globally sustainable solutions to at: [email protected]. come together at this time in human history to as- environmental issues. X sure the world of what we have in common. We all The manifesto signed by 30 religious leaders is share the responsibility of being conscious caretak- available in English at http://tiny.cc/DvTgP Dar al Kalima hosts tennis tournament, parents day Page 3 ELCJHL students ma’s fi rst through 11th check on the academic party for students in recently gathered for grade students were progress and conduct of grades 7-12. The young a little friendly com- invited to the school. their children. people had a good time petition. A table tennis “Parents Day” gives On Feb. 14, Dar al Ka- dancing, singing and tournament was held at them the opportunity to lima’s student council spending time together Dar al Kalima School meet with teachers to threw a Valentine’s Day in the school hall. X in Bethlehem on March 13. Afterwards, direc- tor of education Dr. Charlie Haddad, Dar Al GOOD SPORTS – Stu- Kalima principal Naila dents, teachers and Kharroub and Christ- others gathered for a photo after a table ten- mas Lutheran Church nis tournament at Dar pastor Dr. Rev. Mitri al-Kalima Lutheran Raheb handed out tro- School in Bethlehem. phies – shields, cups and medals – to tour- nament winners. They thanked the students for their participation and urged them to keep up their sportsmanship. The following day, parents of Dar al Kali- Students explore vocation; future leadership to be trained by Sylvia Countess who participated evalu- The program, to be versity, will offer class- The tenth graders in ated the fi rst year’s ac- implemented by an es to students in Grades the Lutheran schools tivities and made sug- American educational 6-9 and two workshops are concluding this gestions for improve- agency, “Infi nite Ex- for teachers based on a month a long-term re- ments for next year.