Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

Christians around the world can deepen their understandings of Jesus' birth – and the current context of Bethlehem and the Middle East – by making direct connections with Holy Land communities in Advent, Christmastide and year-round. Two quick online clicks – to web sites of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East and the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem – can begin the process of enriching a congregation's observance of the Advent and Christmas seasons, and Lent and Easter, too. 

Sunday worship bulletin inserts are offered by the Jerusalem diocese to stimulate conversations and Sunday school lessons. The Episcopal dioceses of Washington and Los Angeles -- both of which enjoy companion-diocese ties with Jerusalem -- have posted links to these inserts as a means of promoting awareness within U.S. congregations. The Washington editions are here and the Los Angeles editions are here.

The inserts are easily downloaded and folded into leaflets – even on short notice this year. Or, as part of proactive planning, they can be flagged for use next Advent. The Lent and Easter series will be posted early next year.

Meanwhile, the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem has posted helpful ideas and links underscoring the Holy Land connections in the life of St. Nicholas of Myra. Timed for the feast of St. Nicholas, Dec. 6, the materials seek to represent the experience of real-life children and families in the Holy Land at the present time. Bulletin inserts, along with a pageant, hymns, a giving tree and calendar, prayers, mite boxes, intergenerational activities and much more are available for free or low cost here. Most can be downloaded and printed immediately.

"By connecting the spirit of the real St. Nicholas to needy children in the Holy Land today, we can celebrate the holiday season with both fun and generosity," notes Anne K. Lynn, American Friends executive director.

Some congregations are tapping into technology such as webcasts and Skype to make live connections with parishes in the Holy Land. Worshippers in Bethlehem's Christmas Lutheran Church and the Washington National Cathedral will do just this on Dec. 18 for a remarkable joint service to be simulcast on two continents with Episcopal and Lutheran presiding bishops officiating. Service information is here.

Likewise, Episcopal-Anglican pilgrimage opportunities abound for visiting the Holy Land, where St. George's College and Guest House in Jerusalem offers unparalleled opportunities for education and hospitality under the leadership of Bishop Suheil Dawani. A few offerings are posted here.

The journey to understanding also can be sparked by reading programs, such as the "One Diocese, One Book" project to be launched December 3 by the Diocese of Los Angeles, where the Bishop's Commission on the Middle East is sponsoring wide readership of journalist Sandy Tolan's book The Lemon Tree, a factually reported account of the common experiences of two families, one Israeli and one Palestinian.

To exchange further ideas or comments on how Episcopalians and congregations can further assist the ministries of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, e-mail middleeast@ladiocese.org or lchumbley@edow.org.