From the Diocese of Jerusalem
On Tuesday, 04 Sept, Bishop Suheil greeted members of the Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church.
The delegation brought greetings on behalf of their faith community and expressed a deep desire to build meaningful ecumenical partnerships. Bishop Suheil encouraged their partnership with Christians in the Land of the Holy One and provided an overview of the current status of Christians in the Middle East, especially the Holy Land.
Bishop Suheil affirmed the importance of a continuing indigenous Christian presence in the Holy Land, a presence which has been here since the first Pentecost. His Grace provided information about the Diocese of Jerusalem, its education, healthcare and rehabilitation institutions as well as current projects underway, such as the Diabetic Clinic in Ramallah and the Elderly Home and Center in Bier Zeit.
The Revd Jorge Domingues, Deputy General Secretary of Global Ministries, New York City, spoke about how important it is for Christians who visit the Holy Land to connect with local Christian churches. Methodist Liaison in Palestine and Israel, Ms. Janet Lahr Lewis, added that it is the official policy of the Methodist Church that when church members are visiting the Holy Land, they make every effort to meet local Christians, the “Living Stones.” The Revd Kristen Brown, missionary with Global Ministries of the Methodist Church, expressed enthusiasm and excitement in her role to help develop ecumenical partnerships.
Bishop Suheil was pleased to meet with the delegation and to extend his encouragement and support of Christians working together in the Land of the Holy One.