JERUSALEM, 21 November 2011 – In early November the congregational women’s leadership of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) met to discuss the characteristics and duties of effective leadership.

They gathered together with their children for the two-day retreat in Haifa on 7-8 November, spending time together in prayer, discussion, and planning. As the congregational women’s leadership in the ELCJHL is traditionally made up of the wives of the pastors, the women also discussed new ways of sharing and equipping other women for leadership.

The women also enjoyed the opportunity to visit the cities of El-Naqoura and Akka during their retreat.

The women also began preparations for the upcoming ELCJHL Women’s Advent programs. Because of the ongoing situation, it is very difficult for women from all six ELCJHL congregations to meet together, and so one Women’s Advent program is being planned for Palestinian Lutheran women in Bethlehem on December 16th, and a second Women’s Advent program for Jordanian Lutheran women in Amman, Jordan on December 2nd.