The Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF)will convene a daylong national conference concerning the future of Christians and Churches in the Holy Land.

Washington, DC – Saturday, October 2nd, the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF)will convene a daylong national conference concerning the future of Christians and Churches in the Holy Land. Featured speakers include

  • His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem (Catholic Archbishop)
  • Right Reverend Mounib A. Younan, Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan
  • Right Reverend Riah Abu elAssal, Bishop, The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
The conference will be held at Stone Ridge School of the Sacred Heart, 9101 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, Maryland  opposite the National Institutes of Health (NIH) metro stop in Bethesda. The Christian population in the Holy Land has declined from 18% in 1948 to less than 2% today. In Bethlehem, the Christian population has declined from 95% to less than 35%. If this decline continues, early in the next millennium there will be no Christians living in the Holy Land. H. B. Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, under whose auspices the conference is being held, wrote to the HCEF Board of Directors and said “We extend our deepest appreciation for your initiative of establishing the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation. As Christians of the Holy Land, we have the privilege to live in the land where Christ was born, lived and carried out his redemptive mission for all mankind Unfortunately, this privilege and this honor are tempered by many circumstances that are hindering our mission and threatening our presence.” Keynote and religious speakers include:
  • H. M. Queen Noor of Jordan (invited)
  • H. B. Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem
  • The Right Reverend Mounib A. Younan, Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan
  • The Right Reverend Riah Abu elAssal, Bishop, The Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East
  • H.E. Dr. Marwan Muasher, Jordanian Ambassador to the United States (invited)

    Conference Schedule: 8:00  9:00 Registration and coffee

    9:00  9:30 Welcome  Rateb Y. Rabie, President, Holy Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation

     9:30  10:15 History of Christians in the Holy Land  The Right Reverend Mounib A. Younan, Bishop, Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan

    10:15  10:30 Break

    10:30  12:00 Witnesses from Palestine  Philip G. Farah, former English teacher at the Lutheran School, Ramallah, and Birzeit University; George Khoury, Past President, Birzeit Society; Fr. George Makhlouf, Pastor of Virgin Mary Antiochian Orthodox Church, Yonkers, NY; Terry Ahwal, Project Hope Coordinator, American Ramallah Federation of Palestine.

    12:00  1:45 Luncheon Speakers  The Right Reverend Riah Abu elAssal, Bishop, Episcopal Church of Jerusalem and the Middle East; H.E.Dr. Marwan Muasher, Jordanian Ambassador to the United States (invited)

    2:00  3:30 Workshops and Speakers:

      Future of Jerusalem  Fr. Drew Christiansen, U. S. Catholic Conference; Reverend Dr. David Johnson, Sr., Pastor, Evangelical Church of Holy Trinity, Lancaster, PA (former Director in the Holy Land for the Lutheran World Federation in the Middle East); Fr. Majdi Siryani, Legal Advisor, Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem; Housing and Economic Development  Fr. Emil Salayta, Director, Latin Patriarchate Schools and Director of the “Living Stones” housing project; Peter Gubser, President, ANERA Pilgrimage Pentecost 2000  Joseph Donnelly, President, Aid to Churches in Need, USA; Charlotte Rhoads, Past President of PAX World Services Job Creation  Joseph Saba, Country Director (Palestine), World Bank; Robert Mertz, Principal Financial Analyst, World Bank Partnership Opportunities  Marilyn Borst, First Presbyterian Church, Houston; Serge Duss, Director, Public Policy and Government Relations, World Vision Education  Heide Shoup, Executive Director, Jerusalem Fund; Maria Spinoza, Encounter Foundation, Spain
        3:30  4:30 Plenary Session  Fr. Emil Salayta, Director, Latin Patriarchate Schools and Rateb Y. Rabie, President, HCEF Board of Directors (Cofounders of HCEF).

        Banquet at Omni Shoreham Hotel, Washington, DC

        Keynote Speakers

        H. M. Queen Noor of Jordan (invited)

        H.B. Michel Sabbah, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.

        The conference will officially launch the Holy Land Christian Support Network of HCEF; its goal is to educate American Christians about the critical problems facing the Christians of the Holy Land. HCEF hopes that as a result of this conference, churches will use this national network to support the Holy Land Christians.
        The Conference is open to the public. Registration for the Conference ($30)includes an Arabic lunch. A separate ticket ($60) is required for the banquet. For more information and registration packets, please call 3018719222 or write HCEF, P.O. Box 6687, Silver Spring, MD 20906.