CHICAGO (ELCA) -- A video conference addressing issues related to peace in the Middle East is scheduled for Feb. 19. The conference, produced by the Episcopal Church's Office of Communication, was originally scheduled last fall but postponed after the September 11 terrorist attacks until this month.
Leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will participate in the video conference. The ELCA and Episcopal Church share a relationship of full communion in which the churches engage in cooperative ministries and, under certain circumstances, share clergy.
Origination sites for the video conference are Episcopal congregations in New York and Pasadena, Calif. A number of downlink sites have been established at Episcopal congregations throughout the United States. The conference will begin at 11 a.m. Eastern Time and is expected to conclude at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
The conference theme is "Waging Reconciliation in the Holy Land: Salaam, Shalom, Peace."
The conference will open with greetings by the Most Rev. Frank T. Griswold, presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. He will speak on "Waging Reconciliation," drawing on themes developed at last fall's meeting of the Episcopal House of Bishops.
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, will participate. In video taped remarks he will focus on an ecumenical prayer vigil for Middle East peace and the importance of supporting Christian communities and institutions in that region.
An interfaith panel, addressing the search for peace, will be moderated by the Rev. Edwin Bacon, rector, All Saints Episcopal Church, Pasadena. The panel will be introduced by Bishop Christopher Epting, deputy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, Episcopal Church. Members of the panel and Griswold will participate in a question-and- answer period.
A portion of the conference will feature video presentations on peace in the Middle East by a variety of Christian, Jewish and Muslim speakers. Among the speakers is the Rev. Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan (and Palestine).
A presentation on advocacy will feature the role of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), an ecumenical coalition based in Washington, D.C., and the public policy offices of the Episcopal Church and the ELCA, both based in Washington. The ELCA's federal public policy office there is the Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA). CMEP director Corinne Whitlatch and the Rev. Mark B. Brown, LOGA's assistant director for international public policy advocacy ministry, will be special guests, as well as the Rev. Naim Ateek, director of Sabeel, a Palestinian peace and liberation institute on the West Bank. -- -- --
To view the video conference, satellite coordinates are Telstar 6 (Ku-Band), transponder K16. For further information about the video conference, call 800-334-7626, ext. 6050 or go to www.episcopalchurch.org/peace-justice/ on the Episcopal Church Web site.
* James Solheim is director of the Episcopal News Service.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
