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The Evangelical
Lutheran Christmas Church
The
International Center of Bethlehem
“Continuing
Christ’ ministry of preaching, teaching and healing in His birth place.”
2005 Annual Report
Rev. Dr. Mitri Raheb
“So we do not lose
heart.” This verse from 2 Cor. 4, 16 is the one most appropriate to
describe how we feel these days. Almost everything around us wants to
make us lose heart. Not losing heart in such a context is not something
we do or plan, but it is something we are granted, a grace that we
experience and that enables us to keep focusing on our mission of
proclaiming the Kingdom of God. In the midst of immense challenges, we
see the potential for endless possibilities.
For us in this
ministry in Bethlehem, here are some of the challenges and
possibilities:
1.
Investing in Spirituality
The congregational
life in 2005 was marked for another by a genuine quest for a
spirituality molded by the gospel. This was clear in the regular
attendance of the bible studies, the Passion Week’s services, as well in
the many family & women gatherings organized throughout the year. The
newly elected church members stated clearly that there mission for the
coming five years is to focus holistically on the “living stones”, and
their health in spirit, soul and body. For this reason we hired Niveen
Sarras to work on the Christian Education with a special focus on
Children & Youth. We were glad to receive Mr. Matt Middleton as an
international volunteer to work on the Church music.
Part of this
spirituality is the covenant the congregation members took on themselves
to keep increasing their local giving to the church year after year.
This year again, a new record in giving was achieved. We thank our Lord
for this dedication and commitment that is made evidence in spite of all
the financial constrains and political instability.
2.
Election of a new Congregation Council
On January 15th
2006 the congregation assembled to elect 5 members to entrust as church
elders for a new period of 5 years. We are glad that the new members of
the congregation council are representing a wide diversity in terms of
age, gender, profession & gifts. They are: Ms. Hala Faddoul (Teacher),
Mr. Issa Abu Ghazaleh (Civil engineer), Mr Tony Nassar (Teacher), Mr
Mazen Odeh (Accountant) and Mr Adel Nasser (Retired).
3.
Bethlehem Housing Project
Since over 25
years, Lutherans in the Bethlehem area have been talking about the need
for Housing. This is crucial especially for a church whose most members
are former refugees. With the decision of the Catholic church in
Bethlehem to complete 700 housing units by 2010 of which 300 are already
built and in use; and with the Greek-Orthodox housing project in Beit
Sahour expanding day by day, our members keep asking us of when “our
Housing project” is going to become a reality. And although Bethlehem
cemetery property has been historically under Christmas Lutheran
custody, we said that we are ready to share this property for a housing
project that is open for members all 3 congregations in the Bethlehem
region. Another aspect is clear to us: We do not want to compete for
funds with the Jerusalem Housing Project at A.V. This is why we are not
trying to raise any funds for our project, but to work out a mortgage
system with one of the leading banks in Palestine. Negotiations look
very promising. In March this year we were able to register all of those
members who are in need and seriously interested in this Bethlehem
Housing Project and the result were as follows: In Total 43 families
registered, of which 20 are interested in apartments and 23 in
condominiums. The distribution of the families was as follow: 21
Families from Bethlehem, 14 from Beit Jala & 8 from Beit Sahour. Thanks
to the dedication of Eng. Sani Kasabreh a survey of the site is already
completed and we hope very soon to be able to tender for an
architectural competition. Let’s hope & pray that we w ill not lose
heart this time.
4.
Bethlehem Lutheran Guesthouse “Abu Jubran”
In May 2004 and
after an interruption of 7 years, Bethlehem Lutheran Guesthouse, known
as “Abu Jubran” was reopened for international guests and tourists. The
occupancy rate during 2004 was
31.2 %.
In 2005 this rate rose to 47.3%. The breakeven rate is 35% (without the
interest) and 40% including the interest. With such occupancy we were
able to generate around 15000 USD in net profit (5000 of which were used
to pay the interest) that went into the church general budget. This
income is not reflected in the budget since it was used to pay for some
of the capital expenses. Starting 2006 we have to start paying back the
loan we took from Oikos bank in Denmark. We hope that with the increase
in the number of tourists coming, we will be able to raise slowly the
occupancy rate, pay back the debts and generate some income for the
church.
5.
Dar
al-Kalima Nature Reserve
The construction
of the property walls at Dar Al-Kalima site which started in November
2001 was completed early this year. In 2006-2007 we will be able to work
deliberately on the planting, and furnishing of this very crucial Nature
Reserve that will serve not only the school and college but the entire
region. I would like to express my thanks to FELM for their continuous
support to this very crucial project.
6.
Dar al-Kalima College
In 2002
I briefed you on our plans of the Dar al-Kalima College (at that time
still called Academy) as a formal institution of higher education
Offering degrees in: Arts, Multimedia, Communication, Tourism, as well
as Christian ministry. Last year I shared with you the fact that we had
just entered into a serious negoatiation with Talitha Kumi Community
College to seek ways to develop a strategic partnership between the two
institutions that would give both of us a better sustainability, reduce
the running costs and offer comprehensive, appealing and diverse
programs. The BMW rejected our proposal which led us to seek
accreditationon our own.
On
February 1st, 2006, the Ministry of Education and Higher
Education granted accreditation to the Dar al-Kalima College,
thus authorizing it to submit the programs it intends to teach for
accreditation. The process of program accreditation is almost finished
and it is expected that we would receive such authorization within the
next few weeks in time to open our doors in September 2006. The College
will start offering 5 diploma-track programs, which shall be hosted at
the ICB until funding is available to construct a separate building on
Mount Murair. The Academic and Administrative structures needed for the
running of the College are being put in place.
7.
International Conferences at Ad-Dar
As part of our efforts to make Bethlehem
a major hub for Christian conferences, the International Center of
Bethlehem was able to attract, organize and host several major
international conferences at ad-Dar Cultural & Conference Center. Among
the most important were the LWF Council, the ICB Inter-cultural
Conference on “Land, peoples & Identities”, the UMC Conference on
Israel-Palestine, the AEI “Palestinian Education Conference”, & the
PCUSA “Peacemaking Educational Event”. It’s a pleasure to see how our
Infra Structure, event-management capabilities and staff can provide
such a quality service on a very high international standard. Please
help us in promoting our facilities by encouraging your churches to have
some of its conferences here in Bethlehem.
8.
Luther In Arabic
We continue to
work without ceasing on website we launched in 2004 aiming at
translating all major writings of Martin Luther from German into Arabic,
collecting all existing Arabic writings on him or on the Reformation,
and to make them all available online. The website
www.lutherinarabic.org has already more than
1000 pages and many pictures. We encourage you to visit the website and
to make it known to friends and colleagues. We are getting excellent
feedback on the website. I would like to thank the VELKD for supporting
this crucial project.
9.
A
new Website for the Church
With the expansion
of the use of the Web locally and internationally, our congregation
decided to launch a new website focusing on the congregational
ministries that is accessible not only for our members here, but also to
those members who have already immigrated but want to keep in touch with
their home church.
www.bethlehemchristmaslutheran.org will serve
as an important tool for our friends and partner churches abroad as
well. Please feel free to visit our website.
10.
Bethlehem Besieged
My latest book “Bethlehem besieged:
Stories of hope at times of trouble” received the “Spirituality & Health
Magazine” book award,
for “exceptional
contribution to today's spiritual renaissance”
and was reviewed as one of the 50 best spiritual books published in the
USA in 2004.
11.
Conclusion
When so many projects and endeavors are
undertaken in such a context of utmost despair and uncertainty, then we
do not lose heart. When the impossible is made possible, then only
because it is the fruit of the work of so many tendering hands: the
Church elders of Christmas Lutheran Church; my two deputies, the
coordinators and staff at the ICB and DAK; and last but not least our
partners. It is us all who made these endless possibilities possible in
spite of and within such immense challenges.
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