Middle East
Committee
Westmoreland’s Middle East
Partner Church:
Christ Episcopal Church,
Nazareth, Israel
Background
In 1992 the Westmoreland’s Middle East committee decided
to form a partnership with a church in the Middle East, preferably in
Palestine. The Rev. Riah Abu El Assal, Minister of Christ Episcopal
Church in Nazareth, Israel, responded enthusiastically to our
suggestion and agreed to visit us when next he traveled to the U.S. In
October of 1992, he spent three days as a guest of Westmoreland. During
this visit, he met our ministers and members of the Middle East and
Executive Committees.
After Rev. Riah spoke to members of the church and the
community about the challenges facing Christians in Israel,
Westmoreland and Christ Episcopal Church officially began their
church-to-church partnership.
Living Out the Partnership
The partnership is apparent in elements of
Westmoreland’s weekly worship service, Westmorelanders’ visits to the
church and school while in Israel, visits to Westmoreland by Rev. Riah
(now Anglican Bishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East), and special
efforts on behalf of Christ Church Episcopal
School.
Examples:
Sunday morning worship at Westmoreland includes the
lighting of a partnership candle in honor of our partnership with
Christ Episcopal Church, a recitation of the Prayer
for Peace, and requests that worshipers pray for the minister of
our partner church and the principal of Christ Church Episcopal School.
Westmoreland’s Board for Community Action sends an annual gift to the
school on behalf of the congregation.
Westmoreland provided scholarship funds when the school expanded by
opening a high school.
In early 1996 Rev. Gordon Forbes, Westmoreland’s senior minister,
visited Nazareth bearing a check for scientific equipment for the
growing school.
In 2002 Westmorelanders Elizabeth Fox, Al Bartlett, and others visited
the church and school, extending greetings from Westmoreland.
In 1996 and 2002, Bishop Riah returned to our area and updated
Westmoreland on the difficulties experienced by Palestinian Christians.
Last updated Wednesday, February 20, 2008.
1
Westmoreland Circle
Bethesda, MD 20816
301-229-7766
Email the church office: churchinfo@westmorelanducc.org
www.westmorelanducc.org
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Open and Affirming Congregation
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