(Subject to change)

Tuesday, April 16 - Fly to London

Wednesday, April 17 - Arrive in Istanbul

Thursday, April 18 - TURKEY

Meeting with the His All Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople.

Meeting with His Eminence Mor Filuksinos Yusuf Cetin, Metropolitan, Patriarchal Vicar of Istanbul & Ankara (the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan of Istanbul and Ankara for the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch).

Meeting with His Beatitude Archbishop Mesrob II Mutafyan, Armenian Patriarch of Istanbul.

Travel to Beirut.

Meeting with Rev. Dr. Salim Sahyouni, president of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Community in Syria and Lebanon and Evangelical Leaders.

Meeting with Metropolitan Elias Audeh, representing the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

Dinner and informal gathering with secular and religious leaders.

Meeting with His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Great House of Cilicia, one of the historic sees of the Armenian Church, and with Church Leaders of the Syrian Orthodox Church.

Meeting with H.B. Patriarch Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir and Leaders of the Catholic Churches in Lebanon.

Meeting with Muslim Leaders.

Meeting with the Christian-Muslim group and others.

Meeting with Mr. Rafiq Hariri, Prime Minister of Lebanon.

Reception by the Prime Minister Hariri in Honour of the delegation.   Ministers in government, Christian and Muslim religious leaders and community leaders will attend.

Depart to Damascus.

Meeting with HH Patriarch Zakka Iwas I, Head of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch and the World.

Meeting and reception by church and community Leaders.

Meeting with HE President Bashar Al Assad.

Meeting with Sheikh Kaftaro.

Lunch hosted by the Minister of Al Awqaf, Dr. Mohammed Ziadeh in honor of the delegation.

Visit to St Annanias Church and Old Damascus.

Depart to Amman.

Tuesday, April 23 - JORDAN

Meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan.

Arrive in Jerusalem.

Wednesday, April 24 - ISRAEL/PALESTINE

Meeting with Greek Orthodox Patriarchate.

Meeting with Roman Catholic Patriarchate.

Meeting with Dr. Manauel Hassassian, Dr. Sari Nusseibeh, and Dr. Emil Jarjoui of the Palestinian Authority.

Thursday, April 25 -- ISRAEL/PALESTINE

Part of delegation spends the day accompanying humanitarian aid to Jenin.

Rest of delegation visits Israelis and Palestinians who have been injured in the conflict and are hospitalized (Hadassah, Augusta Victoria & Makassed).

Other meetings today: Islamic Awqaf, Armenian Patriarchate, Inter-Religious Coordinating Council Committee in Israel.

Friday, April 26 - ISRAEL/PALESTINE

Part of group accompanies humanitarian aid to Bethlehem District (postponed from Thursday).

Meeting with Gadi Golan, Director of Religious Affairs in Israel's Foreign Ministry.

Meeting with U.S. Consul General Ron Schlicher.

Meeting with Rabbi David Rosen, Director of Interfaith Relations, American Jewish Committee.

Meetings with International Representative from the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Saturday, April 27 - Return to U.S.

• Rev. Janet Arbesman, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Scottsdale, Ariz.
• Bishop Vicken Aykazian, Diocese of the Armenian Church, Washington, D.C.
• Rev. Mark Brown, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Washington, D.C.
• Dr. Bob Edgar, United Methodist, National Council of Churches General Secretary, New York City
• Rev. Dr. James A. Forbes, Jr., Senior Minister, The Riverside Church, New York City
• Rev. Joseph Rice Hale, United Methodist Church, Waynesville, N.C.
• Mrs. Elenie Huszagh, NCC President, Greek Orthodox, Nehalem, Ore.
• Rev. Robert S. Jones, National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc., West Chester, Pa.
• His Eminence Cyril Aphrem Karim, Archdiocese of the Syrian Orthodox Church of Antioch for the Eastern United States, Teaneck, N.J.
• Rev. William Shaw, President, National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc., Philadelphia, Pa.
• Rt. Rev. Arthur Edward Walmsley, The Episcopal Church, Deering, N.H.
• Rev. James Wetekam (United Church of Christ), Media Program Director, Churches for Middle East Peace, Washington, D.C.
• Mr. James Edward Winkler, General Secretary, United Methodist Board of Church and Society, Washington, D.C.

• Turkey

• Lebanon

• Syria

• Jordan

• Israel/Palestine

April 16, 2002

National Council of Churches Leads U.S. Church Leaders' April 16-27 Visit to the Middle East
A delegation of prominent U.S. Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican church leaders is visiting the Middle East April 16-27. Planned for several months, the trip is "all the more urgent" given the deepening crisis, said the delegation’s leader, the Rev. Dr. Bob Edgar, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches, which organized the delegation. Read more ...

April 18, 2002

NCC Delegation Arrives in Middle East, Meets Orthodox Church Leaders in Istanbul, Turkey
On the first leg of their 12-day journey to offer pastoral support for Christians in the Holy Land and to support efforts for a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, 13 American church leaders met with Orthodox Christian leaders in Istanbul, Turkey. April 18, the National Council of Churches delegation received the advice and blessing of His All Holiness Bartholomew, Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople and spiritual leader of more than 250 million Christians worldwide. Read more ...

April 20, 2002

In Lebanon, NCC Delegation Meets with Prime Minister, Interacts with Christians and Muslims Continuing a rapid pace through the Middle East, a delegation of 13 persons visiting the region on behalf of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. (NCC), held eleven meetings with key political and religious leaders in Lebanon. The meetings, over the course of two days (April 19-20), focused primarily on questions related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, terrorism and Christian-Muslim relations.  Read more ...

April 22, 2002

NCC Delegation Meets with President Assad, Other Syrian Leaders During Peace Mission
In a wide-ranging meeting lasting over an hour and a half, a delegation of American church leaders April 22 openly exchanged convictions and questions with President Bashar Al Assad of Syria at his Presidential palace. The conversation covered religious issues of Muslims and Christians, as well as political issues, including the current situation in Palestine and Israel, Syria's place in the peace process, U.S.-Syria relations, the activities of Hezbollah, and the protection of holy sites like the Church of the Nativity. In addition, the President offered a philosophical discussion and context for the conditions that can create peace. Read more ...

April 23, 2002

U.S. Church Leaders Meet with Jordan's King,
Discuss Peace Efforts, Region's Other Needs
A brief day in Jordan culminated in a fascinating meeting between His Majesty King Abdullah II and a delegation of fourteen U.S. church leaders. The delegation, sponsored by the National Council of Churches, had previously visited leaders in Turkey, Lebanon and Syria. Just prior to the meeting at the Royal Palace in Amman, Jordan, the group had engaged in a discussion with Christian leaders of Amman, and shortly after its meeting with the King, the delegation departed for Palestine and Israel. Read more ...

April 24, 2002

NCC Delegation Unable to Visit Ramallah,
Plans Humanitarian Aid Deliveries April 25
Just before it was to board a bus headed to Ramallah, a delegation of American church leaders learned that it would be unable to travel there today (April 24). A demonstration had led to the re-imposition of an Israeli government curfew on Ramallah. It had been the hope of the delegation to look at damage and talk to persons associated with several Christian institutions hard hit by the Israeli Defense Forces during the past few weeks, including the Lutheran School of Hope.  The American church delegation plans now to travel with humanitarian aid shipments on Thursday, April 25 - one into Jenin and one to Bethlehem.  Read more ...

April 26, 2002

Members of NCC-Led Delegation Visit Jenin, Bethlehem, Help Deliver Emergency Aid
Four members of a larger delegation of 13 American church leaders toured the Jenin Refugee Camp yesterday (April 25) and assisted five U.S.-based aid organizations in the delivery of food, medicine, and blankets to the people of Jenin. Today (April 26) a part of the delegation accompanied humanitarian aid to Bethlehem District. Delegation members also met today with Gadi Golan, Director of Religious Affairs in Israel’s Foreign Ministry; Rabbi David Rosen, Director of Interfaith Relations for the American Jewish Committee; U.S. Consul General Ron Schlicher, and with staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross. The delegation, organized by the (U.S.) National Council of Churches, has been in Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and Israel. Their 12-day peace and pastoral mission began April 16 and ends Saturday (April 27) with their return to the United States. Read more ...

U.S. Church Leaders Conclude Their 12-Day Middle East Visit with Aid Delivery, Meetings
The final day of a 12-day U.S. church leaders’ visit through the Middle East came to a late-night conclusion in Jerusalem on Friday, April 26. The delegation wrapped up with dinner, during which it met with Canon Andrew White of Coventry Cathedral in England. Canon White has been the only church representative involved in the negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli government over the standoff at the Church of the Nativity.  Friday afternoon, most of the group accompanied food aid deliveries to Bethlehem and Beit Jala.  Read more ...

April 30, 2002

U.S. Church Leaders Just Back from the Middle East Urge Israelis, Palestinians to Take "Bold Steps" for Peace, Request Full Israeli Cooperation with U.N. Jenin Investigation: A delegation of 13 U.S. church leaders just back from the Middle East is calling for bold steps to be taken by Israel and the Palestinian Authority in order to end violence in the region and to achieve peace with justice.  The delegation was assembled by the (U.S.) National Council of Churches and its general secretary, the Rev. Dr. Robert W. Edgar. The leaders traveled in the region April 16-27 at the invitation of the Middle East Council of Churches. In a statement ("'By My Spirit': What Will Make for Peace in the Middle East?") released today (April 30), the church leaders focus on steps they see as necessary for attainment of a just and lasting peace to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Read more...