The Friends of the Holy Land (FHL) was founded in 2009 to make a difference to the lives of vulnerable Christians in the Holy Land by helping and encouraging them to flourish in the land of their birth.
The FHL relies heavily on the support of local parish groups in the UK, and we have a group based in the Roman Catholic parish in Lichfield, with links to Lichfield Cathedral, which was launched in 2012.
The FHL relies heavily on the support of local parish groups in the UK, and we have a group based in the Roman Catholic parish in Lichfield, with links to Lichfield Cathedral, which was launched in 2012.
Our Purpose
Friends of the Holy Land, set up to be a non-political Christian Charity, supports the Christian population of the West Bank, Gaza and Israel. It now also works with Christians in Jordan, supporting Christians in all of those areas to develop resilient and enduring Christian communities.
Background
Around seventy years ago Christians made up 29% of the population of the Holy Land. Today they account for less than 2%. Without support, the Holy places of the Bible, the birthplace of Christianity, could become cultural museums with no Christian presence at all.
Living as a Christian in today’s Holy Land is challenging. Travel restrictions, water shortages, limited access to medical or social care, and poverty means many Christians emigrate if they can. In addition, there is often a psychological effect; living in the shadow of an 18 foot high separation wall cut off from their land and olive groves.
And increasingly there is fear…. as news travels of the treatment of Christians in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.
Locally
Here in Lichfield we aim to engage the whole parish and the wider community in supporting the objectives of the FHL on behalf of the Christians in Palestine by: -
In Lichfield, we have social events and other fund raisers and give talks to interested groups on the situation for Christians in the Holy Land. We also had our first pulpit talks in April 2017, when Peter Rand, Vice Chairman of FHL spoke at all Masses over the weekend.
We have also held periods of reflection for the Holy Land, particularly focussed around Lent and Advent.
We ask our parishioners to pray for the Christians in the Holy Land and both at Holy Cross and St Peter and Pauls there are prayer cards available.
We have FHL collection boxes held by members and friends which help our work.
To raise money, we sell Christmas cards, Easter cards, olive wood products and other items made in the Holy Land and to the end of 2018 we had sold around £3,000 worth of these goods.
This activity serves two purposes:
It helps maintain Christian businesses, supporting the economy and the families who depend on those businesses. In view of the state of the Palestinian economy, this support is important on two levels. It is easy to see the financial benefit, but less easy to see the impact that having tangible support from Britain has on an isolated community.
Selling products and other social/fundraising activity also provides charitable funding. This is then directed through the FHL to projects in the Holy Land, in many cases enabling families to survive and thrive. Each parish group is able to say how the funds they have raised are used
Up to the end of 2018, our parish group focus was on family support, and over the past five years we raised around £7,000, primarily for the benefit of one family.
We hold regular monthly meetings to plan and co-ordinate our activities within the parish, to agree where we should direct our support in the coming year, and to see how we can co-ordinate our activities with others. These are normally held on the Third Monday of the month, at various venues notified in advance, at 7.30 pm.
All are welcome at these meetings – please do come along, meet us, take part!
Our Focus
Having successfully supported one family for the past five years, locally the impetus of our fundraising activity has changed. From January 2019 the focus of the Lichfield Group is supporting mainstream Christian schools, with an emphasis on the education of girls, aiming to raise aspirations and achievements to improve their life chances.
FHL generally supports education in the Holy Land as a vital way to ensure the future of the Christian communities there. Sadly Christian schools are not state funded, so FHL’s activity aims to fund students when the payment of school fees is beyond the resources of their families.
Friends of the Holy Land, set up to be a non-political Christian Charity, supports the Christian population of the West Bank, Gaza and Israel. It now also works with Christians in Jordan, supporting Christians in all of those areas to develop resilient and enduring Christian communities.
Background
Around seventy years ago Christians made up 29% of the population of the Holy Land. Today they account for less than 2%. Without support, the Holy places of the Bible, the birthplace of Christianity, could become cultural museums with no Christian presence at all.
Living as a Christian in today’s Holy Land is challenging. Travel restrictions, water shortages, limited access to medical or social care, and poverty means many Christians emigrate if they can. In addition, there is often a psychological effect; living in the shadow of an 18 foot high separation wall cut off from their land and olive groves.
And increasingly there is fear…. as news travels of the treatment of Christians in neighbouring Syria and Iraq.
Locally
Here in Lichfield we aim to engage the whole parish and the wider community in supporting the objectives of the FHL on behalf of the Christians in Palestine by: -
- raising awareness of the challenges facing the Christians of the Holy Land
- encouraging prayers to be offered on their behalf
- generating and channelling financial resources to help them towards a sustainable future
- encouraging visits to the Holy Land to meet local Christians
In Lichfield, we have social events and other fund raisers and give talks to interested groups on the situation for Christians in the Holy Land. We also had our first pulpit talks in April 2017, when Peter Rand, Vice Chairman of FHL spoke at all Masses over the weekend.
We have also held periods of reflection for the Holy Land, particularly focussed around Lent and Advent.
We ask our parishioners to pray for the Christians in the Holy Land and both at Holy Cross and St Peter and Pauls there are prayer cards available.
We have FHL collection boxes held by members and friends which help our work.
To raise money, we sell Christmas cards, Easter cards, olive wood products and other items made in the Holy Land and to the end of 2018 we had sold around £3,000 worth of these goods.
This activity serves two purposes:
It helps maintain Christian businesses, supporting the economy and the families who depend on those businesses. In view of the state of the Palestinian economy, this support is important on two levels. It is easy to see the financial benefit, but less easy to see the impact that having tangible support from Britain has on an isolated community.
Selling products and other social/fundraising activity also provides charitable funding. This is then directed through the FHL to projects in the Holy Land, in many cases enabling families to survive and thrive. Each parish group is able to say how the funds they have raised are used
Up to the end of 2018, our parish group focus was on family support, and over the past five years we raised around £7,000, primarily for the benefit of one family.
We hold regular monthly meetings to plan and co-ordinate our activities within the parish, to agree where we should direct our support in the coming year, and to see how we can co-ordinate our activities with others. These are normally held on the Third Monday of the month, at various venues notified in advance, at 7.30 pm.
All are welcome at these meetings – please do come along, meet us, take part!
Our Focus
Having successfully supported one family for the past five years, locally the impetus of our fundraising activity has changed. From January 2019 the focus of the Lichfield Group is supporting mainstream Christian schools, with an emphasis on the education of girls, aiming to raise aspirations and achievements to improve their life chances.
FHL generally supports education in the Holy Land as a vital way to ensure the future of the Christian communities there. Sadly Christian schools are not state funded, so FHL’s activity aims to fund students when the payment of school fees is beyond the resources of their families.
FHL Lichfield Calendar of Past Activity
September 2012
Information Evening and Launch of Lichfield Friends of the Holy Land (FHL)
Community Room, Holy Cross
Saturday 25 May 2013
FHL Lichfield Reception for Barton Parish FHL Sponsored Bike Ride
Community Room, Holy Cross
Friday 21 June 2013
FHL Coffee Morning (After Mass)
Community Room, Holy Cross
Friday 22 November 2013
FHL Coffee Morning (After Mass)
Community Room, Holy Cross
Saturday 18 January 2014
Informal Burns Night
“At Home” Lichfield
Tuesday 21 January 2014
Talk to Ladies Group
Community Room, Holy Cross
Sunday 16 November 2014
Pie and a Pint Lunch
SS Peter & Paul School
November/December 2014
Sale of Christmas Cards and Olive Wood Products
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Saturday 24 January 2015
Informal Burns Night
“At Home” Lichfield
Friday 19 June 2015
BBQ (Supporting Friends of Lichfield Cathedral’s FHL activity)
Dean’s Residence, Lichfield
Sunday 5 July 2015
FHL Stand at Diocesan Pilgrimage to Hednesford
Our Lady of Lourdes Hednesford
Tuesday 29 September 2015
FHL Information Evening (with Palestinian food)
Community Room, Holy Cross
Sunday 22 November 2015
FHL Stand at Chrysalis Craft & Gift Fayre
Darwin Hall, Lichfield
November/December 2015
Sale of Christmas Cards and Olive Wood Products
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Sunday 13 March 2016
FHL Stand at Chrysalis Craft & Gift Fayre
Darwin Hall, Lichfield
Easter 2016
Easter Raffle
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Friday 20 May 2016
Post Lent Period of Reflection on the Holy Land
Holy Cross Church
Sunday 8 May 2016
FHL Afternoon Tea
Holy Cross Gardens
Sunday 3 July 2016
FHL Stand at Diocesan Pilgrimage to Hednesford
Our Lady of Lourdes Hednesford
Saturday/Sunday 8/9 October 2016
Context of the Conflict Conference
FHL Stand at Conference
Lichfield Cathedral
Sunday 16 October 2016
Bangers and Mash Lunch
Ss Peter and Paul School
Thursday 24 November 2016
Advent Period of Reflection on the Holy Land
Holy Cross Church
November/December 2016
Sale of Christmas Cards and Olive Wood Products
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Christmas 2016
Christmas Cake Raffle
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Sunday 5 February 2017
Bangers and Mash Lunch
Ss Peter and Paul School
Sunday 4 June 2017
Ecumenical Service - Prayers for the Holy Land
Lichfield Cathedral
Sunday 2 July 2017
FHL Stand at Diocesan Pilgrimage to Hednesford
Our Lady of Lourdes Hednesford
Sunday 17 September 2017
Bangers and Mash Lunch
Ss Peter and Paul School
November/December 2017
Sale of Christmas Cards and Olive Wood Products
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Thursday 14 December 2017
Advent Period of Reflection on the Holy Land
Holy Cross Church
Friday 15 December 2017
FHL Carol Service for Christians in the Holy Land
Lichfield Cathedral
Christmas 2017
Christmas Cake Raffle
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
March 2018
Joint Lichfield Cathedral and FHL Pilgrimage to Israel/Palestine
Sunday 1 July 2018
FHL Stand at Diocesan Pilgrimage to Hednesford
Our Lady of Lourdes Hednesford
Sunday 9 September 2018 Fundraising Lunch for Bethlehem Icon Centre
Lichfield Cathedral
October/November/December 2018
Sale of Christmas Cards and Olive Wood Products
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Christmas 2018
Christmas Cake Raffle
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Sunday 10 February 2019
Cake Sale – After Mass
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches
Easter 2019
Simnel Cake Raffle
Holy Cross and Ss Peter and Paul Churches