For further information contact: christine.dilkes@gmail.com
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 is completely apolitical and works in close co-operation with the Christians there. It is a Catholic/Anglican initiative in the UK, with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby and the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev Bernard Longley among the main Patrons.
The FHL relies heavily on the support of local parish groups in the UK, and we have a group here in Lichfield which was launched in 2012.
Here in Lichfield we aim to engage the whole parish in supporting the objectives of the FHL on behalf of the Christians in Palestine by: -
The FHL is completely apolitical and works in close co-operation with the Christians there. It is a Catholic/Anglican initiative in the UK, with Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby and the Archbishop of Birmingham, the Most Rev Bernard Longley among the main Patrons.
The FHL relies heavily on the support of local parish groups in the UK, and we have a group here in Lichfield which was launched in 2012.
Here in Lichfield we aim to engage the whole parish 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 give them a sustainable future
- encouraging visits to the Holy Land to meet local Christians
In Lichfield, we have regular social events 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 regularly hold periods of reflection for the Holy Land, particularly focussed around Lent and Advent.
We also 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.
In order to raise money, we sell Christmas cards, Easter cards, olive wood products and other items made in the Holy Land. We also have FHL collection boxes held by members and friends which help our work.
This activity serves two purposes;
It helps support 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 choose what they wish to support with their fundraising efforts, and 100% of the money raised goes towards that end.
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 Wednesday of the month, usually in the Community Room at Holy Cross, at 7.30 pm.
All are welcome at these meetings – please do come along, meet us, take part!
Chairperson: Steve Fitgerald, Secretary: Christine Dilkes, Treasurer: Ian Jackson
We regularly hold periods of reflection for the Holy Land, particularly focussed around Lent and Advent.
We also 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.
In order to raise money, we sell Christmas cards, Easter cards, olive wood products and other items made in the Holy Land. We also have FHL collection boxes held by members and friends which help our work.
This activity serves two purposes;
It helps support 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 choose what they wish to support with their fundraising efforts, and 100% of the money raised goes towards that end.
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 Wednesday of the month, usually in the Community Room at Holy Cross, at 7.30 pm.
All are welcome at these meetings – please do come along, meet us, take part!
Chairperson: Steve Fitgerald, Secretary: Christine Dilkes, Treasurer: Ian Jackson
Further information
If you are interested in seeing something of the daily challenges faced by the Christians in the Holy Land, click here to see the YouTube extract from the Amos Trust video, Bethlehem, Hidden from View.
If you have a little longer, 20 minutes or so, you might find time to watch the new FHL video
Prayers for Christians in the Holy Land
If you feel that you are not able to help in any other way, please do keep our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land in your prayers;
If you are interested in seeing something of the daily challenges faced by the Christians in the Holy Land, click here to see the YouTube extract from the Amos Trust video, Bethlehem, Hidden from View.
If you have a little longer, 20 minutes or so, you might find time to watch the new FHL video
Prayers for Christians in the Holy Land
If you feel that you are not able to help in any other way, please do keep our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land in your prayers;