FINLAND & PALESTINE Proceedings of a Joint Workshop

- Professor A.T. Nikolainen (bishop of Helsinki 72-82) visited
ca. 1965. 1
The sources did not tell more, who they met, what was the
purpose, etc. I think that visits of Salomies and Nikolainen may
have been mostly motivated by, theological, missiological, and
personal interest.
It is descriptive to the situation, that the establishment of a
sister Lutheran church, and its official recognition by Jordan in
1959, is not mentioned in any of the sources. It happened one
mile away, but it could have been a thousand miles: it was
enemy territory!
Contacts and friendships that were built up before 1948 were,
mostly, not possible any more. Interest and energy of new
missionaries was totally used to the well-being and teaching of
boarding school students. 8
3. Israel occupies East Jerusalem, connection established,
Years 1967-1978
First documented contact with local Lutherans is that some Lutheran
families and institutions received help from FElM. 9 The
same year, 1967, Propst Kohler, Rev. Haddad, and Rev. Hukka,
director of FELM, met and a connection with ElCJ was estab­
Iished. 10
Some very active persons from the Union of Deacons and some
from local parishes in Finland contacted ELCJ. They had decided
to grant a stipend for diaconal studies in Finland. Finally,
it was agreed to give it to a young student from Jerusalem,
7 Nurminen Heikkl, interview 28.10.08
8 FELM yearbooks 1949-1968
9 Pia Flink: Connection between Finnish and Palestinian Lutherans 1967-1999
10 FELM yearbooks 1968-1978
54