FINLAND & PALESTINE Proceedings of a Joint Workshop

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MI1rtti Tuhkanen
- Strengthening missionary activity, e.g. by encouraging pilot
parishes to develop practical projects for their members, relating
to training, diaconia, education or work with drug addicts.
- The diocese of Lapua and the pilot parishes, involved in a partnership
scheme, can organize collections etc. to support the
work of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan through the
budget of the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission." 14
Plans were made that a chain of activities would be started by
a visit of parish workers, pastors, deacons and others to ELCJ in
spring 2001. The political and security situation deteriorated,
and this did not materialize. All plans were canceled. Good
intentions and momentum were lost. Even when the situation
improved, the interest in Lapua diocese had turned to other
directions. Autumn 2004 Lapua diocese got a new bishop, and
this cooperation was not high on his priority list. However
some contacts were kept, and after the expiry of the agreement,
some funds were still channeled to ELCJHL.
Arch Bishop Paarma visited Syria, Jordan, Palestinian areas,
and Israel February 2000. He met Chairman Arafat, and other
Palestinian officials, and most of the church leaders in Jerusalem.
Scheduled meetings with the Israeli president and minister
for Jerusalem portfolio were canceled, and Paarma was
able to meet only the Jerusalem ministers special envoy, Daniel
Levy.1S
Soon after the archbishop, also Bishop of Lapua diocese visited
ELCJ, and Bishop Younan paid a visit to Lapua August 2002. During
this visit, he met also Bishop Huovinen of Helsinki diocese,
Finnish President Tarja Halonen, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Erkki Tuomioja, ex-President Ahtisaari, and others.
14 Lapua 19.12.1999, Partnership agreement
lS Jiiskeliinen: Report of Archbishop Paarma's visit
59