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[Back to index of February 2008 articles] Chane To Explore a Possible Relationship With Jerusalem Diocese
Bishop John Bryson Chane will travel to the Holy Land in late August to make a personal pilgrimage and to consider the prospect of entering into a formal partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East. "The purpose of this visit is to accept an invitation and to explore the possibility of establishing a relationship with the Diocese of Jerusalem at such a critical time," Chane said. "It is a visit that has been long overdue," he added, noting that invitations have been extended by the current Bishop of Jerusalem, the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, as well as his predecessors. During his stay, Chane will visit institutions and parishes of the diocese to see the work of the church in Jerusalem as well as visiting some of Christianity's holy places. "I hope to get enough information to make a recommendation on a companion relationship," he said. The Cathedral also is planning to sponsor a pilgrimage to Jerusalem this year, he noted, and he anticipates other trips to Jerusalem will be arranged. The Diocese of Washington currently has an active partnership with the Anglican Province of Southern Africa and ended a formal partnership with the Diocese of Honduras at the beginning of last year. Bishop Chane and a delegation from the Diocese of Washington explored the possibility of entering into a relationship with the Diocese of Cuba in 2007 but decided not to recommend a formal partnership for logistical reasons. "It took us almost two years to get a Treasury license to travel," Chane told Diocesan Council members at a December meeting, stressing that he remains committed to working on Cuban embargo issues. The 1998 Lambeth Conference encouraged dioceses to enter into "companion relationships across provincial boundaries, as part of the process of developing the cross-cultural nature of the Communion." It also recommended a five-year cap on these partnerships. If a formal relationship between the Diocese of Washington and the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East comes to be, it would begin in 2009 and last for three years, Chane said.
[Back to index of February 2008 articles]
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