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Christmas Message from HLCS President
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Dear friend,
Shout with exultation, O city of Zion, for great in your midst
is the Holy One of Israel. Luke 1:14
The time of the year has come for us to celebrate the birth of our King, the King of Peace.
More than 2000 years ago, a Child was born in Bethlehem. Angels of the Lord appeared to shepherds from the nearby village of Beit Sahour.
“And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold,
I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.” Luke 2:10
With this message, the shepherds walked to the Bethlehem manger to welcome Him. Three Kings from Hebron brought Him gold and gifts. This was how Christian life in the Holy Land started two millennia ago. When the Angels appeared to the Shepherds, they asked them not to fear, but to be happy for great joy shall be to all people.
Indeed, the people of the Holy Land were filled with joy. They celebrated the birth of Jesus. They spread His word, and they protected His holy places.
If Jesus were born today in Bethlehem, the Shepherds might not be able to go to the manger to welcome him; there are many checkpoints and roadblocks. The Kings would not be able to bring him gifts from Hebron; they might not be able to travel to Bethlehem. Access to Christian sites in the Holy Land by faithful from all around the world is threatened. And due to tragic economic and political situation, the Christians who would proclaim His Word and continue His work of compassion and healing, now constitute less than 1.8% -a rapid decline in Christian presence.
The Holy Land Christians Society’s (HLCS) mission is to help preserve the presence of Christians in the Holy Land so that Christian life can continue as it began at the birth of our Lord.
In 2004, HLCS worked hard to accomplish its mission. HLCS:
 Led a delegation to the Holy Land to observe the human rights violations of the Christian Palestinians and present their findings to Church government officials;
 Built awareness with the highest levels of our government regarding the desperate situation faced by Palestinian Christians;
 Increased media coverage for the crisis faced by the Christians through more than 60 newspapers nationwide;
 Gave scholarship assistance to thirty (30) students in Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and Beit Jala area to attend Christian schools;
 Assessed the critical needs of the people in Bethlehem and facilitated the shipment of a large container of medical supplies and equipments; and
 Supported negotiations between the Vatican and Israel.
The message and ministry of Jesus is at stake in the very land where he walked and exercised His public ministry. His word of love, peace, and joy is buried under the violence in the Holy Land. Please help us bring His message back. His message is critical to bridge the opposing extremes of Holy Land peoples and heal their wounds.
We count on your generous support to accomplish our goals. Without the Christian people of the Holy Land, the holy places and traditions which we hold as treasures of our heritage in Christ could well be lost. The Christians in the Holy Land need your help.
Thank you for your generosity and your prayers. God bless you during this holy season of renewal and hope. May Christ’s message of peace once more begin to resonate in the land of His birth.
Faithfully yours in Christ,
Butros Qumseya
President
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