Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Fall 2013 Issue | Page 15

From Palestine to Ashland
Emily Cherry
When St. James the Less, Ashland,
recently hosted a group of students from
Palestine, the focus was on relationshipbuilding, not politics. A group of teens
and young adults from St. Phillip
Episcopal Church in Palestine spent
their time in Virginia in outreach and
fellowship through a program called the
Tri-Cities Work Camp.

Members of St. James the Less
have participated in the Tri-Cities Work
Camp for about 20 years. Each summer, a
delegation of teens heads to Petersburg,
where they partner with other youth
and adults to repair local homes. In 2012,
Grace Presbyterian Church in Springfield,
Va., hosted the Rev. Ibrahim Nairouz,
rector of St. Phillip, and the Palestinian
youth as participants in the experience.
This year, the Tri-Cities Work Camp
invited St. James the Less to host the
group, which included youth from several
different Christian denominations.

With some financial support from
the Diocese of Virginia, St. James the Less
hosted the group from the Diocese of
Jerusalem, with coordination from Jane
Jones of St. James the Less. Members
of the congregation described the

experience in their
parish newsletter:
“Their mission at home
in Palestine – teaching
the life and the ways
of Jesus Christ – was
seen by many during
their time here with
our parish, and was
evident in their work in
Petersburg.”

Virginia has
Members of St. James the Less, Ashland, hosted a group of
been building and
teens and young adults from St. Phillip Episcopal Church in
strengthening ties
Palestine as part of their involvement in the Tri-Cities Work
with the Diocese of
Camp program.
Jerusalem increasingly
in recent years.
groups from the Diocese have made
The Diocese of Jerusalem is one that
pilgrimages to the Diocese of Jerusalem,
includes Israel, Palestine, Syria, Jordan
and the diocesan Middle East Ministry
and Lebanon. And although their
Team works to increase awareness and
numbers total only 7,000, their impact
promote compassionate involvement in
on the community – through schools,
the area.
hospitals, clinics and vocational training

This partnership between St. James
centers – is truly great. In December
the Less, Ashland, and St. Phillip, Palestine,
2012, the Rt. Rev. Suheil Dawani, bishop
“is a tangible expression of the deepening
of Jerusalem, made a visit to Richmond
relationship between our two dioceses,”
and Alexandria, where he visi ѕ