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Presbyterian Moderator Dr Sam Hutchinson is nearing the end of a two week visit to Germany and Israel during which time he has met local Church leaders, visited Church projects and called with British and Irish Ambassadors in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Dr Hutchinson has had long involvement with Israel as Convener of the Church and Israel Committee of the General Assembly and was pleased to have the opportunity to see how work in Israel and Germany is developing.
The Presbyterian Church established a church in Hamburg around 1850 as a mission to the huge numbers of Jews coming from Russia and this work was particularly successful under the inspired leadership of Rev Arnold Frank. In more recent times the Jerusaalem-Kirche has been handed over to the Lutheran Church and Dr Hutchinson was invited to bring the greetings of the General Assembly to the congregation.
This week the Moderator, accompanied by Mrs Hutchinson, moved on to Israel and on Monday visited the Stella Carmel Centre in Haifa where Irish Presbyterian missionaries Colin and Marjorie Dickson are working along with Fiona Smyth who is the centre's administrator. This is a retreat centre used by Messianic Jewish congregations and their leaders and is run by Church's Ministry among Jews with which the Presbyterian Church has strong links.
During his time in Israel Dr Hutchinson also met with the Mayor of Jerusalem where in addition to passing on the good wishes of the Presbyterian Church, he presented a plaque, given by the Lord Mayor of Belfast, to the citizens of Jerusalem.
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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