St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem is the mother church of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, which covers Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. Photo: Andrea Mann
The Anglican Church of Canada is observing Jerusalem Sunday for the third year this Sunday, May 8.
The annual observance by parishes across Canada first began in 2014, when General Synod 2013 set aside the seventh Sunday of Easter, commonly known as the Sunday after the Ascension, as an occasion to learn more about the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. A special collection is also taken to support the ministries in education, health care, reconciliation and hospitality of the diocese.
The Canadian church and the Jerusalem diocese, which is based at St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem, have been companions in mission for many years, and Jerusalem Sunday is meant to highlight this relationship.
Liturgical resources are available for Jerusalem Sunday and can be found here.
The Facebook page of the Canadian Companions of Jerusalem, a voluntary body that supports the partnership of the Anglican Church of Canada and the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, also has photographs and information about the observance.
Journey to Jerusalem Sunday, an award-winning multi-media web page produced by the Anglican Journal and Anglican Video, documents the stories of Anglicans in the Holy Land, provides background information on Christian responses to the conflict in the Middle East and examines how the Canadian church is living out its comment to building a stronger relationship with the Jerusalem diocese.