Location:

Jerusalem, Israel/Palestine 

Agreement term:

Full Time, Four Years

Anticipated start date(s) include:

July 13, 2025

Agreement type:

Long-term

Description:

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL) is the ELCA’s companion church in the region and is the only Lutheran World Federation (LWF) member church in the Middle East and North Africa. This Palestinian Lutheran church traces its Protestant roots to joint Anglican/Lutheran missionary work in the Holy Land in the mid to late 19th century and has been a separately incorporated church since the 1960s.  The Arabic-speaking members of the ELCJHL are part of the indigenous Palestinian Christian community that identifies as descendants of the first Christian communities in Palestine. The church has six worshipping congregations in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahour, Ramallah, and Amman (Jordan) with approximately 2,000 members. The ELCJHL carries out a wide range of ministries, including three K-12 schools, an environmental education center, a diaconal center, a gender justice ministry, and a pilgrimage center at the traditional baptismal site of Jesus in Jordan. The office of the bishop, Rev. Dr. Ibrahim Azar, is in Jerusalem. The Lutheran World Federation-Jerusalem Program is another key partner organization to which the ELCA is directly engaged. The LWF operates Augusta Victoria Hospital in East Jerusalem, Vocational Training Centers in Beit Hanina and in Ramallah, and is planning affordable housing in Beit Hanina. Other ELCA partners include Department of Services for Palestinian Refugees, ACT Palestine, Defense for Children International-Palestine, Dar al-Kalima University, L’Arche, the Rossing Center, and Bethlehem Bible College. This position is rooted in both the congregation and the office of the bishop of the ELCJHL. The ministry of this position is carried out as this position helps to represent the ELCA in the local/ecumenical/international community in the Holy Land at the direction and invitation of the ELCJHL and the ELCA Area Desk Director for the MENA region.

Timeline:

• Application Opens: December 2024 
• Interviews: February – April 2025 
• ELCA Orientation in Chicago: July 13 – 25, 2025
• Deploy to Jerusalem: August/September 2025

Job Description:

• Lead, with assigned ELCJHL pastor, the pastoral ministry of the English-speaking congregation of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem, including:
• Planning and leading weekly Sunday morning worship, holiday and festival worship, and joint worship with the Arabic and/or German-speaking congregations;
• Pastoral care of community and members,
• Faith formation and community-building activities; and
• Educational and fellowship events.
• Serve as special assistant to the Bishop of the ELCJHL, including preparing and/or editing English-language statements, letters, sermons, presentations, and other theological materials for the bishop, bishop’s staff, and other ELCJHL pastors and ministry leaders as requested by the ELCJHL and/or Area Desk Director;
• Represents the ELCA at official ecumenical and official church occasions as requested by the ELCJHL bishop.
• Provide ministry of education, theological reflection, and awareness-raising for ELCA-related and other visitors, pilgrims, and groups to better understand the justice issues of the Israel/Palestine context and the role and ministries of the ELCJHL and Palestinian Christian community.
• Proactively build accompaniment relationships within ELCJHL and local Palestinian/Christian communities.
• Collaborate and build relationships with other future ELCA personnel in Jerusalem/West Bank (including YAGM Country Coordinator/s and YAGM volunteers) as well as ecumenical and global Lutheran partners (LWF, Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, Church of Sweden, Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Mission, etc.)

This is an ELCA sponsorable position.  

All ELCA long-term global personnel participate in mission interpretation and storytelling. This includes: 

• Quarterly newsletters to sponsoring congregations and individuals. 
• Virtual visits throughout the year with sponsoring congregations and individuals. 
• In-person visits during Home Assignment (every 2 years, travel back to the US to visit sponsoring congregations and individuals) 

Experience and Skills:

• Masters of Divinity or higher required; additional study in preaching/theology/Biblical studies, peace and justice studies, Middle East/international studies, or another relevant field a plus.
• Fluency in English required, with high degree of skill in oral and written communication.
• Knowledge of Arabic, or aptitude and willingness to learn Arabic, strongly preferred.
• Understanding of geopolitical issues in the MENA region and the history and role of MENA Christian churches and organizations.
• Prior international ministry and/or lived experience strongly preferred; prior experience in Israel/Palestine or the MENA region very helpful. 
• An understanding of gender justice issues.
• Skills and experience in working collaboratively as part of a team.
• Ability to proactively communicate and collaborate via video conferencing with ELCA team and other partners.
• High degree of flexibility, adaptability, resilience, self-awareness, commitment to growth, and understanding of accompaniment.
• Prior experience in antiracism, post-colonialism, and/or other learning around privilege and oppression.
• Skills in self-direction and initiative.
• Live and serve in a way that reflects the vision and expectations of the ELCA
• Christian faith and a commitment to the mission of the church while maintaining openness to various expressions of Christian faith and respect for people of other faiths with respect for beliefs, values, and customs of the church and culture

Terms and Conditions:

• Long-Term Terms and Conditions 
• This position is supported under the terms of ELCA Service and Justice Expectations and Support for Long Term Mission Personnel. Those provisions include international transportation, transportation related to work assignment, pensions and major medical coverage, assistance with schooling for children through high school, housing and cash salary which is adjusted according to the goods and services differential for Jerusalem. 
• Salary is based on years of work experience. 
• If candidate is married, both must complete an application for this position for discernment of the appropriate pattern of service of the spouse. In the context of global mission service, the accompanying spouse is seen as a representative of the ELCA and of the receiving church regardless of their actual role. It is important for the ELCA that both members of a couple understand the role of a missionary and are comfortable with that reality.

Physical Effort:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone. This position requires sitting for long periods of time. Employees will occasionally need to lift boxes or materials up to 15 pounds. Reasonable accommodation can be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

A psychological evaluation is required.

Benefits

The ELCA offers a competitive benefits package for eligible employees, including employer paid health premiums for employees and dependent, life insurance, and a substantial employer contribution to 403b retirement plan (no match required). We also offer additional benefits upon deployment to the country of service.