O Little Town of Bethlehem

Bishop John's Christmas message inspired by Holy land pilgrimage

A visit to a rehabilitation centre for victims of violence in Bethlehem has provided the inspiration for this year’s Christmas message from the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds.

Bishop John Packer and his wife Barbara travelled with a group from the diocese on an eleven day pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Galilee. On All Saint’s Day the party visited Bethlehem and the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation which provides nursing and medical help for those damaged by violence in recent conflicts in the area, and cut off by the ‘security wall’ from healthcare. Bishop John said he was moved by the work at the former Leonard Cheshire Home. “We experienced one particular expression of what it is to bring peace to our communities.  I shall be recalling that commitment as I share at Christmas time with congregations at Adel, Dallowgill and Grewelthorpe.”

Audio reflections

During the pilgrimage Bishop John recorded his thoughts in a series of audio reflections which will be gradually placed online with photographs from the pilgrimage

Click here to listen.

The pilgrimage was led by former Archdeacon of Leeds, John Oliver and his wife Ann, and during it the party met with local Christians inclouding members of the congregation of St George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem where Bishop John preached

“Those of us who were there were inspired to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for those we met who work for peace.  All of us have that opportunity to pray for peace in our increasingly divided world, to work for peace in our own communities and churches, and to experience that peace in our hearts and minds this Christmas.”