Blessed are the peace-keepers Part 1

Another gift comes our way: also in the Cathedral this morning are several members of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel.

These are volunteers, recruited internationally through the World Council of Churches, who spend three months at a time monitoring checkpoints.

“The Israeli Government doesn't allow UN peace keepers so we monitor house demolitions and checkpoints," says Terry, their spokesman. "We are a witness to the situation of Palestinians and encourage the Israeli peace movement. The idea is to be a calming presence at checkpoints, where tensions can get high.

“It helps the Palestinians to know we are there and gives the message to Israeli soldiers that the international community is watching.”

The team members are described as “accompaniers” while they in Israel on their three-month posting, but become “advocates” on their return home, where they tell their story as widely as possible.

Another chance encounter comes in the form of Lydia and Hector Patmore (see picture), a young British couple who have recently arrived in Jerusalem and are part of the Cathedral community.

It emerges that they both grew up in our diocese (Beaconsfield and Wokingham) and one of our pilgrims is a long-standing friend of Lydia's family.