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Fostering peace and justice in Israel and Palestine through education.
News from Pilgrims - August 2020 Update
peter-henry
The Rev. Dr. Peter J.M. Henry
Dear Fellow Pilgrims,
I pray that this letter finds you and your loved ones safe and healthy during this pandemic.

Thank you for your support of Pilgrims of Ibillin and the Mar Elias (MEEI) schools. You are part of the way that the educators of MEEI are fostering peace and justice in the Middle East and I am grateful for your shared commitment to that goal. Having been in touch with the leaders of MEEI this spring, I can confidently tell you that your giving makes a difference.
Pilgrims Executive Changes
Among the many aspects of life that defines our current moment is change and Pilgrims of Ibillin is part of that change. In addition to wanting to thank you for your financial support of Pilgrims, I am also writing today to tell you that our executive director, Laurie Lyter Bright, is leaving Pilgrims August 31. We are grateful for her two and a half years of leadership with us and wish her well.

The Board of Directors of Pilgrims has already secured some interim, transitional leadership. I am pleased to tell you that Brenda Mehos, a member of our board who has made several trips to Ibillin and who has a long history of supporting a just peace in Palestine and Israel, has agreed to be our Interim Executive Director through the end of December. This will allow the board to conclude our ongoing work with a consultant about next steps for our ED position. With the continuing help of our able administrative support staff member, Angela Cummins, Pilgrims will be in good hands during the transition. If you have names or ideas of how to fill our ED position, please contact me.
Interim Executive Director
Pilgrimage Coordinator
(303) 928-0923
Gifts to Peace Partners Make Significant Impact

I also wanted to make you aware of the significant impact that Pilgrims has had on the work of MEEI and our peace partners in 2020. Thanks to the generous giving of our friends like you, as well as a generous bequest, we have been able to fund special, COVID-related technology upgrades at MEEI and we have also enabled the school to complete several long-range, capital needs projects that included updating teacher work spaces and renovating the middle school (the original high school, one of the oldest buildings on campus). We also sent all of our peace partner grants early so that they would have money to assist them in their work during a time when funds might have been tight.

Again, thank you for your past support of Pilgrims and we look forward to continuing our partnership in fostering peace and justice in Israel and Palestine. If you have questions about our ongoing work or would like to know more about the work of the board of directors, please contact me with the information listed below. You can also reach out to Brenda Mehos with the contact information below.

Grace and peace,

The Rev. Dr. Peter J. M. Henry

President of the Board of Directors of Pilgrims of Ibillin
Davidson College Presbyterian Church
P.O. Box 337
Davidson, NC 28036
(313) 600-7370 | Peter.henry@ptsem.edu
 
Brenda Mehos
Interim Executive Director, Pilgrims of Ibillin
phone: (303) 928-0923