10 June – 6 September 2024
“Lazy Hands Make For Poverty, but Diligent Hands Bring Wealth.” (Proverbs 10:4)

The Upper Room Mission (URM) is proud to have concluded its third training course. Despite the fear of regional war, the increased violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the limited financial resources, and the uncertainty about the future, the Upper Room Mission completed the third training. Without the resilience of our entrepreneurs and the support of our donors and friends, the third training wouldn’t have been possible. We are very thankful for all those who made this training a success.

The training consisted of 6 training sessions (four hours each session). It was held from the 10th of June till 6 September 2024. As part of this project, 10 new entrepreneurs who submitted business plans have been equipped with the knowledge and resources to initiate their projects or expand the existing ones.

With the conclusion of the third training, the Upper Room Mission has successfully:

• Assisted 30 participants in gaining knowledge to become successful entrepreneurs.
• Supported 24 entrepreneurs with the needed resources and equipment to initiate or expand their projects.
• ncreased the resilience of the Christian minority in Jerusalem to remain in the country and create job opportunities for them and others.
• Contributed to achieving gender justice by economically empowering women.

We wish all our graduates from the three training courses a life full of success and prosperity.

Click here to view all the 3rd Training Course Pictuers

The URM has completed the second training course. A local consultant and trainer was contracted to give the training and follow-up consultations. The trainer conducted 5 training sessions from March to June 2023. The URM and the local trainer/consultant developed training materials in Arabic. 8 participants finished the training course and 5 applied business plans. The URM studied the business plans, provided feedback to the applicants and provided them with the needed resources to start their micro projects. 

CLICK HERE to view the URM Second Training Album

On October 15, 2022, the team of the Upper Room Mission met with a delegation from the Methodist Church to discuss the challenges facing the Christian community in the Holy Land and ways to overcome those challenges and maintain the Christian witness and presence in the Holy Land. The URM’s team shared with the delegation the vision, mission and the ministry of the URM. 

As part of the pilot project “Christian Youth Empowerment: through Entrepreneurship Training & Coaching in Jerusalem” the Upper Room Mission (URM) signed, on 10 September 2022, Memorandum of Agreements with the remaining graduates of the Pilot Project graduates to provide them with the needed resources to start up their businesses. The signing of the MOU came after the participants have gained the know-how and skills to become successful entrepreneurs and have submitted a business proposal to the URM.

On April 22, 2022, the Upper Room Mission graduated seven entrepreneurs. The graduation ceremony was attended by representatives of the Lund Mission Society, Rev. Dr. Prof. Samuel Rubenson, the Chairman of the Center for Theology and Religious Studies from Lund University and his wife Dr. Inga-Lill; by Dr. Marko Lehtimäki, from Ensimetri, that conducted the training in partnership with the URM; by Dr. Simo Lahtinen, a senior advisor and main supporter of the URM; by Rev. Dr. Maria Leppäkari, the international advisor of the URM; by Bishop Emeritus Dr. Munib Younan; and other prominent figures and leaders from Jerusalem.

The graduation has been conducted after the participants had concluded four training modules that included the following topics:
•    What is entrepreneurial work?
•    Know your strengths
•    Business idea and business development
•    Calculations and pricing
•    Sales and Marketing
•    Designing

Spiritual Guidance:
In addition to the business aspect of the training, the training also focused on providing spiritual guidance in order to enhance the Christian identity and be the living witness of Jesus Christ in the Holy City of Jerusalem. Among the main religious and spiritual leaders who led the spiritual guidance were Archbishop Atallah Hanna, the Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, Bishop emeritus Munib Younan, the Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land and the Previous President of the LWF, Rev. Carrie Ballenger, the ELCA pastor in Jerusalem, Rev. Fursan Zumot, the spiritual leader of the URM, and Rev. Nash’at Felomain from the Bethlehem Bible Society.

2nd & 3rd Phases of the Pilot Project:
After the graduation, the URM has started the second phase of the pilot project which included providing coaching for the participants in the field of the Israeli taxes and registration of businesses in Israel. Mr. Nizar Baransi, who is a Chartered Certified Accountant, from Baransi & Co. provided coaching in taxation and responded to the questions and concerns of the participants.

The third phase of the project which includes the financing of the business plans of the graduates will start in two weeks after the graduates submit their business plans to the URM. A specialized committee will examine the business proposals and provide financial support accordingly.

Click here to see full Album of the URM Pilot Project Graduation Ceremony

“Jerusalem 30^th March 2022

Norwegian Seamen’s Church, Sjømannskirken Rev. Leif Magne Helgesen who frequently visits Jerusalem was during his recent visit introduced to the Upper Room Mission.

Amazed by the mission’s entrepreneurship coaching achievements together with the Finnish Ensimetri entrepreneurship training program in this short period of time, Rev. Leif Magne Helgesen congratulated the Upper Room Mission.

The Upper Room Mission team and pilot project participants are grateful for his support and continuous prayers for this mission.

On photo Rev. Leif Mane Helgesen with URM advisor Rev., Dr. Maria Leppäkari at Damascus Gate admiring the lights of the season of Ramadan.”

Rev. Leif Mane Helgesen words were: “Your project is powerful, both in a small scale, and in a bigger scale. It has the possibility to do a change for individuals as well as for the Christian community – and for Jerusalem as a city and a place to live.

I wish you all the strength and spirit to build this organization further.”

By God’s grace, the Upper Room Mission has initiated the first training on the 22^nd of January 2022. Nine participants attended the first training out of a series of trainings. As part of our efforts to give more opportunities for women, eight of the nine participants are women. This training would first help the youth acquire new skills and knowhow that will enable them to compete in the current challenging and changing labor market and to be innovative; second, it would provide them with the necessary financial resources to implement their projects and initiatives; and thirdly it would enhance the Christian identity by providing spiritual and religious guidance, enhancing interfaith dialogue and cohabitation.

Archbishop Atallah Hanna, the Archbishop of Sebastia from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem opened the training by giving an inspiring prayer and speech. He then discussed with the participants various issues vis-à-vis what it means to be a Christian in the Holy Land and what it means to be the salt of the earth. At the end, he blessed the Upper Room Mission and thanked the team of the URM for their dedication

and commitment to maintain the Christian presence and witness in the Holy Land and encouraged them to intensify their efforts.

The Upper Room Mission would like to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2022 in good health at all times.

As a recognition and acknowledgement of the Upper Room Mission initiative, Bishop Emeritus of the ELCJHL Dr. Munib Younan has given his blessings and an endorsement letter for the work we are doing.

Tony Khashram (KCTJ) – CEO