Palestine: peace across the region

Friends at Bethlehem Bible College ask for prayer for peace in their region and for wisdom among leaders. Pray for protection over civilians – especially children, the elderly and the displaced. Pray for the church in Palestine to be a faithful witness to Christ’s love and truth. Pray for students at Bethlehem Bible College to be strengthened, not discouraged, and formed into courageous servant leaders. Pray for the College to continue their ministry with hope, resilience and integrity.

The post Palestine: peace across the region appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Middle East: more violence in Gaza

This week, the BBC reported 17 more deaths at the hands of Israeli airstrikes, artillery and gunfire in Gaza. In total, at least 466 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since 10 October 2025, the date of the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Pray for God to intervene so that this longstanding conflict is brought to an end and these nations can live in peace.

The post Middle East: more violence in Gaza appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Middle East: second phase of Gaza peace plan

According to Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a second phase of the US-brokered plan to end the war in Gaza is close, but key issues still need to be resolved. Pray for people’s hearts to be turned to peace and for these issues to be resolved quickly.

The post Middle East: second phase of Gaza peace plan appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Israel and Gaza: fragile ceasefire

Please continue to pray for people in Israel and Gaza, where the ceasefire remains very fragile. Pray for authorities’ and leaders’ hearts to be turned to peace so that the ceasefire can be strengthened and bring an end to the long-standing conflict. Pray for strength and protection for people in the region as they desperately hope and wait for the conflict to come to an end.

The post Israel and Gaza: fragile ceasefire appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Syria: reconciliation following clashes

Pray for representatives from Israel and Syria as they resume dialogue on security matters following recent deadly clashes between the countries. Pray for God to change people’s hearts so that both sides earnestly seek reconciliation and peace.

The post Syria: reconciliation following clashes appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Mission partners Fiona and Joel Kelling, currently based in Oxford for some training before they return to continue serving in the Diocese of Jerusalem and the Middle East, offer some specific prayer pointers this Christmas.

Advent is a time of waiting and penitence, as the world awaits the coming of the ultimate sign of hope.

While for us Christmas brings the joy of Emmanuel, God with us, for people in the Holy Land, the wait goes on.

Palestinians – Christian and Muslim, Druze and Samaritan – await an end. Not only an end to over a year of horrors following the brutal attacks of 7 October 2023, but an end to the decades-long occupation of Palestinian land, and an end to the injustice that continues to blight the people of the Middle East.

So as you approach the hope that Christ’s birth gives us, pray with us:

• for a lasting ceasefire, for the people of Palestine, Israel, and Lebanon
• for the return of Israeli hostages held in Gaza
• for the freedom of Palestinians held in administrative detention (imprisoned without charge). We particularly remember Layan Nasir, a young Anglican woman from St Peter’s, Birzeit, held since 4 April this year, and her parents Lulu and Sami, and all her family.
• for courageous leadership which embraces humility and vulnerability for the sake of peace with justice across the region

While we pray for this transformation and the repentance it requires, pray in the meantime:

• for all Christian leaders in the region, that they may be compassionate shepherds of their flocks, while being bold in their calls for peace
• for the Anglican healthcare institutions and all the doctors, nurses, administrators and support staff who work in them:
  • Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza City,
  • the clinic now operating in Al Mawasi on the southern Gaza coast, and
  • the Jerusalem Princess Basma Centre carers working on rehabilitation with children throughout the Gaza Strip
  • St Luke’s Hospital in Nablus in the West Bank
  • St Luke’s Rehabilitation Centre in Lebanon (closed because of the violence)
    
    that their work may continue to save lives, provide for those in need, and offer visible signs of God’s love for the whole of God’s creation.
• for communities in the West Bank, Northern Israel, and Southern Lebanon, who have been displaced by violence and the threat of violence:
  • In particular, for two families we know of, the Kisiyia and Daoud families, who are being threatened with eviction from generations-old, family-owned farms by radical settler groups;
  • for all those who cannot remain in their homes; and
  • for communities in the Galilee and Lebanon who don’t have access to bomb shelters to protect them from rocket fire.
• for our Palestinian Christian sisters and brothers in the Holy Land who feel abandoned, and
• that we may be stirred up to learn more and to take action, and commit ourselves to reaching out in friendship as one in the body of Christ.

Be informed and take action

These trusted organisations may be a starting point for deepening your understanding of the situation:

• Musalaha
• EAPPI
• Bethlehem Bible College

Joel says: “UK readers, write to your MP! I believe the UK should be exerting pressure to increase the provision of aid, suspend the export of weapons to Israel, and encourage meaningful efforts to build a lasting peace with justice.

“Read some Palestinian theologians from the region, such as Naim Ateek, Munther Isaac, and Yohanna Katanacho.”

More stories

Get our email updates:

SIGN UP

The post Israel-Palestine and Lebanon: how to pray? appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Three men in a rehab centre in Israel led by CMS local partner Wilhelm have made great steps forward.

Andy (name changed), who had been drinking heavily on and off since his youth in the Soviet Union, had tried three different rehabs at different stages in his life.

He has been living in Wilhelm’s rehab for over a year, and is doing well so far. He works as a security guard at a supermarket and is not tempted by the alcohol on sale near his work station.

He said that the rehab was initially like a refuge, but is now his home and family thanks to Wilhelm, who Andy sees as a mentor, friend and father figure.

Alexei finished the programme successfully, left the rehab centre to live independently and restored a good relationship with his wife. He is still attending services with the congregation connected to the rehab.

Alexander only spent four months in rehab, got better, found a job and went to live independently in a rented apartment.

It will be a real challenge for Alexander to remain sober and strong, but so far he is doing well and keeps attending church and rehab meetings.

Please pray that these three men continue making good progress and grow spiritually.

Related posts

Get our email newsletter:

SIGN UP

The post Steps forward in rehab appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

Israel/Gaza: peace

Please continue to pray for peace to prevail. Pray for an end to suffering, for remaining hostages to be released, and for comfort for all those who have lost loved ones or who do not know what has happened to friends and family.

The post Israel/Gaza: peace appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

As conflict rages in Gaza and in Israel, the church is present and continues to show the love of God in the region.

by Joel Kelling, 24 October 2023

In the midst of all that is unfolding in Israel and in Gaza, the church is present. Indeed, Arabs are named amongst those present on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:11), and there have been Arabic followers of Jesus across the Middle East ever since that time. They belong to a wide variety of denominations – from Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic, to Armenian Evangelical and Lutheran.

The continued presence and work of Christians in the Middle East matters hugely to me, and it is a great privilege that I am able to work alongside and for the church here as it exemplifies the love of Christ through acts of loving kindness, and a passionate desire for peace with justice for all.

The size and impact of the local Church in the Middle East

Even though things like conflict, immigration and relative birth rates have contributed to a decline in the Christian population throughout the region over the past century, the impact of the church strongly outweighs its numbers in society.

Despite the shrinking presence of congregations (in the mid 1940s, Christians comprised 20 per cent of the population of what is now the State of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, however today it is less than two per cent), the church as an expression of the body of Christ is remarkably unified in the region. The Middle East Council of Churches includes the Catholic Church and the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, who regularly pray together and do advocacy for the Christian presence and for peacebuilding in the Holy Land.

Anglicans have been active in the region since the mid 1800s. They represent a small number of the total Christian community, however they continue to contribute to the development of society wherever they are and they exercise an outsized practical impact on the communities they live in.

A complex context

To say that the church context in the region is a complex one, is something of an understatement. The Diocese of Jerusalem (which is part of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East) covers five jurisdictions – Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine and Israel. These are all places with different governments, cultures and demographic compositions. Across these lands, the church has about 30 parishes and an even greater number of institutions. As Muslim and Jewish populations make up the majority of people, the work of the Diocese has to be sensitive to how we show the love of Christ in ways that are appropriate for the context. Often, this is outworked through a presence of diakonia (service amongst others) – helping neighbours, refugees and those in need, and doing things like working to provide education and relieve suffering.

Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza

One amazing example of Christian care for those in need is the Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza. In addition to being founded by the Church Missionary Society in 1882, it has been directly run by the Diocese since 1982.

The hospital, which is supported through donations and is not-for-profit, regularly provides a free community clinic, surgery, emergency services and psycho-social support for children and caregivers who have been traumatised by war.

On Wednesday, 4 October, just a few days before the current conflict started, the Anglican Archbishop, Hosam Naoum, visited the hospital along with the Bishop of Norwich to meet with Suhaila Tarazi, the hospital’s indefatigable Director, and her amazing staff. They were shown the new facilities about to open – including a Chemotherapy Centre (only the second of its kind in Gaza, and co-funded with the Lutheran Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem) and a Children’s Rehabilitation Centre developed in coordination with the Princess Basma Centre. (The Princess Basma Centre is yet another Anglican facility. It’s located on the top of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and provides support for children with disabilities and their families from East Jerusalem and across the West Bank. It is led by another remarkable woman, Violette Mubarak.)

Sadly, as many of you will have seen in the news, the Al-Ahli hospital was hit by a devastating blast on 17 October.

Suhaila’s tireless work for Al-Ahli in the face of the hardships of the blockade are an inspiration, but there will be much work needed to repair and restore the hospital when this becomes possible. In the meantime, despite the damage, the hospital has continued to function as best it can, despite a shortage of fuel to power generators and depleted medical supplies.

Shelter for people stranded in the West Bank

As a result of the attack by Hamas on Israelis on 7 October and the subsequent war, hundreds of Gazan Palestinians were stranded in the West Bank, unable to return home. Some of these were people who were in the West Bank to receive medical treatment that is unavailable in Gaza, and others were day labourers in Israel who immediately lost their jobs and right to work in Israel following the attacks.

The Reverend Fadi Diab, the Anglican priest in Ramallah, is working together with the Lutheran church and others to provide temporary shelter, food and clothing to people who have been displaced in this way.

Education provision

Elsewhere in the Holy Land, Christ Church School in Nazareth in Galilee serves Muslims and Christians, teaching students tri-lingually – in Arabic, English and Hebrew – and in Ramallah in the West Bank, the Technological and Vocational Training Center supports 100 per cent of its students into employment directly from graduation. This is a hugely significant achievement in a society where there is high unemployment.

Support for people living with disabilities

Across the Jordan River, the Rev’d Jamil Khader serves as director of the Holy Land Institute for the Deaf in Salt, the only residential facility for deaf and deaf-blind children in Jordan.

It is a compassionate ministry that helps prepare both children and families for greater integration into society, through education, vocational training and the provision of hearing tests and hearing aids.

Throughout the history of the Institute they have worked in outreach into the refugee camps and communities of Jordan, serving Palestinian refugees for many years, and now, in cooperation with other disability charities, working inside Za’atari and Azraq refugee camps with Syrian refugees.

Peacebuilding through the church

Across the Diocese, the church works to build understanding and reconciliation between people of different faiths and backgrounds. This can be through education, healthcare or rehabilitation, or in supporting and encouraging conversation.

Organisations such as Kids 4 Peace (founded by the previous Archbishop, Suheil Dawani) and Jerusalem Peacebuilders, encourage leaders and young people to work together to bring understanding, fellowship, and friendship between Jews, Christians and Muslims of Palestinian and Israeli backgrounds, despite the great challenges in doing so.

A community of faith

The church is not only an organisation of institutions, it is a community of faith – of parishes filled with living stones, built on the foundation of Christ. Its continued existence is a present witness to the persistence of faith in spite of hardship (1 Peter 2.4–7; Ephesians 2:19–22).

These that I’ve shared are just a few of the stories and ministries of the church in the region. You can find out more through the Diocesan website (www.j-diocese.org) or on social media.

Archbishop of Canterbury’ s visit to Jerusalem

Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, recently visited Jerusalem and spoke during his Sunday morning sermon about the Diocese being ‘a church of love, mercy and forgiveness, [a church that] refuses hate, refuses to withdraw from the world, seeks to be a blessing to all, loving amidst chaos, cruelty and darkness, anxious yet persevering, angry and yet seeking reconciliation, confused and yet ploughing steadfastly onwards, divided and yet loving one another.’ He went on to say, ‘This is the church being the church, and the world around can do no more than wonder at the beauty of such a church.’ (22 October 2023)

Where do we fit as Christians in this conflict?

At this time, it is important that we, as people of faith, do not give up hope.

When we see people suffering because of the actions of a violent few, it can be hard to see what difference we can make. For me, prayer must be a cause of action and love, rather than only words. It might feel impossible to make a difference to the conflict in the Holy Land (even from where I sit just across the Jordan River), but we can make a difference where we are.

In reaching out into our own communities and showing the love and care of Jesus to those we meet – and by going out of our way to do so – even as the conflict has exposed ugly actions and emotions in our own communities, we can show gentleness and respect. As we perceive the image of God made in our neighbour and ourselves, we can pursue the path of peace and reconciliation.

We, the church, can be salt and light.

Joel and Fiona Kelling need your support to continue their work. You can donate to support them here.

Joel Kelling has been present in the Diocese of Jerusalem since 2015. He was initially a volunteer for the then Dean of St. George’s Cathedral, the now Archbishop Hosam Naoum. Since 2017, Joel has been a CMS mission partner working for the Anglican Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East as its administrator. He is also the regional facilitator for the Anglican Alliance, which works alongside the church to help connect, equip and inspire its action, particularly in development, relief and advocacy. Joel is currently based in Amman, Jordan, with his wife, Fiona, and their two children.

This article was first published by Tearfund, republished here with thanks.

Related posts

Get our email newsletter:

SIGN UP

The post Gaza and Israel and the Church on the frontline appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

CMS people in mission urgently ask for prayer.

The church is called to stand at the place where the world is in pain precisely in order that the spirit, the living presence of the loving God, may be there, groaning to the father from within the depths of the world’s pain, of our own pain…

NT Wright

With the catastrophic situation continuing to unfold in Gaza, Israel and the Middle East, and increasing violence of speech and action, it can be difficult to know how to pray. What we know is that people are in pain. And whatever else we might be called to do, prayer is not optional.

To help you pray, here are some short videos from our people in mission in the region.

Tanas Alqassis, CMS regional manager for the Middle East, Europe and North Africa, happened to be travelling in his home town of Bethlehem when the violence started escalating. He is still there, and shares an urgent message from his heart. Video recorded Tuesday 17 October.

Jennifer and Kevin Cable, CMS mission partners, normally based in Jaffa, are currently in Jerusalem, assisting people who have fled southern Israel. They give us insight into the constant fear local people are living with. Video recorded Monday 16 October.

Some ways to pray:

1. For peace. As followers of Jesus, the Peacemaker, we cannot give up on praying and being a voice for an end to violence and for true, just and lasting peace.
2. For everyone in pain – people in Israel, people in Gaza, everyone. We pray for healing and hope to somehow prevail. At the time of writing, we are particularly struggling to comprehend the agonising reports of destruction and loss of life at Al Ahli hospital in Gaza, which was founded by CMS. Lord, have mercy.
3. For an end to the anti-Semitism and Islamophobia that are reverberating around the world and that these would find no home in the Church.
4. For a ceasing of irresponsible sharing of misinformation and violent rhetoric online.
5. One of our local partners in Beer Sheva has asked: “I ask you to pray that now, when our people see that all the systems they have ever trusted – strong army, decisive political leaders, police and emergency services, etc. – are simply collapsing, they will truly start seeking the Lord and will find him in the midst of this terrible tragedy.”
6. For a revolution of love instead of hate.

“By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1:78–79

Get our email newsletter:

SIGN UP

The post Heartbreak in the Holy Land appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).

“My friend’s husband has become an alcoholic and is living on the streets. Can you help?” The caller didn’t know where else to turn.

The friend’s husband was called Vladimir – and his life hadn’t always looked like this.

Until a few months earlier he had been living with his wife in Israel, preparing to move to their home in Russia. But he stayed behind to tie up loose ends, and while alone he started to drink heavily. Soon, his life was out of control. He missed his flight to Russia, had to leave their rented flat and started sleeping on the streets of Tel Aviv. He had nowhere else to go.

But that phone call was to a team who cared. To Christians committed to seeking out those on the edges of society and sharing the love of Jesus with people who don’t realise he is interested in them.

Walking together to abundant life

Vladimir was invited to a Christian rehab centre run by Aviv Ministry, where he met CMS local partner Wilhelm. Wilhelm, himself a recovering addict, understands how incredibly hard it can be to escape the grip of alcohol and drugs. Having found freedom in Jesus more than a decade ago, Wilhelm is committed to helping others find the way to abundant life too. Thanks to the generosity of CMS supporters, Wilhelm is able to come alongside men struggling with addiction to help them discover new life in Jesus.

At the rehab centre in Be’er Sheva, Vladimir found a place to belong and to heal. He participates in devotional times with other residents and is very open to the gospel. He is sober and has started working outside the centre – and he may soon be ready to begin a new life.

Theory becoming reality

Alexander, another resident at the rehab centre, had been addicted to drugs for 30 years. He decided to follow Jesus 10 years earlier, but became disappointed and fell away. Over the next few years, he returned to faith several times: “Each time I would leave God, I felt an intense inner pain, and I would run to drugs and alcohol to silence it.”

When Alexander came to the rehab centre, God started revealing himself through the Scriptures. Wilhelm, trained in both counselling and biblical studies, offered support and a role model. What had previously just been theory to Alexander started to become a living reality. Alexander drew nearer to God, realising he needed to depend on God and be faithful. He says that now, God has finally become alive and real to him.

Seeds of potential

Wilhelm and his colleagues know there are many routes into addiction, and each individual’s story is different, but the way to abundant life is always the same: Jesus. So they continue follow Jesus’ example and spend time with people society has turned away from, offering them hope and new life.

Dov Bikas, head of Aviv Ministry, comments, “Many addicts come to us and leave after a short period of time. Some get well and return to normal life, some become true believers, while others may cut the programme short and leave too early – just to fall again into addiction. But still we can say that 100 per cent hear the gospel, get to know Christians closely and acquire an experience of living in a Christian home, and we believe that all these seeds have great potential to eventually sprout up and bring fruit in their lives.”

You can be part of stories like Vladimir’s and Alexander’s, as together we follow Jesus to the edges. Supporting local leaders like Wilhelm means they can continue to see lives transformed, as we join in God’s mission together.

Give

Let’s watch God transform more lives as together we support the willing hands and feet joining Jesus at the edges.

Through a regular gift to CMS you can stand alongside faithful workers like Wilhelm, who have experienced God at work among people driven to the edges. Together, we’ll see God transform more lives like Vladimir’s and Alexander’s.

An earlier version of this story was first published in June 2021.

Related stories

Get our email newsletter:

SIGN UP

The post From addiction to new life in Jesus appeared first on Church Mission Society (CMS).