Local
Senior inter-faith representatives gathered with wider community members at St John’s Cathedral on Wednesday to pray for the people of Gaza and Israel during the ongoing conflict and for a blessing upon peacemakers
International
The World Council of Churches stands in solidarity with the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem as they condemn Israeli airstrikes that exploded at the Orthodox Church compound of Saint Porphyrios in Gaza on 19 October
The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, an ecumenical group of Christian leaders that includes the Archbishop of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East, Hosam Naoum, have issued a statement calling for peace, justice and reconciliation
During the 75th commemoration of what Palestinians refer to as the nakba, or “catastrophe”—when hundreds of thousands of people were uprooted during Israel’s creation in 1948—World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary The Rev’d Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay expressed solidarity with member churches in the Holy Land
“Shawarma is from the Arab-Middle East region, but a recent major tour company promotion described the shawarma as an Israeli delicacy. This is a far cry from the friendly tussle between Australia and New Zealand over pavlova!” says Helen Rainger, General Synod member and President of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Network
The World Council of Churches is providing resources – including a sample letter and ideas for distribution—that calls on the government of Israel and all governments worldwide to ensure unimpeded access to holy sites in the Jerusalem during upcoming Easter celebrations.
“Anglicans in Development (AID), part of the Anglican Board of Mission, has worked closely with the Ahli Arab Hospital for many years, chiefly in supporting its outreach to improve the health and future of underweight babies in Gaza. More recently, AID has begun supporting a new initiative that combines child nutrition services with educating mothers about nutrition,” says Dr Julianne Stewart
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