anglican focus

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Israel

International International

World Council of Churches celebrates exchange of hostages and prisoners, prays for those still unjustly detained in Gaza

World Council of Churches general secretary The Rev’d Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay celebrated with families to whom loved ones have been restored in an initial exchanges of hostages and prisoners in Gaza: We pray that all the remaining hostages and all those unjustly detained will soon be released,” he said

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Christian Palestinian Imad praying in Arabic during an inter-faith vigil for Gaza and all Palestinians on the UN International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in 2024

“In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen. Almighty God, You are the source of justice and peace, the protector of the vulnerable, and the hope of all who trust in You. As we gather tonight, we come with hearts filled with purpose, seeking to honour the dignity of every life and to act as instruments of Your justice. In Gaza, Palestinian families are enduring suffering beyond words. Children are left orphaned, the sick lack healthcare, and countless lives are being displaced by the bombing. May Your mercy be their refuge, Your justice their shield, and Your peace their hope. Strengthen those who suffer and guide those who work tirelessly to provide relief and restore dignity. Lord Jesus Christ, You showed us how to serve with courage and compassion. You stood with the oppressed, brought healing to the broken, and proclaimed truth even in the face of persecution. Teach us to follow in Your footsteps, to speak truth boldly, no matter the cost, and to labour with love for justice and peace in Palestine and Lebanon. For Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, now and always and forever and ever. Amen,” prays Christian Palestinian Imad

Imad
International

Women in Lebanon: “Stop the Madness of War, Lebanon deserves to live!”

In the midst of the devastating war sweeping Lebanon, killing and displacing its people, the Women’s Pastoral Office of the Maronite Church in Bkerki, Lebanon has launched a cry and  issued a statement entitled “Stop the Madness of War, Lebanon deserves to live!” Abboud Mzawak, coordinator of the office, took time to reflect on the motivation behind the statement, some of the daily realities women are facing, and how women across the world can help

Reflections

“I try to put God at the centre of my life”: says Australian emergency medicine physician who recently volunteered in Gaza

“I sought God’s blessing and dealt with the ‘What if?’ scenarios through prayer. I knew that I needed to accept that death was very possible in Gaza. I wrote my will, cleaned my rented unit and gave a friend my car keys before I left — just in case. Because I wasn’t scared of death, I think I was more effective and focussed on my work in Gaza,” says British-Australian emergency medicine physician Mohammed Mustafa