Churches and Christian charities from multiple denominations are joining together to hope for an end to the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Believers and churches are being called to point out solidarity by those affected by the continuing violence, especially for Palestinian Christians, to hope for peace and to extend calls for a ceasefire, the return of hostages and a “meaningful peace process”.
The planned events begin on Sunday, when churches will hold a minute’s silence and say a prayer written by the Most Rev Dr Hosam E. Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem.
Part of the prayer reads, “By the ability of your Spirit, bring a speedy end to this cruel war, the discharge of all captives, take care of the sick and wounded, comfort for individuals who have lost loved-ones, and the opening of a pathway for a just and lasting peace here within the very homeland where your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, ministered during his earthly life; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and ceaselessly. Amen.”
Sunday 21 September can be the UN’s World Peace Day and coincides with an analogous call to prayer issued by the World Council of Churches.
On 24 and 25 September church leaders will participate in “Red Lines vigils” on the Senedd in Cardiff and Parliament Square in London.
A spokesperson for the organisations involved said. “There is a transparent and urgent need for churches within the UK to answer the escalating crisis in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. The gravity of the situation demands a united Christian witness for peace, justice, and reconciliation.
“We hope as many churches as possible will join us in these actions. We consider that by standing together, in solidarity with those affected by violence and injustice, we are able to amplify the decision for a direct ceasefire, the discharge of hostages, for a dramatic scaling up of the quantity of aid being let in, and for a meaningful peace process.”
In a separate Fast for Gaza initiative, Christians are voluntarily going without food for a set time period as a symbolic act of solidarity with the people of Gaza experiencing famine.
All the plans are being supported by, amongst others, Churches Together England, Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, the Church of England, Methodist Church GB, Catholic Bishops Conference of England, Cytun: Churches Together in Wales, Quaker in Britain and the charities CAFOD, Christian Aid, Embrace the Middle East, and Tearfund.
One church leader participating is Rev Helen Burnett, Vicar at St Peter and St Paul’s, in Chaldon, Surrey.
She said: “As the world watches in horror the deliberate decimations of a whole population – its fabric, its institutions, its people – a way of despair prevails and sucks away our energy, threatening our capability for empathy.
“For each of us, the red line was crossed at a distinct moment but here, on the opposite side of the road, it’s incumbent upon us, as people of religion, to face in solidarity with the suffering of the people of Palestine and particularly Gaza and the West Bank.
“Jesus prayed and acted for the oppressed, now we must pray and act for the people of Gaza and cry out for justice and peace, kneeling on that red line, and remembering the innocents are names, not numbers – they’re our sisters, our brothers and our neighbours.”
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