Pray for peace. Give for war relief.

Dear faithful in Christ,

We have all been shocked by our newsfeeds this past week as the tragic events in Israel have unfolded. Graphic images of sights our Creator never intended us to behold now fill our imaginations. The words of Psalm 122, calling us to “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem” resonate deeply with us today.

In addition to prayer , many have asked for practical ways to respond. In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul calls for a collection for the Church in Jerusalem. While the reasons may differ today, I too am calling for a collection for the Church in Jerusalem for its current wartime outreach.

DONATE TO ISRAEL WAR RELIEF

CMJ, the Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People, has been active in Israel for two centuries. There are CMJ partner branches around the world, including in the U.S. and Canada. While its work has changed over the years, CMJ remains motivated by the call of Isaiah to comfort God's people so that “the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together” (Isaiah 40:1-5).

In 1849, CMJ consecrated Christ Church Jerusalem -- the oldest Protestant Church in the Middle East. A compound sitting on ancient property within the Jaffa Gate, Christ Church offers vibrant Anglican worship, fellowship, and discipleship in English, Arabic, and Hebrew. Its guesthouse, coffee shop, and museum welcome travelers and the local community, many of whom are Arabs or Jews. Many of us have participated in a Shoresh Tour, also based there. CMJ Israel also has other facilities and ministries around the country.

Staff members of CMJ Israel, under the excellent leadership of Canon Daryl Fenton, have poured themselves out in this crisis, and while their intention had been to begin an annual year-end campaign to meet operating needs in a season where financial resources are already limited, instead they have begun a collection for relief aid and support.

What is CMJ Israel doing in the current crisis? Its recent prayer letter highlights three areas:

1. CMJ is providing food, hygiene products, clothes, and children's toys for families who have been displaced from their homes in the south. The first delivery of supplies has already gone out to residents of the Be'eri village, parts of which were held hostage by Hamas militants until early Sunday morning.

2. CMJ is working with congregations and communities in the south of Israel to open its guesthouses to host families who cannot return to their homes or who want to get out of conflict areas.

3. CMJ’s online ministry in Arabic is working to stay in touch with its contacts in the Gaza Strip, many of whom are new disciples of Christ. There are at least a dozen families with whom CMJ staff members are in regular, hourly contact over the phone or social media, praying for them and offering counsel and encouragement.

Will you join me in praying for the peace of Jerusalem and the surrounding region?

Will you also consider a generous financial gift to CMJ Israel as part of the Church in Jerusalem? Donations may be made through CMJ USA.

While the peace of Christ does not yet rule on earth, it does rule in our hearts. We join with all our CMJ partners and friends in the blessed hope that even in these worst of circumstances “the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together.”

Yours in Christ,

The Most Reverend Doctor Foley Beach
Archbishop and Primate, Anglican Church in North America
Patron, CMJ Israel & CMJ USA

DONATE TO ISRAEL WAR RELIEF