Autumn/Fall 2023

I write to you from the Galilee where I am with a group of intrepid St. George's College pilgrims. St George’s College has experienced numerous serious disruptions to its ministry over the past fifty years and there is an institutional memory of surviving these great challenges. We are in another of those moments of deep rupture. Once again, it isn’t the result of the College’s mismanagement or errors of judgement. This crisis is brought about by an explosion of violence between Israelis and Palestinians which has resulted in atrocities by both sides causing devastating numbers of deaths and casualties. The College staff along with people of all faiths and none, mourn these tragic events and the grief and deep trauma which result. 

Pilgrims and tourists have fled in droves. There has been a rush to the airport even as there have been wholesale cancellation of flights. We have a group of 33 pilgrims with us on a study pilgrimage and it has been a profoundly challenging experience for them. Several decided to leave to return home. But 30 have remained, determined to do as much of their greatly anticipated experience that safety and sensible planning will allow. They feel confident in the College’s planning and assessment of direct risks and so, barring one day when we simply sheltered in place in the College library, we have have been able to offer an adapted schedule of visits to key holy sites in Jerusalem and Galilee. 

The Rev Rodney Aist, Course Director, the Rev Andrew Mayes, Chaplain, and I have been able to lead and guide the course with fortitude, in the best traditions of St George’s College, determined not to be daunted by events. F-15 jets have punctuated our visits, reminding us of the devastating realties nearby. We recalled, in our reflections, that Christ’s ministry was all about building God’s kingdom of justice, joy and peace. In the midst of such fearful times we are called to ensure that our words and works align with this mission too.

The Palestinian staff have faced very serious challenges getting to work owing to closed checkpoints for some and unsafe travel circumstances for others. But we have managed to offer a good experience for our pilgrims. These travellers from the US, Canada and Australia have been extraordinarily determined, patient and flexible. We hope and pray that they will be able to return to their homes as planned in a few days’ time, but they all know there is a risk that they will have to remain longer than planned. We are prepared to house them at the College, if necessary. We have had to cancel the pilgrimage which follows this one which is a blow to all. Will it be possible that this is the only cancelled course? We just do not know as the situation is dynamic. 

Far more serious than that are the realities on the ground for Palestinians and Israelis, especially for all those living in Gaza and those living in the environs outside the Strip. The implications for all the peoples of the Holy Land could not be more serious. Death, injury, grief, loss of homes and livelihoods is on a scale not seen in these lands since 1967. Everyone is shocked by the extreme violence which has broken out. All killings of innocents and targeting of children and women must be condemned. But the trouble has been brewing for years. A system which subjects two million West Bank Palestinians to military occupation and also incarcerates two million Gazans in an open air prison is unsustainable and will inevitably lead to extreme violence.

Exactly what can be done to change this reality cannot be agreed upon yet, but it is certain that change must come. This change must give Palestinians a viable and acceptable way to live their lives in freedom. May the God of all hope lead us out of darkness into God’s kingdom of peace and justice. It feels a very long way off but we cling onto that hope and we must realise that small steps in the right direction give us momentum towards that distant target which is our goal. 

Please continue to pray for peace in the land called Holy by three faiths,



The Very Revd Canon Richard Sewell

Dean

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem Unite in a Call for Peace and Justice Amidst Unfolding Violence

The Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, an ecumenical group of Christian leaders which includes the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Archbishop Hosam Naoum, have issued a statement calling for peace and justice amidst unfolding violence.

Their statement in full is produced below:

The Holy Land, a place sacred to countless millions around the world, is currently mired in violence and suffering due to the prolonged political conflict and the lamentable absence of justice and respect for human rights. We, the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem, have time and again appealed for the importance of respecting the historic and legal Status Quo of the holy shrines. In these trying times, we come together to raise our voices in unity, echoing the divine message of peace and love for all humanity.

As custodians of the Christian faith, deeply rooted in the Holy Land, we stand in solidarity with the people of this region, who are enduring the devastating consequences of continued strife. Our faith, which is founded on the teachings of Jesus Christ, compels us to advocate for the cessation of all violent and military activities that bring harm to both Palestinian and Israeli civilians.



We unequivocally condemn any acts that target civilians, regardless of their nationality, ethnicity, or faith. Such actions go against the fundamental principles of humanity and the teachings of Christ, who implored us to "love your neighbour as yourself" {Mark 12:31).

It is our fervent hope and prayer that all parties involved will heed this call for an immediate cessation of violence. We implore political leaders and authorities to engage in sincere dialogue, seeking lasting solutions that promote justice, peace, and reconciliation for the people of this land, who have endured the burdens of conflict for far too long.

In our capacity as spiritual leaders, we extend our hands to all those who suffer, and we pray that the Almighty may grant comfort to the afflicted, strength to the weary, and wisdom to those in positions of authority. We call upon the international community to redouble its efforts to mediate a just and lasting peace in the Holy Land, based on equal rights for all and on international legitimacy.

Let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul: "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace" (1 Corinthians 14:33). In the spirit of this divine message, we implore all to work tirelessly towards an end to violence and the establishment of a just and lasting peace that will allow the Holy Land to be a beacon of hope, faith, and love for all.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with us all during these challenging times.

- The Patriarchs and Heads of the Churches in Jerusalem

A Litany for the Restoration of Peace in the Holy Land

God of peace, we pray for the people of Palestine and Israel in these perilous and dangerous times.

For all who are fearful for the safety of their loved ones and themselves, we pray that the assurance of unfailing love, even in the midst of danger, settles upon them. Shelter them from despair and protect them from harm.

For all who are wounded, we pray they find healing.

For all who have died, we pray they find rest.

For all who grieve, we pray they find comfort.

For leaders on all sides, we pray for a renewed will to lay down arms, for the strength to put the grievances and wrongs suffered by their people to rest, and for the conviction to embrace a path of reconciliation and peace that preserves the rights and dignity of all of your children.

God of mercy, help us to remember there is no border that can separate us from your great love and protection, no stone that can sound the well of your deep mercy.

God of justice, we pray with hopeful hearts that your beloved children of the Holy Land will be spared a future of sustained violence and unrest and that a recognition of the humanity of all people will prevail.

We ask all this in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.



– American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem