Church-goers and church communities have given thousands of pounds to help alleviate the suffering in Gaza following Bishop Nick’s appeal last month.
More than 50 days of war now in the Middle East has brought widespread destruction with medical services and healthcare at breaking point and more than one quarter of Gaza’s population has been displaced.
Bishop Nick sent a personal message to every church last month urging them to join him in prayer and send support to the Diocese of Jerusalem which has launched an emergency appeal for the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza and last night said: “I thank all of you for your responses at this time of conflict in so many areas across the globe, and I urge you and your parishes to continue to help all those areas of crisis with your prayers and support in these challenging times.”
In Bedale with Burrill, Thornton Watlass and Leeming in the Ripon Episcopal Area, members of the congregation gave generously and also baked and donated cakes to sell on a weekly market stall in aid of the Gaza appeal while the congregation of St. Michael's in Malhamdale raised £300 in a special collection.
Churches across the Team Parish of Dewsbury have sent off £330 to JMECA The Jerusalem and Middle East Church Association. Bolton Priory raised £350 from a retiring collection for the hospital appeal. St Margaret's, Ilkley raised £400, Battyeford in the Huddersfield Area sent £262, Holy Cross Airedale in the Wakefield Area sent £95.63 and Wakefield’s St Andrew’s raised £276.
The two churches in Kirkheaton, Huddersfield raised £1134.26, through a retiring collection over two Sundays and further up the valley in Mixenden and Illingworth, the congregations raised £360.
St Oswald's and All Saints in Little Horton in the Bradford Episcopal Area have raised between them £237.40 for the Al-Ahli hospital and the curate Tim Launden at St James' Wetherby with Linton, said he was encouraged by the response of the congregations at all three of the services held at St James as they emptied their pockets to give to the appeal and together they raised nearly £300.
In Cleckheaton, Huddersfield, the three congregations there have forwarded several hundred pounds to the hospital in Jerusalem and members of all three churches attended the Iraq vigil at Leeds Town Hall. Vicar, the Rev Brunel James said members of the church were also reflecting on Archbishop Desmond Tutu's call for disinvestment from Israel.
This is one of the candles when the Cleckheaton churches’ joined the Iraq vigil at Leeds Town Hall
Many of you joined last month's vigil outside Leeds Town Hall to show your solidarity with all those being persecuted in Iraq and took part in the all night prayer vigil organised by Ripon Cathedral last Friday evening.
The vicar of Holy Trinity, Idle, Revd Robin Gamble said his congregation had been very moved by the Archbishop of York's week long fast and prayer for peace for the suffering world this week and some had joined him in prayer at York Minster while others had been fasting and praying with him and hanging white linen from their windows. The church has been open every night at 6pm for a short time of prayer.
In Barnsley, the Parish of S John the Baptist, Cudworth raised £310 for Bishop Nick's GAza appeal and the vicar, Fr David Nicholson said: “Like many of us across this diocese, we minister in an area of real hardship and deprivation and yet we have been touched by the response to Bishop Nick’s appeal for medical supplies.We have sent our contribution. It goes with our prayers for the Peace of Jerusalem, and the care of those injured by the bombs which hit Palestine with regularity injuring most innocent people.”