In the darkest moments
In times of war, the calling of Christians must always be clear: 1) We must always gather and centre God--not fear, not temptation and not empire. 2) We must always resist propaganda and lies, even though they are a powerful narrative. 3) We must stand for justice and speak truth to power, no matter the price. 4) And we must always refuse hatred. As we walk this path together, we trust that even in the darkest moments, God is still at work bringing life and justice and dignity into this world. May we continue to remind one another of this.
– Omar Haramy of Sabeel Jerusalem at a special prayer vigil, March 5, 2026
CFOS statement opposing war on Iran
CFOS has posted a statement condemning the US/Israel military attacks on Iran. Without excusing the harsh repression of the current Iranian regime against its own citizens, the statement laments the deaths of many hundreds of innocent civilians including children. “Our faith teaches us that war cannot produce the peace rooted in justice that God desires.” It further notes that this violence has already accelerated Israeli violence against Palestinians as well. The entire statement is here.
CFOS also signed on to a civil society plea calling for immediate de-escalation, restraint, ceasefire and diplomacy instead of further militarization. This appeal was spearheaded by Nonviolence International.
Come and See, Go and Tell
The war on Iran has, at least for the time being, raised questions about whether CFOS’s next Come and See group will be able to travel to Palestine/Israel for its planned April visit. We at CFOS hope that air space over the Middle East will open in time for the group to make its pilgrimage. In the meantime, delegation leader and CFOS board member Dorcas Gordon writes, “our Palestinian friends need us more than ever to ‘come and see’ and to come back home telling others what we have seen and heard."
Observing Lent, preparing for Easter
Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice, a new program of Bethlehem Bible College, is offering Lenten devotionals. The theme is “Becoming Peacemakers in a Violent and Chaotic World.” “Listen to the witness and teachings of Palestinian Christian theologians. Join us as we reject the logic of violence and embrace costly love, preparing our hearts for Easter.” Sign up for their Lenten devotional mailing list here.
We remind you of the Lenten study guide prepared by US colleagues to highlight Kairos Palestine II: A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide. Find it here.
Additionally, Kairos Palestine will release its annual Easter Alert on March 20. This resource will include reflections and prayers for Maundy Thursday through Easter Sunday, as well as testimonies of current realities in the communities of Taybeh, Beit Sahour and Gaza City. Look for it on the Kairos Palestine website here and plan to use it.
Registration now open for “In the Shadows of Genocide” conference
CFOS is co-sponsoring “In the Shadows of Genocide,” a conference at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, May 14-16. This will be a “gathering of reflection, dialogue, and action in response to the ongoing genocide in Palestine and the role of Western churches and global faith communities,” and an opportunity to engage and respond to the Kairos Palestine II document.
Participants will hear from keynote speakers--John and Samuel Munayer (Palestinian Christian theologians), Sarojini Nadar (South African feminist biblical scholar) and Carmen Lansdowne (Indigenous scholar and former United Church moderator)—and will engage with others actively supporting the struggle to end apartheid, ethnic cleansing, forced displacement and genocide in Palestine/Israel. For more information and to register, visit the conference website here.
New WCC campaign: “From Condemnation to Consequences”
The World Council of Churches is conducting a campaign entitled “From Condemnation to Consequences,” running March 4-31. So often countries, prominently including Canada, issue bland diplomatic tut-tut statements after unignorable Israeli atrocities against Palestinians but offer no practical measures whatsoever.
This campaign calls on states to hold Israel accountable to end the illegal occupation of Palestine, and back the call with significant action that brings actual pressure on Israel to comply and to face “concrete, legally-grounded consequences.” It features stories from the ground, webinars, factsheets, and calls to action, empowering people with the tools they need to approach decision-makers and policymakers. Find all the campaign resources here. A recording of the campaign launch webinar is available here.
If you have not yet written to your Member of Parliament about the importance of Canada acting to hold Israel to account, this is the moment and here are the tools!
“Christ at the Checkpoint” conference program
Christ at the Checkpoint is the flagship international conference of the Bethlehem Institute for Peace and Justice at Bethlehem Bible College. Taking place in Bethlehem, from May 26-30, it will gather Christians from around the world “to dive deeply into questions of faith, peace, and justice with guidance and teaching from Palestinian Christians.” The conference program has just been released and is available here. Your attendance will be “a powerful act of presence and solidarity.” Register here.
Important webinars offered by CFOS partners
Taybeh is a historic Palestinian Christian town in the illegally occupied West Bank. In recent months, it has experienced repeated attacks, intimidation and damage to property and farmland. In many ways, Taybeh’s experience is a microcosm of what is happening across the West Bank. A webinar, featuring Father Bashar of the Christ the Redeemer Church in Taybeh, is being organized by Catholics for Justice and Peace in the Holy Land, for Saturday, March 28 at 1:00 pm ET. Register here.
The United Network for Justice and Peace in Palestine and Israel (UNJPPI) is hosting a webinar on Monday April 20 at 7 pm ET on “Becoming an Apartheid-Free Community.” Register for this webinar here. The apartheid-free movement applies the principles that worked to end apartheid in the South Africa context to Palestine/Israel. More information is available here.
“Across the Divide” podcast
Across the Divide features a podcast hosted on YouTube exploring “the intersection of Christian faith and social justice in Palestine and Israel. Through a diversity of voices, the podcast cultivates constructive dialogue on biblical theology, peacebuilding, and the pursuit of a just future.” The podcast is hosted by Daniel Bannourra, Palestinian Christian theologian and speaker at CFOS’ James Graff Memorial Lecture in 2024. Recent reflections include Reverend Munther Isaac’s Christ at the Checkpoint podcast, here. Access the entire series here.
Wondering about Christian Nationalism?
For an incisive analysis and rebuke of Christian Nationalism, listen to James Talarico’s sermon on YouTube, here. Talarico is a Presbyterian seminarian, a Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives, and a Democratic nominee for the 2026 US Senate election. The YouTube address is not recent but continues to draw views, now approaching 2 million.
News from Sabeel
Sabeel’s weekly topical Wave of Prayer email draws on specific experiences from the preceding week; you can find each week’s prayer posted on Sabeel’s fresh new website.
And don’t forget Sabeel’s weekly English online worship service on Thursdays at 11:00 AM ET. These services gather folks from around the world to read scripture, and to reflect, discuss and pray how these readings apply to life today, especially in Palestine/ Israel. Register here to participate.
A special interfaith worship service is planned for Saturday, March 14 at 2 pm ET.
The service will feature interfaith voices from Jerusalem and beyond for a sacred space of reflection and action. Sabeel hopes the gathering will help remind our communities that justice is the essential foundation for a real and lasting peace and security. Register here.