The Good Friday Offering
An Emergency Appeal for the Anglican Hospital in Gaza
On Palm Sunday, the Anglican Hospital in Gaza, run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, was hit by two airstrikes. Following the century-long tradition of the Episcopal Church to collect a special offering for the Church in Jerusalem on Good Friday, we will have a special offering in answer to this emergency appeal. I commend to you the recent letter from our Bishop.
The Good Friday Offering
for the Church in Jerusalem
Palm Sunday
13 April 2025
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Today, on the Sunday of the Passion, which we call Palm Sunday, the Anglican Hospital in Gaza, which is run by the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, was hit by two Israeli airstrikes. This is the fifth bombing of the hospital since the war began in October 2023. Our sisters and brothers are living in our own day the suffering of Jesus.
There was a great deal of destruction, but fortunately no one was hurt. However, the Israeli army gave only 20 minutes’ warning for an evacuation, and as a consequence a child, who was being treated for a head wound from a different incident, died because of the rushed evacuation.
The Archbishop in Jerusalem has issued a renewed call for all people of good will to intervene with their governments to end the violence, war, killing, and displacement.
For over a century the Episcopal Church has asked the faithful to collect a special offering for the Church in Jerusalem on Good Friday. All across the Church every year our congregations collect as much money that we can for our sisters and brothers in Jerusalem, and this year they need our help more than ever.
Therefore I am making this special appeal to all our clergy and people to pay special attention to this offering this year. Please ensure that this collection happens, and that the money is sent to the American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem www.afedj.org. If you can add more money to your collection from another source, please do that. If you would like to make a personal gift, do that, too. Our sisters and brothers need our financial help today more than ever, and this Good Friday Offering is the best way to help and to show our solidarity. I hope that all our communities are able to make a contribution, however modest, to support our fellow Episcopalians in the Holy Land.
May God give us peace, much peace.
With love and prayers,
+Peter
