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Letter to Archbishop Hosam Naoum in Jerusalem

Published on 
December 12, 2024

This letter in PDF format

Yesterday, Acting Primate Archbishop Anne Germond wrote to Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem:

Dear Archbishop Hosam,

Grace and peace to you in the name of Christ, our Prince of Peace and bearer of hope.

On behalf of your friends in the Anglican Church of Canada, I write to assure you of our continued prayers following the recent events in Syria, including the departure of President Bashar al-Assad. We recognize the profound uncertainty and potential challenges this moment brings, and we stand in solidarity with you and the communities you serve during this tenuous time.

As you minister to the faithful in a region so often marked by conflict and instability, we pray for the peace of Christ to dwell richly among you. May his presence bring hope to those feeling the weight of fear and anxiety, and may the Spirit guide you and your clergy as you offer pastoral care and leadership to your people.

Please know that the National House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Canada joins in this commitment to prayerful support. Around our church we lift up the ministry of the lay people and clergy of the Diocese of Jerusalem and all those in the broader region who long for a just and lasting peace.

This week I attended a meeting of the Companions of Jerusalem. We began the meeting with a beautiful prayer from the Rev. Hatim Jiryis, of Christ the King, Ma’a lot-Tarshiha, Israel, which, I think, speaks fittingly to the present situation:

“O Lord, in the depths of life’s turmoil, amidst the weakness of faith and loss of security, and at the height of war and distress, we pray and say: We are in desperate need of the fruit of Your Holy Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, wisdom, daily guidance, and help from Your Holy Spirit. Our Father, hear our prayer in the name of Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

May Christ, the Prince of Peace, continue to strengthen you and sustain your community in the days ahead.

In Christ’s love and service,

[Signed +Anne Germond]
Archbishop Anne Germond
Acting Primate, Anglican Church of Canada

Explore related topic areas: Archbishop Anne Germond

Acknowledging the land and God’s creation

This acknowledgement is crafted in light of the Principles of Reconciliation by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada, as we seek to live faithfully in Christ and in right relationship with all. 

We give thanks to the Creator for this land, its waters, forests and all living beings, and for the abiding presence of Christ among us. From coast to coast to coast, these have been cared for and nurtured by First Nations, Inuit and Métis through countless generations. 

We honour the enduring relationship Indigenous Peoples have cultivated with these lands and waters, and the treaties and agreements that reflect these sacred bonds. We acknowledge the harms caused by colonial expansion, through frameworks like the Doctrine of Discovery and structures like the residential school system. We recognize our past failures as a Church, including disruption of connections to the land and suppression of Indigenous spiritualities. 

Guided by the gospel of Jesus Christ, we confess our need for healing. We commit ourselves to seeking truth, pursuing reconciliation and nurturing harmony with all creation. We place our trust in Christ, through whom all things are reconciled to God. 

May God strengthen us to live faithfully as stewards of the Earth. Let us walk in love, justice and reconciliation, joining in God’s work to restore all creation.