Gaza Letter & Prayer for Lasting Peace
November 2025
Dear Covenant Friends,
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God. (Matthew 5:9)
Over the past two years, we have seen devastating events in Israel and Gaza. I mourn the loss and kidnapping of innocent Israeli lives caused by Hamas’s attack on October 7th, 2023. That was an act of incredible evil. Similarly, I am heartbroken by the unimaginable situation in Gaza, where Israeli military strikes have resulted in tens of thousands of deaths, the destruction of neighbourhoods and cities, and human suffering due to shortages of water, food, and medical care.
What should we do? What can we do? I believe there are several meaningful steps we can take. First, we should raise our voices, along with many other followers of Jesus, to clearly and unequivocally state that violence is not the way of Christ. All humans are created in God’s image, and because of their inherent dignity and worth, we oppose actions that kill or harm others. My aim in making this statement is to strongly remind each other that Christ calls us to be peacemakers. I hope and pray we can sincerely say, ‘Lord, have mercy,’ and raise our voices to God and others, asking for an end to violence and human suffering.
More practically, as aid is now reaching Gaza, would you consider making a financial contribution to our humanitarian partner, Tearfund Canada? Through Tearfund, much-needed food is being distributed to households in Gaza. You can donate by visiting: https://tearfund.ca/donate/ and selecting “Emergency Relief Fund”. Thank you for your generosity.
Finally, would you join me in prayer? Peacemaking runs in our blood as followers of Jesus Christ, the one who sacrificed His life to establish peace for all and called us to the blessed life of peacemaking (Matthew 5:9). The solution, if there is one, to the conflict between Israel and Palestine will not come through war but through a movement of God bringing lasting peace to the region, and through a renewed commitment to love our enemies, as our sisters and brothers in Gaza and Israel are demonstrating for us (Matthew 5:44).
Prayer remains our primary response, asking once again for God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. With that in mind, I invite you to join us for a Prayer for Lasting Peace on Monday evening, November 24, at 5:30 pm PT / 6:30 pm MT / 7:30 pm CT / 8:30 pm ET. RSVP to receive the Zoom link by visiting: www.covchurch.ca/calendar/prayer4peace
May God hear our prayer and inspire us to compassion.
Rob Peterson
President/Superintendent of the Canada Covenant
