Document
Geneva, 10 August 2009
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ:
Grace to you and peace in the name of the Prince of Peace. We pray for you and for the deliberations before you as the United Church of Canada commences its 2009 General Conference in Kelowna, Canada. May God grant the participants wisdom and strength, and renew your spirits daily.
We are writing at this time to share and manifest ecumenical and international support for the UCC in its on-going work for peace with justice in Israel-Palestine. This is a cause the UCC has faithfully supported. It is one in which your efforts to speak truth to power and to discern just solutions with love have inspired other member churches of the World Council of Churches.
On behalf of churches in many lands we commend to you the words of the Amman Call adopted by the World Council of Churches International Peace Conference in 2007 in Jordan. Its challenges to the whole international ecumenical communities include:
- Hearing the voices of the Christian churches of Palestine and Israel.
- Mobilizing more and more constituencies in each church to influence change toward peace with justice.
- Risking curses and abuse for standing in solidarity with Palestinian brothers and sisters of all faiths and rejecting the possibility that occupation will continue.
- Working to tear down walls and to build up bridges of reconciliation and peace between peoples in the region.
- Sharing the hope that evil and despair have been overcome through the death of our Lord on the Cross and through His Resurrection.
The Amman Call lifts up the Gospel imperative for costly solidarity in seeking peace. It challenges us to stand together in common witness and service for a just peace. With shared concern for Palestinians, Israelis and all peoples affected by this interminable conflict, we send you this sign of solidarity, of partnership and of hope.
Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia
General secretary
World Council of Churches
