“Recent violence in Iraq has led Iraqi church leaders to issue a statement calling on ‘all government officials and political parties in order to give priority to the public interest and the security of citizens.’
“The statement, released Thursday 6 May, by the Council of the Christian Church Leaders of Iraq (CCCLI), came after an emergency meeting of the council in Qaraqosh. At the time the church leaders were responding to a 2 May attack in the northern city of Mosul, where buses carrying Christian university students travelling from the center of the district of Hamdaniya to the University of Mosul were bombed. One person was killed and some 188 men and women were injured, some seriously.
“Since then more attacks have taken place throughout Iraq according to news reports, although not all were against Christians. Attacks during the past few days have killed more than 100 people and injured hundreds of others.”
The statement by the Iraqi Christians closes by saying, “We pray to God to give comfort to the martyrs and a quick recovery to the wounded and to protect our country from all harm, and to restore to us the gift of peace and stability.”
Christianity in Iraq dates from the apostolic era. Presbyterians have engaged in ministry with the people of Iraq since the early 1800s.
Support for our sisters and brothers can take the form of prayer and contributions to the Peace Fund for Solidarity with the Churches of Iraq.
A bulletin insert designed by the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program, the Office on the Middle East, the Iraq Partnership Network, Reformed Church in America Middle East Office, and the United Church of Christ/Global Ministries Middle East and Europe Office encourages prayer with the Christians of Iraq and with all who are and have been affected by the conflict in Iraq.
There will be a mission trip to Lebanon and Syria this fall to meet fellow Presbyterians from Iraq, Syria and Lebanon. This venture is organized through the Iraq Partnership Network and the Syria-Lebanon Network of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and is sponsored and facilitated by The Outreach Foundation.