Resources for Lent/Easter 2024

Give to our partner Kairos Palestine’s Easter Appeal, Pray for Gaza through the Stations of the Cross resources, join a Gaza ceasefire pilgrimage and other actions/resources for Lent/Easter.

Kairos Palestine Easter Appeal

Destroyed neighborhood in Gaza. (Yahyah Hassouna)

For many years, Kairos Palestine has issued an Easter Alert to our friends around the globe. We have described the effects of Israel’s brutal occupation, exposed its laws, policies and practices amounting to the international crime of apartheid, and called the church—through Scripture, reflections and prayer—to join us in insisting on our human rights and the right to determine our future. Your solidarity has helped sustain us.
But this year, the genocidal war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza compels us to issue an Easter Appeal for your financial support as well as your prayers, advocacy and lobby for the people of Gaza—our Muslim and Christian siblings suffering the physical, emotional, structural and cultural effects of a growing genocide on the part of the State of Israel. We are sharing the names of three respected Palestinian organizations, the staffs of which are present in Gaza addressing the physical and psychological needs of the people there. We boldly seek your generous financial support for the work of these trusted, effective organizations. [spacerheight=”20px”]

Please read our appeal, and donate as generously as you can to help the people of Gaza. Kairos_Palestine_Easter_Appeal_2024_final_website.pdf (kairospalestine.ps)

Solidarity in Holy Week: Stations of the Cross for Gaza

Our friends at Christians for Palestine UK have produced a wonderful set of resources focusing us on the way of the cross and the suffering in Gaza, and how we can pray during Holy Week. Here’s some more information:

Jesus knows intimately the suffering of every person. He is with them in their pain and sorrow. As Christians we cannot help but identify the slaughter of innocent people in Palestine with the sufferings of Christ. So we invite you to join us in following the Way of the Cross, to be alongside our Lord as he suffers for our sins, and to pray for Palestinians in whose suffering we are complicit.

You can download the stations below to pray and meditate by yourself or with others in your own church. We encourage you to share them widely, and to hold Stations dedicated to Gaza in Holy Week open to all in your community.

Stations of the Cross for Gaza – booklet with images

Stations of the Cross for Gaza – printable images (to place around your church)

Stations of the Cross for Gaza – words for leaders

Join us to pray and meditate the Stations of the Cross for Gaza:
Wednesday, 27th March, 6pm, at St John’s Waterloo, SE1 8TY

Followed by Silent Eucharist at 6.45pm.
All are welcome at either or both. St John’s is opposite Waterloo Station. It is fully accessible.

Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimages

Photo credit: Gaza ceasefire pilgrimages

This Lent we are pleased to support and encourage you to join a Gaza ceasefire pilgrimage and walk in prayerful solidarity with the people of Gaza.

There are currently pilgrimages being planned in 82 cities across 12 countries. In the UK plans are underway in Birmingham, Liverpool, Aldershot, Nottingham, Oxford and Somerset. You can find a full list of events and how to contact the organisers here: GCP: Cities – Public – Google Sheets

This initiative is being supported by a number of Palestinian organisations, including Bethlehem Bible College, Christ at the Checkpoint, and our partners FOSNA, Friends of Sabeel Australia and others.

To find out more and get involved please visit Gaza Ceasefire Pilgrimage | Walk in prayerful solidarity

WCC-EAPPI Easter initiative

Out of the Darkness – Easter Solidarity with the Holy Land.

Albin Hillert/WCC

The Easter Initiative is an annual activity of the WCC-EAPPI, setting out to connect the stories of Easter with current realities in Palestine and Israel, to spotlight the challenges of a life marked by violence, war and occupation alongside nurturing hope and highlighting groups and individuals striving for a just peace.

WCC-EAPPI Easter Initiative 2024 | World Council of Churches (oikoumene.org)

Lent resources from Sabeel-Kairos from previous years

Whilst we haven’t produced any Lent resources specifically for 2024, we would like to encourage you to revisit some of our previous years’ resources, which are still available and relevant.

In 2022 we produced our Lent series ‘Cry for Hope’ featuring 5 webinars with Palestinian and international speakers and a study guide for small groups. The topics covered included ‘Why was Cry for Hope written’, ‘The Christian community in Palestine’, ‘Is Israel an apartheid state?’, ‘Is it true you cannot follow the Gospel and support the oppression of the Palestinian people’ and ‘Why is it a Cry for Hope?’

You can download and access the Study Guide here: Cry for Hope Lent Study Programme Final

You can watch all of the Cry for Hope in Lent videos on our YouTube Channel here: (1) Sabeel-Kairos UK – YouTube