Please join us in offering continued prayers for safety, comfort and peace for those in the Holy Land. And a big “thank you” to all who continue to support our sales of Palestinian olive oil and related products. As I’m sure you are aware, current conditions in Palestine/Israel have made the shipping of these products difficult, which is why we had so few items at our Christmas sales. We are pleased to announce that the items ordered for those sales have now arrived, and we look forward to offering them for sale on Palm Sunday. Anyone who needs something between now an then can contact Marta Hamel or Dee Poujade and we will get them to you.


We are also pleased to announce that $1,000 in profits for recent sales will be donated to Global Mnistries to aid in Gaza relief efforts.


To date, UMCOR has awarded five emergency grants to local partners in Israel and Gaza. Partners are using funds for relocation support, food and hygiene kits for internally displaced people, psychosocial treatment and trauma counseling to women and children, and telemedicine services for disabled children in need of follow-up care, but without safe access to a clinic. We will provide additional updates as other grants are awarded.


In early October, Global Ministries issued a joint statement on the attacks with the World Methodist Council and the Methodist Church in the United Kingdom. On Friday, Nov. 11, The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church issued a call for peace. On Monday, Nov. 13, Global Ministries General Secretary Roland Fernandes joined Churches for Middle East Peace and thirty American Christian leaders in calling for support of an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation and restraint by all involved.