Persistent Hope: A Moment for Prayer and Thanksgiving
 13th October 2025

Dear friends,

As I write, the handover of Israeli hostages and the release of Palestinian prisoners is taking place.
We have held our breath over the weekend – as have so many across the world.
We want to pinch ourselves. Is this really happening? 
As is so often the way, after endless periods of pleading and petition - by people in Palestine, in Israel, and across the world — after discussions and negotiations, intransigence, agreements made and broken, killing and destruction, suddenly… Monday 13th October 2025 signals real progress towards ending the Israeli - Palestinian conflict.

One of our lectionary readings this month is Luke 18:1-8: the story of the persistent widow. It tells of a woman - voiceless, among the least in her society - who never ceased to cry out for justice. And at last, she was heard. Those in power moved.

Commentary on today’s events is only just beginning, but already we hear mention of the impact of voices on the ground - particularly over the past year, including the voices of ordinary Israeli people calling for peace for all.  The persistence of each one, has made movement by those in power, particularly, President Trump, more possible.

Over the last two years, many of us have felt powerless, unable to affect change. Yet we have prayed week in and week out for God’s wisdom to guide those with the power to make a difference. We must never underestimate the power of our voices — the voices of the people.

Will this, can this, momentous start towards peace be maintained? Obviously, we don’t know. The situation is volatile, and even by the time you read this, things may have changed.

But it is a pivotal moment in time.

So let us give thanks. Let us continue to pray and plead for God’s grace to be poured out - for continued progress towards peace, for comfort and healing, for resources to flood into
Palestine to rebuild homes and lives. For comfort for the bereaved and the hurt on both sides. For healing.

And let us continue to make the voice of Christ heard in our own communities, with renewed faith in the value of persistence — pleading for the vulnerable and the weak, pleading for justice.

And let us not lose sight of Ukraine.

Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

With every blessing,

Sue

Revd. Sue Baker-Maher