The original St Peter’s Anglican Church building in Jaffa has been closed since the Arab–Israeli War of 1948, lying damaged and disused. Both local Christians and the expatriate community had been increasingly calling for an Anglican presence and worshipping community to be restored, and to be able to offer ministry to Anglican Christians living here. Fr Kevin and Jen arrived in early 2021, at the invitation of the former Archbishop of Jerusalem The Most Rev Suheil Dawani, to once again provide Anglican ministry in Tel Aviv and Jaffa.
Jaffa is a place of great biblical significance. It is the historic Joppa: the place from which Jonah attempted to sail to Tarshish, the port where the cedars of Lebanon arrived to build the temple in Jerusalem, and the place Peter received his vision to go and preach to the Gentiles. Situated near the historic port, we hire and worship in the Immanuel Lutheran Church and also work with the staff of Beit Immanuel, a Christian Guest House immediately opposite the church, to serve the local Christian community in the cosmopolitan city that makes up modern Tel Aviv-Jaffa.
The focus of the life at Christchurch Jaffa revolves around living out the Christian faith by:
- Serving, praying for, and being part of the local community, in a spirit of peace, hope and reconcillation.
- Providing an Anglican presence for International Students and Christians working in the Diplomatic Community in Tel Aviv
- To aspire to live out the values and teacings we see in the ministry of Jesus Christ and the Holy Bible.