Christian love for Israel displayed on Welsh heights

Beautiful feet have once again ascended the mountains of Wales to announce good news for the people of Israel.

For the fourth year running, the North Wales-based Fathers House Sabbath Congregation has incorporated a strong message about Christian support for Israel with a great deal of fun, at the same time bringing extra meaning to the Prophet Isaiah’s statement: "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news…who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’" (Isa 52:7).

Wonderful Display of Advocacy

Christians from Holland joined believers from the Shotton, Deeside, congregation as they ran or walked 8km across the lovely Clwydian range carrying Israeli flags and dressed in Run for Israel t-shirts. The event was followed by a barbecue at a nearby mountain orchard.

Fathers House pastor Mike Fryer explained: “This mountain range draws over three quarters of a million walkers a year from all over the world and the wonderful display of Christian advocacy for Israel was seen by tourists who had come to visit.

“There was of course the odd anti-Semitic comment but the majority of tourists thanked the participants for such fun-loving and passionate support for Israel. Israeli flags and directional signs with Israeli insignia, displayed throughout the area, were left undamaged – re-enforcing the understanding among leaders of the event that anti-Semitism is a minority view in Wales for whom Israel is generally seen as a respected nation.”

Mike’s statement is borne out by a colleague of mine who tours churches around the UK teaching on God’s purposes for the Jews and finds the people of Wales particularly knowledgeable and responsive.

9^th Av

In another show of support for Israel, Christians are taking part this weekend in an initiative called the Nations’ 9^th Av – a date on the Hebrew calendar associated with many tragedies and thus used as a traditional day of Jewish mourning (falling in 2019 on this weekend, 11 August).

Followers of Jesus are using it as an opportunity to confess and pray through the atrocities committed against the Jewish people in the name of Christianity over the past 2,000 years.

Find out more at https://9-av.com/. 

Christians are running to declare their support for Jews.

Welsh Christians are taking to the mountains for which their country is famous to declare their support for embattled Israel and British-based Jews.

Led by former Israeli Defence Force commander Matan Dansker, members and supporters of the Fathers House Sabbath Congregation in Shotton, Deeside, will participate in an 8km run along the beautiful Clwydian Range in North Wales with persecuted Christians also in mind.

Fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy, “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news” (Isa 52:7), it follows a similar event last year and will be part of a weekend of activities from 3-5 August at which Mr Dansker, who fought in Gaza, will speak about what is happening in the Jewish state.

Congregational leader Michael Fryer is determined to respond to the rising hatred of Jews in the UK, where the official opposition Labour Party has adopted a watered-down definition of anti-Semitism.

He said: “This is of great concern to us all, so we are highlighting the issues faced by the Jewish community here along with the anti-Israel rhetoric – and an Israeli flag will again be flown at the highest point on the mountain.”

He adds: “Christians are also facing unprecedented persecution in many Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries with mass slaughter and rape being reported in Nigeria. At the same time, the basic tenets of our Judeo-Christian faith are being eroded even here in the UK where Christians are being prosecuted for refusing to comply with immoral practices.

“Fathers House stands shoulder to shoulder with the Jewish community in the UK and we support a number of charitable programmes in Israel. We also support pastors and orphanages in India and Myanmar [Burma] and will hear from those directly involved with these initiatives during this gathering. We will also have a video link with an orphanage in Myanmar during which our children will share with their counterparts in song and drama.”

For more information, see www.fathershouse.wales – details of the run’s location will be given out on request to those wishing to take part, whether running or walking.

Photos of last year's run. Left: runners celebrate their achievement. Right: cheerleaders encourage competitors.

Christians ascend Welsh heights in support of Israel.