Bishop Peter on behalf of Canterbury Church leaders
Bishop Peter on behalf of Canterbury Church leaders and an Inner-city Ministers letter of support
Diocese of
Christchurch
Media Statement
Friday 15 March 2019
1.
This statement is being issued by Bishop Peter Carrell on
behalf of the leaders of churches in Christchurch city and
Canterbury province
Church
leaders are absolutely devastated at the unprecedented
situation in Christchurch this afternoon and our hearts and
prayers go to all involved. No religious organisation or
group deserves to be the target of someone’s hate –
regardless of beliefs. We stand for an Aotearoa New Zealand
which will never condone such violence. So across the
churches of Christchurch and Canterbury, we are praying for
our Muslim brothers and sisters, for those injured and those
who have lost loved ones, for the police, ambulance and
other emergency services, and for all in the city of
Christchurch who are feeling distress and fear due to this
event. We are upholding you all in our prayers. We pray too
for the shooter and their supporters, because for any person
to do this, they must have such hatred in their hearts, such
misalignment of the value of human life, that they too, need
our prayer. We thank many others from around our nation and
the world who are praying for peace in Christchurch.
2. The Christchurch Inner-City
Christian Ministers’ Association has also sent a
letter of support to the Muslim community in Christchurch.
To read it click here: Ministers Assn Letter of
Support.