In 1962, foreign Christians established the Union Church of Tripoli. It is one of five Christian denominations in the entire country recognised by the government - but as noted by Middle East concern now faces eviction.
The church was built on a property the government gave them more than 50 years ago. In the chaos that followed the toppling of the Gaddafi regime in 2011, many rental contracts were terminated and land changed hands. A committee was set up to return a number of confiscated propererties to their original owners. The church building is one such property.
The situation is made more urgent by the fact that three other churches share the building with Union Church, and so all face eviction if the lawsuit by the heirs of the original landowner are successful in their efforts to reclaim the building. The church expects to be evicted.
A hearing is scheduled for August 23 to decide the case. The churches can not afford to purchase land or build a new building.
Please pray with believers in Libya as they face this crisis.
Pray for the leadership and congregations to know God's peace and be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit at this time.
Pray for a solution for to this problem - whether it be a gift of land and/or a building, or the ability to buy property in Tripoli , where most of the congregants live.
Ask God for the court to grant time for the churches to find a new location or at least an intermediate solution for worship facililites , prior to being evicted.
Thanks so much for praying, God bless. From an Open Doors USA text alert.
The church was built on a property the government gave them more than 50 years ago. In the chaos that followed the toppling of the Gaddafi regime in 2011, many rental contracts were terminated and land changed hands. A committee was set up to return a number of confiscated propererties to their original owners. The church building is one such property.
The situation is made more urgent by the fact that three other churches share the building with Union Church, and so all face eviction if the lawsuit by the heirs of the original landowner are successful in their efforts to reclaim the building. The church expects to be evicted.
A hearing is scheduled for August 23 to decide the case. The churches can not afford to purchase land or build a new building.
Please pray with believers in Libya as they face this crisis.
Pray for the leadership and congregations to know God's peace and be sensitive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit at this time.
Pray for a solution for to this problem - whether it be a gift of land and/or a building, or the ability to buy property in Tripoli , where most of the congregants live.
Ask God for the court to grant time for the churches to find a new location or at least an intermediate solution for worship facililites , prior to being evicted.
Thanks so much for praying, God bless. From an Open Doors USA text alert.