On Friday morning at 1:00 AM we reported a fire to the Jerusalem police and fire department, which erupted in our church property on Prophets Street 55 in the center of Jerusalem.  The church property is known as the Jerusalem Alliance Church Ministry Center (JACMC).

Ten persons were sleeping in the church overnight facilities in the building at the time.  Nine persons visiting the Holy Land together as a group were from one of our churches in the USA.  One person was from a church in Denmark.  Members of this group alerted me to the emergency, and neighbors living next to our church alerted emergency agencies in Jerusalem to come to the scene of the fire.  Within 20 minutes emergency and ambulance personnel arrived to fight the fire and evacuate any persons that may have been remaining in our church building.

The main location of the fire was discovered to be in 2 lower basement rooms, which we had named Room Number Six and Seven.  By 1:20 AM the fire crews with hoses had located this fire and I saw 2 sofas outside the building (and positioned 1.5 meters outside these rooms) being heavily consumed in flames.  The flames in Room Number 6 were extinguished, smoke was cleared from Room Number 7, and the remainder of the church building was checked and emergency rescue teams and equipment were removed and departed.

All 10 persons had evacuated themselves earlier without serious injury. When the church building had filled with smoke, most of these persons had been awakened from their sleep by the smell of the smoke and quickly went to alert others.  After arriving outside, most of them went to the Bikur Cholim Hospital Clinic (located adjacent to our church building on Prophets Street) for medical check-ups and treatment.  After receiving timely medical care, especially for smoke inhalation, they were released at 5:00 AM in reasonably good health.  Some were still in minor shock and discomfort.

The police gave us no clue of who would be the persons behind the fire! The church is located near a very religious Jewish neighborhood.

But the Police did confirm for us today that it was arson.

This church building was erected by Christian and Missionary Alliance church since the start of the 20th century, was completed in 1914, mainly used for the serviced of believers who come from different backgrounds. An Arab congregation was established there and it continues to exist till our day and time. But after the 1948 was access to Arabs at that section of the city was limited, that why they had to allocate in the Old City of Jerusalem in the Christian Quarter.

Since 1967 the building served for many purposes besides being a sanctuary for worship. Hosted several international and local congregations, was used as a pilgrims house for so many years and since the beginning of the second Intifada was used by both the Israel college of the Bible and the Alliance Leadership Training Institute as a training center for leaders among the congregations in the Holy Land.

Ultimately we always desired our building to be a beacon of light reflecting Gd’s love to all people. Situated in a city that it’s enough divided by hate we seek to be an agent of reconciliation and peace to all parties.

We will continue to serve the Holy Land residents from this place, proclaiming peace and justice for all human beings, declaring God’s love for all of our neighbors, friends and enemies.

The Jerusalem Alliance Church Ministry Center
Rev. Jack Sara
Spokes person