Christ Church is an Anglican church located in the town of Nazareth, Israel. Due to financial troubles the church couldn't be completed by 1871 and lacked its intended spire, until one was finally added 143 years later, in 2014. Nearby lies the famous Basilica of the Annunciation.

History

Christ Church in Nazareth is the last work of Swiss architect Ferdinand Stadler. Works at the site began in 1869 but construction was not completed when Stadler died in 1870. When the church was finished in 1871, it was the second Anglican church to be built in the Holy Land. The first is located in Jerusalem. The building was consecrated by Bishop Samuel Gobat, and Rev. John Zeller was the pastor at the time of its consecration. The Church Mission Society (CMS) provided many of the early missionaries who served at Christ Church. It served as a mission center for the region and ministry also took place in Mujeidal (today's Migdal HaEmek), Reineh, and Kafr Kanna (Cana of Galilee). A number of influential priests of the Church of England were pastors and missionaries who ministered at Christ Church or were based there. These include Frederick Augustus Klein, Michael Ka'war, Seraphim Boutaji, and Khalil Jamal; the last of which was essential in founding the Protestant presence on the East Bank of the Jordan. John Zeller (or Johannes Zeller, by his original German name) described worship at the church in the late 19th century with the following words: On 26 September 1937, during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine, acting District Commissioner of the Galilee Lewis Andrews was assassinated by Arab gunmen on his way to Christ Church.

Today

As of 2013 the church has about 40 families as members, and the membership is almost entirely Arab Palestinian. There is one Arabic-language service every Sunday morning. Excepting visitors, attendance is usually around 50.