AT LEAST NINE PEOPLE DIED AFTER A STRIKE OUTSIDE OF JERUSALEM AND ALSO A LAKE GENEVA CHURCH GROUP IS STUCK IN JERUSALEM TONIGHT AS MISSILE STRIKES CONTINUE IN THAT COUNTRY. THE ABOUT 30 PEOPLE WITH THE LAKELAND COMMUNITY CHURCH WERE SUPPOSED TO FLY BACK TO THE STATES ON WEDNESDAY, BUT THEY TELL US THEIR FLIGHTS WERE CANCELED. NOW, THE GROUP SAYS THEY’RE TRYING TO MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR TRIP, EVEN HOLDING CHURCH SERVICES IN UNDERGROUND BUNKERS. 12 NEWS SPOKE TO THE PASTOR THIS AFTERNOON. >> THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. WHEN THE SIRENS WOULD GO OFF, WE HAVE MADE GOOD FRIENDS WITH THE THE STAIRWELL BUDDIES THAT WE SEE AT TWO IN THE MORNING. AS THE SIRENS GO OFF AND THEN THEY GO OFF AGA
Lake Geneva church group stuck in Jerusalem due to U.S., Iran tensions
Around 30 people with Lakeland Community Church were supposed to fly back the United States on Wednesday.
Updated: 7:53 PM CST Mar 1, 2026
A Lake Geneva church group is stuck in Jerusalem as missile strikes continue in the country due to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.Around 30 people with Lakeland Community Church were supposed to fly back to the United States on Wednesday, but they told WISN 12 News their flights were canceled as much of the air travel in the Middle East has been shut down.”Throughout the night when the sirens would go off, we’ve made good friends with the stairwell buddies that we see at two in the morning as the sirens go off,” Josh Amstutz, lead pastor of Lakeland Community Church, said. “Then they go off again and you kind of go back on out there and you sit with them in your shelter-in-place spot.”The group said they’ve had to hold prayer services in underground bunkers, but are still trying to make the most of their trip.
JERUSALEM, Jerusalem District —
A Lake Geneva church group is stuck in Jerusalem as missile strikes continue in the country due to the US-Israeli strikes on Iran.
Around 30 people with Lakeland Community Church were supposed to fly back to the United States on Wednesday, but they told WISN 12 News their flights were canceled as much of the air travel in the Middle East has been shut down.
“Throughout the night when the sirens would go off, we’ve made good friends with the stairwell buddies that we see at two in the morning as the sirens go off,” Josh Amstutz, lead pastor of Lakeland Community Church, said. “Then they go off again and you kind of go back on out there and you sit with them in your shelter-in-place spot.”
The group said they’ve had to hold prayer services in underground bunkers, but are still trying to make the most of their trip.