May 30, 2025: ACTION ALERT "Letters for Gaza"

Join Churches for Middle East Peace "Letters for Gaza" action alert. "Letters for Gaza" is a U.S. coalition-led campaign mobilizing thousands of citizens nationwide to urge their members of Congress to support full, unrestricted humanitarian access to Gaza and an immediate halt to the bombardment of civilians. Members of Congress have the power to pressure the Trump Administration to use all diplomatic tools to lift the blockade and push for a permanent ceasefire. YOU have the power to influence your representatives and urge them to stand firm. Handwritten letters move members of Congress in ways that other forms of advocacy don’t. That's why we're asking you to take one simple but powerful action: Write one handwritten letter to your member of Congress — and ask a friend to do the same.

Beyond Horizons: Racing for Liberation

Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Executive Director of Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), is embarking on a bold journey of endurance and advocacy. As part of Beyond Horizons: Racing for Liberation, she is training for and competing in a series of triathlons to raise support for CMEP’s vital mission of pursuing peace, justice, and liberation in the Middle East.

On May 25, 2025, Rev. Dr. Cannon participated in a Half Ironman Triathlon (70.3 miles). Each segment of the race is dedicated to a cause close to her heart:

1.2 miles swimming for the people of Gaza, who continue to suffer without adequate access to food, water, and humanitarian assistance.

56 miles biking in remembrance of all who have lost loved ones—including those killed in the October 7 attacks and the over 50,000 Palestinians who have died in Gaza since.

13.1 miles running for the hope that peace might prevail—not just for Palestinians and Israelis, but also for Lebanese, Syrians, and others across the region who long for an end to violence and oppression.

This race was just the beginning. As she prepares to complete a full Ironman Triathlon (140.6 miles), Rev. Dr. Cannon is seeking to raise $1,000 per mile—a total of $140,600—to support CMEP’s work of advocacy, education, and elevating Middle Eastern voices

We invite you to donate $70.30—just $1 for every mile of last weeks race—to stand with Rev. Dr. Cannon and support the transformative work of CMEP.

Your gift will not only encourage Rev. Dr. Cannon through this physical and spiritual challenge but will also directly support CMEP’s mission to bring peace and justice to a region that so desperately needs it.

May 21, 2025: Kyle Cristofalo receives 2025 IRF Builders Award

CMEP is thrilled to share that Kyle Cristofalo, CMEP’s Senior Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, has been honored with the 2025 IRF Builders Award! Presented by the International Religious Freedom (IRF) Secretariat, this prestigious award recognizes Kyle’s tireless work to promote religious freedom, human rights, and just U.S. policies in the Middle East. His leadership in building multifaith coalitions and championing peace and dignity for all people in the region is an inspiration to us and to the broader movement for justice.

From CMEP's Own: American Catholics can’t look away from violence and death in Gaza

"It is difficult to face the grim stories and staggering statistics coming out of Gaza. But as Americans, whose tax dollars and political leaders have enabled Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza, we should not turn away. And as Catholics, who believe that every person is created in God’s image, we are called to be attentive. In processing the extent of the suffering, it is helpful to recall the foundational principle of our Catholic social teaching—that every child, woman and man possesses inherent dignity and the God-given right not just to survive, but to live well."

This piece was written by Jordan Denari Duffner, a member of the Catholic Advisory Council of Churches for Middle East Peace.

Women's Voice for Gaza: A Palestinian Christian Call for Justice and Life

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), CMEP's 'And Still We Rise' Women's Empowerment Initiative, and women around the world invite you to endorse this statement and share it widely to amplify Palestinian women's voices in this critical moment. Your support helps ensure that our call for justice reaches communities worldwide who can act to end the starvation of Gaza.

May 22, 2025: Across the Divide Podcast
 

On May 22, 2025, CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon joined Jen Maidrand on the podcast Across the Divide’s Touring the Holy Land series. She reflects on leading trips in Palestine-Israel, exploring the role of privilege when foreigners travel to the region and the complexities of encountering conflicting narratives and the systemic injustices that Palestinians endure. She shares how CMEP facilitates Christian Holy Land pilgrimages that uplift diverse perspectives from Palestinians and Israelis that can help foster transformative possibilities for Christian peacebuilding. 

June 2, 2025: CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon Publishes Article titled: “The 2023-2024 Israel-Hamas War: What Jewish Trauma and Genocide in Gaza Taught Me about Collective Liberation.”

This piece offers a personal perspective into the origins of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Tracing her journey from a secular Zionist home to working closely with Gazans in peace advocacy efforts, Rev. Dr. Cannon reflects on her decades-long involvement in faith-based Middle East peace efforts and their culmination post-October 7th. 

June 4, 2025: CMEP Elevates the Statement of Archbishop Elpidophoros on the Threat to the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine in Egypt

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) joins with His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America, in expressing deep concern and sorrow over the recent judicial decision by Egyptian authorities that threatens the property and spiritual mission of the Holy Monastery of Saint Catherine at Mount Sinai.

June 5, 2025: CMEP Stands with the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem: CMEP Condemns and Abhors the Attack on Al-Ahli Hospital and Calls for Accountability and Peace

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) echoes the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem’s statement condemning the June 5th attack on Al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City. This most recent attack resulted in 5 casualties, including 3 journalists and a child, as well as dozens of injuries.

CMEP Catholic Advisory Council Spring Mini-Course: May 14, 28, and June 11

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP), in collaboration with its Catholic Advisory Council, is excited to invite you to a special three-part Spring Mini-Course series taking place on May 14, May 28, and June 11. This event, hosted on Zoom, will explore how Catholic and Christian communities in the Holy Land are responding to the profound challenges of life under occupation and ongoing conflict. Together, we’ll examine key areas where faith-based institutions are providing critical support, including health care, education, and the defense of human rights and religious freedom. These conversations will highlight stories of resilience, compassion, and advocacy from those working on the front lines of humanitarian and justice efforts. We look forward to having you join us for these powerful and timely sessions.

Solidarity Sunday

On Sunday, June 8th, Churches for Middle East Peace and its 35 member denominations and communions call upon congregations in the U.S. and worldwide to pray for peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East as part of Solidarity Sunday. In mid-May, CMEP will provide resources to shape Sunday prayers, worship, liturgy, and other aspects of Solidarity Sunday services, including videos from  voices in the region. Resources will be ecumenically and politically diverse, allowing each community to shape their Solidarity Sunday around their own traditions and commitments. This day of prayerful solidarity and calls for justice comes as we observe the arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday.

June 12, 2025: Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and Reconsider for a Special Film Screening: There Is Another Way

There is Another Way tells the story of a group of visionaries who refuse to surrender to violence and injustice, and in doing so show that another path is possible - for them, for us, and for all humanity. As we are all faced with essential questions about who we are, will we choose collective liberation, where the needs, rights, and safety of all are prioritized, in which our humanity comes first, knowing that no one is free until everyone is free.

June 12, 2025: Webinar- What Can We Do? Public Advocacy and Storytelling for Justice and Peace in the Holy Land 

In this special one-hour session, hear from partners who advocate for justice for Palestinians and peace in the Holy Land, and learn how to be involved in your own context. We will hear from representatives from Churches for Middle East Peace, which works to mobilize US Christians to be advocates of equality, human rights, security, and justice for Israelis, Palestinians, and all people of the Middle East, the Friends Committee on National Legislation, a leading faith-based advocacy organization focused on peace and justice, and Palestinian Anglicans and Clergy Allies, a grassroots organization of Palestinians - both living in the land of Palestine and in the diaspora - who are members of the Anglican Communion worldwide, and the ecumenical alliance of clergy and seminarians who support them.

Church at the Crossroads September 11-13

Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and faithful witnesses from across the country for Church at the Crossroads, a national gathering of Christians who recognize that the church stands at a defining moment–Jesus is urgently calling us back to the narrow way of the cross. As violence escalates in Israel and Palestine, and some in the Church use Scripture to justify war, occupation, or silence, we must ask: Have we traded the gospel of peace for the false promises of security and comfort?
Rooted in Scripture and led by Palestinian Christian leaders, including CMEP executive director, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon—alongside pastors and peacemakers from across North America—this conference invites American Christians to engage in honest reckoning, prophetic reflection, and faithful action. Through worship, prayer, teaching, and fellowship, we are called to repentance, renewal, and courageous discipleship. This is a space to confront harmful theologies, rediscover the gospel of the Kingdom, and stand with all who seek justice in the land.

May 27th God's Earth, Not Ours to Own: Undoing Possession through Christian Hope

On May 27, CMEP was joined by a distinguished panel of guests, including Dr. Willie James Jennings, Mark Charles, and Dr. Ben Norquist to discuss how land is tied to justice and ultimately, peace. This robust discussion, moderated by Destiny Magnett, challenged us to carefully examine our faith and untangle it from the web of colonial ideals that have seeped in. Our time together ended with a reminder that hope isn't a feeling but a discipline, based on following God and the life of Jesus.

May 28 2025: CMEP CAC Spring Mini-Course Part 2: Building for a Peaceful Future: The State of Education
On May 28th 2025 CMEP's Catholic Advisory Council (CAC) was honored to host Br. Cerna and Sami El-Yousef for Part 2 of our new CMEP CAC Spring Mini-Course titled "Building for a Peaceful Future: The State of Education". During this webinar the state of schools and education in Gaza and the West Bank were discussed. Particular attention was given to Christian institutions that have been destroyed in Gaza and are under constant threat in the West Bank. 

Contact Us

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP)
110 Maryland Ave NE, Suite 505
Washington, District of Columbia 20002
(202) 543-1222  info@cmep.org