 |  | June 28th News Bulletin Here’s what’s upcoming and what you may have missed at CMEP and in the news. | | | |  | Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa leads the Easter Sunday Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where many Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and rose from the dead, in the Old City of Jerusalem, Sunday, March 31, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa | | | Heads of churches say Israeli government is demanding they pay property tax, upsetting status quo AP News “Leaders of major churches have accused Israeli authorities of launching a ‘coordinated attack’ on the Christian presence in the Holy Land by initiating tax proceedings against them.” | | | | | | | | June 28, 2024: Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) Stands in Solidarity with the Churches of the Holy Land as Israeli Municipalities Attempt to Collect Taxes on Church-owned Properties Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) stands in solidarity with the Churches of the Holy Land as they undergo yet another attempt by Israeli municipalities to collect taxes on church-owned properties– a move that threatens the sustainability of the Churches to operate. CMEP recognizes the harm that these legal proceedings could cause to the ever-shrinking Christian community in this land. The Status Quo which has ensured religious freedom and harmony in the Holy Land must be protected. | | | | | |  | Gaza in Ruins -- Save the Children | | | Gaza’s Missing Children: Over 20,000 Children Estimated to be Lost, Disappeared, Detained, Buried Under the Rubble or in Mass Grave Save the Children “It is nearly impossible to collect and verify information under the current conditions in Gaza, but at least 17,000 children are believed to be unaccompanied and separated and approximately 4,000 children are likely missing under the rubble, with an unknown number also in mass graves. Others have been forcibly disappeared, including an unknown number detained and forcibly transferred out of Gaza, their whereabouts unknown to their families amidst reports of ill-treatment and torture.” | | | | | | | | | |  | Joint Prayer Service Join Churches for Middle East Peace and several of our member denominations as we gather on the steps of the United Methodist Building on July 24th from 9:00-10:00 AM to pray for an end to violence and military action in Gaza ahead of Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's address to congress. We will hear from an ecumenical group of Christian leaders prayerfully calling for (1) a permanent ceasefire,(2) demilitarization,(3) the allowance of humanitarian assistance into Gaza, (4) the release of Israeli hostages and Palestinians being held without cause, and (5) for the underlying conditions of the occupation to be addressed. | | | | |  | Action for the Holy Land - Join Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon and Rev. Nate Hosler at the Manassas Church of the Brethren on Saturday, July 13th at 6:00 PM for reflections on their recent time in the Holy Land. Participants will also hear action steps that both they and their communities can take to mobilize and be in solidarity with our siblings in the Holy Land. This event will also be live streamed. | | | | |  | CMEP Special Briefing: Reflections from May 2024 Travel in Palestine, Israel, and Jordan: Join Churches for Middle East Peace staff and board members for a special briefing on their May 2024 travels across Palestine, Israel, and Jordan, including the 2024 Christ at the Checkpoint (CATC) conference in Bethlehem. Our panelists will share their major takeaways from their travels and time in the Middle East, update constituents about how CMEP is continuing to show solidarity with our Palestinian Christian siblings, and reflect on the vital role the church must play in calling for peace in the Holy Land. | | | | | | | |  | | | More Information Coming Soon | | | Solidarity Sundays: On Sunday, July 21st, 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 early July, CMEP will provide resources to shape Sunday prayers, worship, liturgy, and other aspects of Solidarity Sunday services, including videos from Palestinian Christian 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 just days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is slated to speak before the U.S. Congress. Mark your calendars and encourage your churches to join us in this faithful call for comprehensive ceasefire and peace for all in the Holy Land. You will be able to choose from these four sub themes in order to best fit your community. 1. Solidarity Sunday: Standing with Christians in the Holy Land 2. Solidarity Sunday: Praying for Peace in Gaza and the Middle East 3. Solidarity Sunday: Calling for a Comprehensive Ceasefire 4. Solidarity Sunday: Working Together to Prevent Genocide | | | | | |  | | | Join a group of Churches for Middle East Peace's Regional Coordinators as they venture to Israel/Palestine in November 2024. This trip will highlight the spiritual significance of the Holy Land, the role local Christians play in the landscape of the region, meetings with religious and non-profit leaders in the region, and in-depth analysis and engagement with the current realities on the ground. This trip also includes attending CMEP's And Still We Rise Summit in Jericho. Join us this November 9-18th, 2024. Registration Extended! For more information or questions about this trip, please email ana@cmep.org. | | |  | | | Faithful Empowerment: A Holy Land Solidarity Pilgrimage for Women
Join Churches for Middle East Peace for a unique travel opportunity for women in November 2024. This trip will highlight the spiritual significance of the Holy Land, the role local Christians play in the landscape of the region, meetings with religious and non-profit leaders in the region, and in depth analysis and engagement with the current realities on the ground, all while emphasizing the unique call we have as women of faith to be peacebuilders in our homes, churches, communities, and the world. | | | | | | | |  | U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, right, and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stand during an honor cordon at the Pentagon on Tuesday in Arlington, Virginia. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
| | | U.S. war aid of $6.5 billion discussed during ‘productive’ Gallant visit Washington Post “The defense minister, who has had his own clashes with Netanyahu, told reporters at a Tuesday briefing that ‘our ties with the United States are the second-most important element for Israel’s security,’ after Israel’s own military. ‘We need American diplomatic and political support, power projection, supply of munition and more.’” | | | | | | | | | |  | Pennsylvania Bishop Daniel Gutiérrez, chair of the Social Justice & International Policy Committee, presents his committee’s resolutions to the full House of Bishops on June 23, the 81st General Convention’s first official day. (Randall A. Gornowich | | | Bishops pass 3 resolutions on peace in Gaza, Palestinian state, reject 4 other Middle East resolutions Episcopal News Service “After hearty debate and three amendments, the House of Bishops passed Resolution D013, condemning both Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and Israel’s retaliation against Hamas in Gaza. The resolution also asserts that peace can only come from a two-state solution to the conflict.” The Episcopal Church is a CMEP Board Denomination | | | | | | | | | | | | 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 | | | | | | | |
