 |  | October 20th Update Bulletin We are grieved at the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza. There is still work to do for peace and justice. Here is the work Churches for Middle East Peace has done in response, and how you too can take action. | | | | | | Briefing Document for Quick Stats CMEP Staff have compiled the following document in the days since the violence began Saturday morning, October 7, 2023. It outlines the unfolding events, names issues, provides a summary of key events, links to related statements written by and/or endorsed by CMEP, and additional biography of resources. | | | | | | | | | |  | | | CMEP is deeply grieved by the news of the attack on Saint Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza. We will be issuing a statement later today that will be posted on our website and shared on our social media channels. | | | Public Statements Addressing Key Issues in Israel and Gaza: - Additionally, Several Palestinian Christian organizations have joined together to write A Call for Repentance: An Open Letter from Palestinian Christians to Western Church Leaders and Theologians. Read their petition here.
| | | | | | Invite CMEP to come to you: On October 18th, CMEP Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon spoke as a panelist at Harvard Religion and Public Life for the event "Faith in Action: Jewish, Christian, & Muslim Solidarity for Just Peace in Times of Conflict" at Harvard Divinity School. Education and action is needed now more than ever. CMEP staff is willing to speak with your community about the crisis and how Americans can take action. | | | | | | | | Meet Assyrian Christians with the Assyrian Aid Society Learn about the Indigenous Assyrians and one of the earliest Christians from Mesopotamia from our friends at the Assyrian Aid Society. CMEP's Senior Director of Advocacy and Government Relations, Kyle Cristofalo, will be joined by Karmella Borashan, Outreach Director at the Assyrian Aid Society of America, and Younan Markhail, Head of the Assyrian Aid Society-Iraq. Hear about the Assyrians' struggle for survival and the people working to elevate the voices of the Christians still living in the region by joining us via Zoom on October 26th, at 1-2pm Eastern for this hour-long informative webinar. | | | | | | | | How are Christians to respond? We hope this special bulletin will provide some opportunities for reflection and engagement. CMEP calls our constituents and membership communions to Fill in the G.A.P. - Give - Act - Pray. (Ezekiel 22:30)
GIVE: We ask for support to amplify voices for peace at this critical time. The need for peace to prevail is as urgent as ever. Those who want to help are encouraged to support our advocacy for de-escalating violence and long-term solutions by giving to CMEP at https://cmep.org/donate/.
ACT: Take actions like contacting your members of Congress and calling on them to support a ceasefire, restraint, de-escalation of violence, and protection of civilian life in Israel/Palestine.
PRAY: We are praying all the time and we invite you to our weekly corporate prayer on Wednesdays when we gather in community for solidarity, comfort, and to beseech God for intervention.
We also invite you to our weekly briefings to catch up on the news and be able to ask questions about CMEP's latest response to what is happening. | | | | | | | |  | Give: Donate to partner with CMEP and amplify voices of peace as we increase our advocacy, education, and outreach efforts in this critical time. | | | | | |  | Pray: Read a reflection from Jamil Qassas, Speaker for Combatants for Peace on his experience this past week. Then, leave a comment with your own prayer for peace on our Prayers4Peace blog. | | |  | Pray: Churches for Middle East Peace invites you to pray for peace in light of recent events in Gaza, Israel, and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Register to join us next Wednesday. | | | | | | Hear from ASWR Coordinator, Tamar Haddad "As a Palestinian Christian born and raised in the Holy City of Jerusalem, my heart weeps for the inhumanities my friends and their children in Gaza are currently experiencing. Palestinians in Gaza spend every night in terror, yearning for the arrival of a new day to cast away the shadows of bombs. Trapped in an open-air prison and under siege, until now Israel denies them access to fundamental human needs: water, electricity, food, movement, and humanitarian aid.... Through ASWR, the Middle East team is able to educate, advocate, and elevate. To me, Palestinian human rights and liberation are a priority and the paramount element that gives meaning to my life. Being able to support this cause through my work at CMEP makes my job fulfilling. I will always be grateful for that." To read more from Tamar, and learn how she is working with CMEP to amplify Palestinian female voices, click here. | | | | | | | | 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 | | | | | | | |
