Check out the latest opportunities and events from Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP).
It's the Dog Days of Summer:
Summer is tough for non-profits and our cash-flow is stretched thin. About 70% of our annual giving comes in at year-end. We're asking any of our supporters who can give to consider giving a donation this summer. Whether you can give $10 or $100 or more - every bit matters in this work for peace and justice. If you're able to commit to giving monthly, that provides stability and support to this work.
On June 29, 2022, In Defense of Christians and The Institute on Religion and Democracy hosted the annual IDC Ecumenical Prayer Service at the Cathedral of Saint Matthew the Apostle, Washington, DC. The theme of the 2022 IDC Ecumenical Prayer Service was "Solidarity with the Persecuted Church through Fellowship in Christ."
CMEP Board member, Rev. William T. Young IV, of the American Baptist Churches USA, participated on CMEP's behalf at the prayer gathering. You can view the video of that service below.
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is a coalition of national Church communions and organizations, including Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant traditions. Representatives from each of these bodies are the members of CMEP’s Board of Directors. Learn more about our Board.
Prayers4Peace:
Prayers for Peace (P4P) is CMEP's bi-monthly blog, and provides a way for Christians of diverse political and theological backgrounds to stand up for peace and unite in supplication to God with a special focus on prayers for the Holy Land. Prayers for Peace provides Jesus’ followers with the common language of prayer around which to mobilize their energy and passion for the land that gave birth to our faith. Prayers4Peace also provides us an opportunity to highlight the work of our Board member denominations and organizations.
What is P4P: Revisited?
At Churches for Middle East Peace, we understand that the work of holistic peacebuilding and advocacy is ongoing, and sometimes, the issues we faced in the past are still present with us today in a variety of ways. With Prayers4Peace: Revisited we would like to occasionally share some of our previous Prayers4Peace blogs with you that we believe are still important messages to us today. We hope that you are encouraged as you continue supporting in prayer those working towards a just peace in Israel, Palestine, and the broader Middle East.
Read the Latest Prayers4Peace: Grieving the Loss of a Prophetic Peace Activist - Dr. Ron Sider
Dr. Ron Sider was a prophetic voice in the name of peacemaking and the founder of a CMEP board organization (Christians for Social Action). In addition, he served as an advisor and teacher to two CMEP staff members. He passed away on July 27, 2022.
Advocate for Palestinian Children & Families: A virtual Advocacy Summit this August. Join Churches for Middle East Peace for a series of virtual events this August including a webinar, advocacy training, and virtual meetings with your elected officials. This summit will feature flexible scheduling to join parts live or watch recordings and the opportunity to meet others in your local community for a virtual congressional meeting. Accountability Matters will focus on the importance of Human Rights, specifically via the support of HR 2590: Defending the Human Rights of Palestinian Children and Families Living Under Israeli Military Occupation Act introduced by Congresswoman Betty McCollum.
Registration ends August 5! We hope you will join us!
Watch this video from CMEP's Delaware Regional Coordinator on why you should participate in this event.
Meet the Academics of CMEP:
Register to meet the Academics of CMEP on September 29, 2022 at Noon Eastern via Zoom to learn about the work each is doing. We’ll hear from:
Tala Raheb: Ambassador Warren Clark Fellow & a Ph.D. candidate in West and South Asian Religions (WSAR) at Emory University
Ben Norquist: Research Assistant & a PhD candidate in Higher Education, Azusa Pacific University
Jennifer Maidrand: Outreach Manager & a Ph.D. candidate in Bible and Cultures at Drew University
Kevin Vollrath: Manager of Middle East Partnerships & a Ph.D. candidate in Religion and Society at Princeton Theological Seminary
Facilitated by Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon: Executive Director & holds both a Ph.D. in American History with a minor in Middle Eastern studies from the University of California (Davis) and a D.Min in Ministry in Spiritual Formation from Northern Theological Seminary
CMEP celebrates our Executive Director's new chapter, "Problematic Pacifism: Pursuing Biblical Justice Toward Effective Change" in the new book The Gospel of Peace in a Violent Worldedited by Shawn and Marlena Graves and published by InterVarsity Press.
CMEP calls on the Biden Administration to condemn this new legal precedent, potentially legalizing settlement outpost expansion.
July 19, 2022: CMEP Says Biden’s Visit to Israel and Palestine a “Missed Opportunity” CMEP laments that the visit of President Joe Biden to Israel and Palestine did little to advance the cause of peace. While affirming the U.S.-Israel relationship and the billions of dollars of U.S. assistance that go with it, the President said almost nothing about the abuses committed by Israel with that assistance against Palestinians.
July 7, 2022: CMEP Joins Christian Faith Organizations in Support of Rep. Carson’s NDAA Amendment Regarding the Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh Churches for Middle East Peace joined 16 other Christian Faith groups in a letter to Congressional leaders in support of Rep. Carson’s amendment to the Fiscal Year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that requires the State Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in consultation with the Director of National Intelligence, to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation into the killing of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh.
