April 2023 CMEP Monthly Update

May 2023

Check out the latest opportunities and events from
Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP).

Meet "Stand with Iraqi Christians"

Churches for Middle East Peace (CEMP), The Episcopal Church, and Stand With Iraqi Christians (SWIC) host two leaders of the Anglican Church in Iraq while they are in the United States. The Rev. Canon Faiz Basheer Jerjes, MBE, and Sinan Hanna Karakash will speak on contemporary challenges for Christians in Iraq and their ministries with Internally Displaced People and refugees (respectively) in response to ISIS's 2014 invasion and destruction. Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, CMEP Executive Director, will facilitate the conversation. Please join us on Zoom at 2:30pm (EST) on May 10th, 2023.

Fast and Pray for Tent of Nations

Join Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and Daoud Nassar on May 12th at 12:30pm (ET) to pray together for 30 minutes over the upcoming court hearing regarding the farm's reregistration. The hearing will be on May 15th. Please consider fasting in a way suitable for you on Friday, as we intercede and pray fervently for justice for the Nassar family.

Film Screening & Talk Back: Two Kids a Day

On average, two Palestinian kids are arrested every night by the Israeli army. They are interrogated, tried, and sent to prison. The film Two Kids a Day describes the use of minors' arrests to control and repress Palestinian society. Join Churches for Middle East Peace on Sunday May 21st at 12 pm Pacific/ 3 pm Eastern for a virtual screening of the film and a conversation with the film director and co-producer. If you are interested in hosting a satellite screening of this event at your church, contact Jennifer at jennifer@cmep.org.

More Info and Registration

April Events

Advocacy Summit: We were thrilled to have many of you join us for our April 2023 Advocacy Summit. Participants were equipped to continue engaging in their community through action and advocacy. On Friday of the summit, 40 constituents represented at least 19 states in meetings with their elected officials on Capitol Hill!

Also in April, CMEP and Covenant Baptist UCC Church in DC hosted a roundtable conversation with several Palestinian Christian leaders about the intersections between African American and Palestinian oppression and struggles for liberation. The Joint Israeli-Palestinian Memorial Ceremony was a massive success, with over 15,000 Israelis and Palestinians gathering in Tel Aviv to choose peace. Thank you to all who joined in remotely. Finally, CMEP's Kyle Cristofalo facilitated the Faces from Palestine event at Saint Peter and Paul Antiochian Church in Potomac, Maryland.

Thank you to all who have helped support CMEP so that we can host these events, and for all who have joined us at events this April!

Protecting the Freedom to Worship in the Holy City

CMEP is deeply concerned about the challenges affecting Christians in the Holy Land and the shifting of the historic agreement of the status quo. Read this recent article by our Executive Director Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, published by CMEP member communion Christians for Social Action (CSA) called "Protecting the Freedom to Worship in the Holy City."

Giving to CMEP funds the research and writing of new articles by our knowledgeable staff, like the one above. Please consider giving so we can continue elevating voices from the Middle East.

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CMEP in the News:

Jewish Nationalism Fuels Increasing Attacks on Christians, Interview with Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Understanding Israel Palestine Podcast, April 28, 2023.

Palestinian Christian voices in the US congress, Milh Ilard, April 27, 2023.

CAIR Welcomes Congressional Letter Urging Biden Admin to Better Ensure Human Rights in Palestine, YubaNet, April 14, 2023.

Jerusalem Churches refuse Israeli restrictions on annual Easter vigil, Mondoweiss, April 13, 2023.

NGO Action News, United Nations Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, April 13, 2023.

Protecting the Freedom to Worship in the Holy City, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon, Christians for Social Action, April 13, 2023.

Alliance of Baptists reports ‘growing pains’ as it focuses on anti-racist mission, Baptist News Global, April 3, 2023.

53 Groups Urge Passage of Senate 502B Resolution on Saudi Arabia, Human Rights Watch, April 3, 2023.

Brethren Bits, Church of the Brethren Newsline, April 1, 2023.

This Month's Videos: Escalation Updates

During the escalations in April, CMEP's Middle East Fellow, Lauren Draper, worked to summarize the events in short video updates. Watch the April 8th update here, and the follow-up video from April 13th here.

Watch the Videos

CMEP is seeking a Development Intern

to support the Development Portfolio of CMEP, including conducting funder research, contacting donors, administrative support for grants, maintaining our donor database, producing data reports, meeting project-based needs as they arise, and offering day-to-day administrative support.

Learn More & Apply