The Churches for Middle East Peace delegation, headed by Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon and Christopher Huth, Middle East Partnerships Manager, was received by Rev. Dr. André Zaki, President of the Evangelical Church in Egypt. The meeting was attended by Mr. Momtaz Beshay, Vice President of CEOSS; Ms. Samira Luka, Head of the Dialogue Sector at CEOSS; and Mr. Youssef Edward, Media Director at CEOSS.

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is pleased to announce that The Rev. Dr. Stephen Murray has joined the organization as its new Chief Development Officer. Rev. Dr. Murray brings decades of leadership in philanthropy, theological education, ministry, and ecumenical engagement. He joins CMEP from Georgetown University, where he served as Senior Director of Development for Family Philanthropy and taught in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Throughout his career, he has held leadership positions at institutions including Ecumenical Theological Seminary, the Congregational Library and Archives, Barrytown College, Harvard University, and Yale University, while also serving congregations across several Christian traditions.

After over a year of determination, setbacks, and perseverance, Rev. Dr. Mae Elise Cannon’s journey to complete a full IRONMAN has become a powerful testament to the hope that peace is possible. Inspired by CMEP’s mission and fueled by a commitment to justice in the Middle East, Rev. Dr. Mae has continued training despite significant health challenges that forced her to postpone her original goal. As she prepares to compete in the Ohio Half IRONMAN in July 2026 and the full IRONMAN Maryland in September 2026, every mile she completes raises awareness and support for CMEP’s work to advocate, educate, and elevate voices for peace. Join Mae on the final stretch of this remarkable journey and help turn perseverance into lasting change.

On Freedom Day in South Africa, commemorating the end of apartheid and the birth of a democratic nation, a coalition of Christian leaders and institutions issued a joint statement linking the legacy of South Africa’s liberation struggle to urgent global calls for justice in Palestine and Israel. The statement was released by the Reformed Church in America (RCA), Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) and the South African Council of Churches (SACC), together with our ecumenical partners, the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa (URCSA) and the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC).

Churches for Middle East Peace (CMEP) is pleased to announce that the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) has joined as CMEP’s newest member communion, further strengthening the broad ecumenical witness for peace and justice in the Middle East. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is a network of churches and individuals across the United States and globally, committed to historic Baptist principles of freedom, local church autonomy, and global missions engagement. CBF advocates for justice, fosters vibrant congregational life, and equips leaders for faithful Christian witness in a complex world.

Churches for Middle East Peace join international humanitarian organizations in warning that Israel’s recent registration measures threaten to shut down life-saving aid operations across Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. If allowed to proceed, these measures would force dozens of INGOs to cease operations, cutting off food, healthcare, shelter, and nutrition assistance to millions of civilians facing extreme need. Humanitarian access is not political or optional; it is a legal obligation under international humanitarian law that must be protected.