MIDDLE EAST PEACE & JUSTICE
The Ministry for Middle East Peace and Justice (MMEPJ) was formed at Grace in 2004, for the purposes of 1) educating its members and the Grace congregation about the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories, 2) building stronger ties to the Christian Church in the Holy Land, and 3) advocating for Palestinian human rights--and for justice, peace and security for all the people who live in the region.
Partner Churches in Palestine
Prominent in the ministry's activities is the support of an Anglican congregation that worships at two churches in Palestine: the St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Nablus and the Church of the Good Shepherd in Rafidia. The partnership remains vibrant through regular exchange visits. A group from Grace visits Palestine periodically to see the sites of Jesus' ministry, to visit our Palestinian friends in their homes, and to learn about the hopes and challenges experienced by Palestinian Christians today. To learn more about recent trips, click here.
Most years, teens in the Nablus congregations join Grace youth in the Tri-Cities Workcamp and spend some time in Springfield with us.
Further information about our partnership and how it developed can be found here.
Connections with Other Organizations that Support the People of Palestine
Through MMEPJ, Grace is a founding member of the Voices from the Holy Land, started in 2015, as an in-person series of films and panel discussions focused on the situation in Israel and Palestine.
Since the covid pandemic, the organization has pivoted to an on-line only event. The monthly salons include a variety of informative and compelling documentary films about the people living in the Holy Land. Experts join the panel discussions to give their insights. Through this online viewing and discussion program, Voices from the Holy Land has extended its reach, attracting participants from around our country and from beyond our borders.
MMEPJ participates in the Olive Oil Ministry sponsored by the Westmoreland Congregational United Church of Christ in Bethesda, Maryland. This consortium of more than 25 congregations in 8 denominations supports, through sales, Palestinian farmers, the Tent of Nations and other struggling Palestinian organizations.
MMEPJ looks to the denomination’s Palestine advocacy group, the Palestine Justice Network (PJN) for resources and educational opportunities. Co-moderated by Pastor Susan Wilder, PJN also provides information about opportunities to advocate with the US government officials on behalf of the Palestinian people.
Supporting Small Businesses, Individuals, and Organizations Working for Peace and Justice in Palestine
Each November Grace sponsors an Alternative Gift Fair, and the MMEPJ facilitates the inclusion of Palestinian causes and products. Prominent is the sale of olive oil and olive oil products. Proceeds go to support Grace’s partner churches in Nablus, clean water needs in Gaza, and the Tent of Nations, as well as olive oil producers in Palestine. MMEPJ also facilitates the expenditure of funds from the Grace Service and Mission Committee to support institutions of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem, particularly the hospitals it operates in Gaza and Nablus.
To purchase olive oil please contact Peter Smith.
Memory Walk Project
After the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the resulting loss of life, the MMEPJ has held a series of Remembrance Walks to honor war victims on both sides. The walks were inspired by Susan Wilder’s sermon of December 31, 2023, upon her return from a solidarity trip to the West Bank. For more information and schedule of upcoming walks, click here.
Since then, MMEPJ has provided financial support for two additional solidarity trips by Pastor Susan and other participants.
For more information, contact Kathy Drinkard.
