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Usually I call upon
you to engage in education and advocacy actions directed toward U.S.
policymakers that will encourage constructive changes in U.S. policy.
Many individuals, congregations, and organizations look to CMEP for
leadership and guidance in interpreting and influencing what's going
on in Washington. And typically we encourage you to add your voice to
those of many others as a means of influencing policymakers.
As I write this
today, I am also busy finalizing a letter to President Bush (to be
released late next week) from a broad range of Christian leaders – the
heads of CMEP member churches, justice-centered evangelical
leaders, and the leaders of many Catholic religious orders. This
letter will focus on the threat that the separation barrier poses for
the Palestinian Christian institutions and for all the Palestinian
people. Jim and Holly are on the phones making Hill visit
appointments for themselves and for CMEP Board members. Anna is
emailing the Grassroots Advocacy Project volunteers about public
education opportunities in their communities. And in the middle of all
this, constant phone calls "interrupt" the flow of words and work and
send various ones of us off into different directions. ...It is a
somewhat typical afternoon in the CMEP office.
But I am also
taking some time away from our on-going work to ask you to support
CMEP with your financial gift. While the need for a strong,
evenhanded and ecumenical voice from the U.S. churches is growing,
CMEP finds its capacity for leadership and action limited by available
funds. As we combat a deteriorating
U.S.
policy toward
Israel
and Palestine (as witnessed by the press conference of President Bush
and Prime Minister Sharon two weeks ago), we ask you to help us
maintain - and increase - the important work we do for you, for the
churches, and for the people of the Middle East.
Holly has just
arranged for secure (128-bit encrypted) credit-card contributions to
CMEP (Visa, Mastercard and Discover) through our website,
www.cmep.org. Many people find this electronic form of
contributing to be convenient. And we'd really appreciate it if you'd
demonstrate how
convenient it is with a contribution in the next few hours or days!
For your records, you will receive email acknowledgment of your gift
as a tax-exempt contribution to CMEP, a non-profit organization. Of
course, anyway in which you are able to contribute -- including checks
mailed to CMEP -- remain always and very welcome.
Thank you for the
consideration that I know you’ll give to my request, and thanks for
all you do in support of
Middle East
peacemaking!
SUPPORT CMEP
Secure, online credit card donation
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