Father Charbel El Khoury, the Parish Priest of Our Lady - Amchit in Lebanon, and the Editor and Pesenter of the “Don’t Be Afraid” program on Télé Lumière and Noursat, visited the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, on Thursday, November 20, 2024, at the offices of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut.

During the meeting in which the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at MECC and Responsible of “The Platform of the Word,” participated, the attendees discussed the MECC strategic directions and future vision. In addition to the programs that MECC is currently implementing as well as the projects it is working to organize in the coming period in order to achieve the desired Ecumenical and humanitarian goals.

The video presents various reports about the Fourth General Assembly of the ACT Alliance International Organization, which was held in Indonesia, as well as an overview about the activities of the ACT Youth Pre Assembly, in addition to interviews with the General Secretary of ACT Alliance Mr. Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, and the General Secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Reverend Professor Dr. Jerry Pillay.

Photo: Albin Hillert/ ACT

Through its Service and Relief Department, Diakonia, the Middle East Council of Churches continues its efforts to strengthen social and economic stability within local communities. The goal is to provide individuals with the necessary support to improve their living standards in response to current economic challenges.

Operating through its office in Syria, the Diakonia Department has supported many small projects in the Latakia and Tartus governorates via the Livelihood Support Program. This initiative aims to empower project owners and equip them with essential tools for success and sustainability.

A total of 72 projects were supported, spanning various fields. These included a greenhouse, a motorcycle repair workshop, an event decoration center, a mosaic art workshop, a car wash, a candle-making workshop, a local restaurant, and dairy and cheese production. Additionally, there were other small projects addressing local community needs and providing a source of income for their owners.

As part of empowering children and developing their skills, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Syria’s Office, implemented many Psychosocial Support (PSS) activities for 375 boys and girls, in Damascus, Jarmana, Jdaydeit Artouz, Erbeen, and Dara’a. Hence, the video sheds light on these activities, which included life skills sessions, arts, theater, and collaborative games.

With the increase of daily stress due to the worsening security conditions in the Middle East and the world, it has become necessary to raise awareness about the importance of mental health and the need to take care of it.

In this context, the Saint Joseph University (USJ) in Beirut held an international online conference in the field of medical humanities entitled “Fatigue and Exhaustion,” on Saturday, November 2, 2024, with the participation of specialized speakers from various fields and University Professors, and the presence of the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, as well as experts, researchers and concerned attendees.

Report: 18 November 2024

In the wake of the security incidents that Lebanon is facing as a result of the war raging throughout it, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) hastened to launch a humanitarian campaign with the aim of helping the affected and displaced people in the country to overcome this ordeal and restore their usual lives with dignity. Hence, the Middle East Council of Churches continues its efforts during this emergency period in order to implement its relief and field work in response to the deteriorating humanitarian conditions.

In this context, MECC will be publishing a periodical report under the name of "Rescue Lebanon Update" which will keep you informed about the developments of MECC action as well as the overall situation in a context analysis perspective.

On the Occasion of the 12th Anniversary of His Accession to the Patriarchal See

On the Occasion of the Twelfth Anniversary of the Accession of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, and the 118th Successor of Saint Mark, to the Patriarchal See, the Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs extends, in the name of the family of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), his warmest congratulations to His Holiness, wishing him many years of goodness, blessings and holiness.

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) also wishes His Holiness Pope Tawadros II continued health and success in his Pastoral mission as a father and faithful shepherd of the Church of Christ, asking God to support him in his Ecclesiastical mission and bless his service through his witness to Jesus Christ and journey in the Vineyard of the Lord.

In light of the worsening regional conflicts and their increasing intensity, the war in Lebanon was nothing but a fatal blow for the people of the country, who are facing death, terror, displacement and destruction on a daily basis. The scene is tragic: many families are left without a safe roof to protect them, and there is complete destruction in various Lebanese regions...

Amidst all this suffering, Lebanon is recording an unprecedented rise in the number of internally displaced people, especially in shelter centers where the humanitarian need has become dire and urgent. Therefore, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) hastened to strengthen its field response to heal the wounds of the neediest and most affected people by the security situation, as well as to support them on various material, moral and psychological levels, in order to help them restore their decent means of living.