Interview with Dr. Souraya Bechealany, MECC Secretary General, on “Nidaa’ Al Watan”

The journalist Nawal Nasr in the highly influential political magazine “Nidaa’ Al Watan” in Beirut- Lebanon interviewed Dr. Souraya Bechealany, MECC Secretary General, about the Middle East council of Churches (MECC) as it happened to be the meeting of the Executive Committee in Bkerki to elect the new Secretary General on the 18th of September in bkerki, Lebanon.

Dr. Souraya Bechealany, the first woman to head such a position spoke with confidence and hope. She was Secretary General for the last two years.

The council was first founded in 1974, it consisted back then all churches, except for the catholic church that joined later on. Today it consists of all the churches in the Middle East.

Dr. Bechealany repeated “We are fed up” so it is up to us to take initiative and strategic positions with our Muslim partners to devote our strategic positions. The most important subjects we will be tackling:

· Taking decisions that are also the Council’s message and while emphasizing on the common mission.

· Every four years’ the Executive committee meeting elects a new family church; this year the orthodox Family will be handed the General Secretariat.

What are the strategic decisions? We are preparing for the Kairos Middle East towards churches global compact (Process). And we will be courageous enough to read the geopolitical Ecumenical situations with the whisper of the Holy Spirit.

Dr. Souraya Bechealany also added that each Christian has his own mission that is blessed by God, whether it’s here or abroad. But those who did not immigrate are the pillars and these are the people that reflect the Christian presence in the Middle East.

She then said that, it is true that the government is entrusted on its people but the church has to take care of her children. The church has to be a mother and a sister. and most importantly is that the council’s role is to put aside all the historical disagreements and to look forward because our Lord is one and he is Jesus Christ. Christians believe in diversity and so far the Ecumenical progress we have made is remarkable; nonetheless the journey is still long and it is not an easy path. She added, The Council has been working for four years on unity and its issues are technical.

Three issues that the Christians are facing in the east are tackled: Schools, Medical attention and housing.

If these necessities were provided, people will think twice before migrating. It is up to us to find solutions for such problems and I am sure we will find the answers if we rely in all we do on the Holy Spirit.

Click on the following link to read the full interview: https://bit.ly/3c7BcRt