A global ecumenical delegation in the cradle of Christianity
Below you may find the speech of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs during the visit of the WCC Acting General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr Ioan Sauca, at the head of a delegation from WCC including the Director of the Communication Department Mrs. Marianne Ejdersten, and the Person in Charge of Syria’s Programs Mr. Michel Nseir, to the MECC Headquarters in Beirut. You may also click here to read the full news of the WCC delegation’s tour in Beirut.
Dr. Michel E. Abs
Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches
From the gateway to the eastern Mediterranean and its pearl, Beirut, this ecumenical delegation came to the Middle East in order to visit spiritual leaders who historically constituted the pillars of ecumenical work.
The leading delegation came to visit Lebanon and the Levant at the kind invitation of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, President of the World Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches. Its visits will include Beirut, Damascus, Aleppo and their suburbs, either to meet our regional ecumenical leaders as well as to visit projects that constitute a model of ecumenical and human solidarity at the global level.
The visit of the ecumenical delegation with the impact of successive catastrophes and disasters in large parts of the Arab countries, our country, where we are witnessing a decline at all levels as a result of the siege imposed on them.
The decline includes general stability in various fields, which is reflected at the level of income, standard of living, status of prevention and medical care, quality of nutrition and housing, and the list goes on. Unemployment rates, school dropouts, deviances, domestic and social violence, crime, suicide drug addiction rates, and other evils of bad times, all indicate that our societies are under threat at their roots. Social capital has receded, leaving the stage for anomie and social disintegration to the extent that our societies gradually turn into fragments of social relations, despite the survival of isolated islands of groups that preserved their cohesive structures. For a century this country has been systematically destroyed spot by spot. Only in this region will you find the last people in the world who are still under occupation and under unacceptable conditions by all standards.
In this difficult time, a delegation from the World Council of Churches and the ACT Alliance moved to visit us and appraise our situation in a trend of Christian-Human solidarity well known to our sister organizations, our partners for half of a century of struggle.
The delegation that preaches peace and justice came, bringing with it all the love of the disciples of the Incarnate Master who took our place on the cross in order for us to have a better life.
The delegation came to tell us that it is concerned with us, with our destiny, with our life and our future as much as we are concerned.
The eagerness to come to us, assess our conditions, and remind us that we are not alone is a deeply considerate behavior.
Welcome to our midst, sisters and brothers in faith and humanity.
The Middle East Council of Churches is, as you have known it, a place of togetherness, love and dialogue, not only among Christians, but also among all constituents of our diversified societies, religiously, racially and ethnically.
During its five decades, as reaching its golden jubilee, the MECC formed a unique model of professionalism, objectivity and renewal. It is an institution highly interacting with its environment, monitoring its changes and transformations. It has proven its forward-looking capabilities since its inception.
The MECC that brings together the churches of the region, brings them together and dialogues with them as it tries to fulfill its duty as best as it can. However this depends on two matters: The first is the support provided to its endeavors by the churches of the region within their available resources. This support is meant to increase in the coming period. The second is the support provided to it by the international ecumenical family represented by the World Council of Churches and ACT Alliance. What optimizes this support is the competencies of the MECC Team which is impregnated with Christian faith and its humane manifestations.
Today we are in the post-twelfth General Assembly phase, which resulted in many recommendations and aspirations that we seek to achieve with all our energy, in addition to the on-going work of our programs, that are proceeding as usual and through which we face the challenges that are increasing day by day, despite our limited resources.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Welcome to the land of contradictions and tragedies. You came to us to share them with faith and courage. As General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches, I send my best regards to your churches, organizations and peoples and convey to you our gratitude for the solidarity that you have never ceased to show us in various forms.
The team here is eager to hear what you want to express to us, as well as to engage with you and exchange views and ideas about our common concerns.
You are welcome.
Dr. Michel E. Abs
Secretary General
Ras Beirut on July 7, 2022