Under the Theme “Living Water”

Beirut – Sunday, September 6, 2026

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) inaugurated the Season of Creation 2026 in Lebanon on the evening of Sunday, September 6, at the National Evangelical Church in Beirut, through an Ecumenical Prayer Service held under this year’s theme, “Living Water.” The Service brought together representatives of various Church Families in an encounter of Prayer, fellowship, and reflection on the gift of water and humanity’s responsibility to care for creation.

The celebration was attended by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and MECC President for the Evangelical Family, and the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, along with Bishops, Priests, Pastors, Monks and Nuns, Representatives of Churches, organizations and youth movements, as well as many believers.

The Prayer Service included hymns performed by choirs and chanters from different Christian traditions: the Laudato Si’ Choir with Subdeacon Charbel Bou Machrek Chanter Deacon Ghazar Koushkrian, accompanied on the piano by Hampik Marderosian, a choir from the National Evangelical Church’s youth, and the St. Theophan the Hymnographer Choir. Together, they presented a rich musical tapestry reflecting the diversity of Christian traditions in the unity of Prayer and praise.

And Celebrates the "Season of Creation” During this Month

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of September 2026. It includes the Ecclesiastical and Liturgical Feasts of the various Families of Churches in the Middle East. In addition to international days identified by the United Nations, and which are related to the MECC identity and its spiritual and human mission.

As well as, MECC celebrates the “Season of Creation” between September 1 and October 4, bearing this year the theme “Living Water” and the symbol “Immersion in Living Water,” inspired by Ezekiel 47:9 and 12.

The MECC Media Team Honored by His Beatitude

At the invitation of His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family, and in the presence of the Lebanese First Lady Mrs. Nehmat Aoun, and His Excellency the Lebanese Minister of Information Lawyer Dr. Paul Morcos, a dinner was held in honor of the Lebanese media, in recognition of journalists’ efforts and their humanitarian mission in serving people and society.

The dinner took place on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at the Armenian Catholic Patriarchate in Achrafieh, Geitawi, Lebanon.

The gathering was attended by many official, cultural, and social personnalities, as well as the Media Team of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), including the Coordinator of Media and Church Media Relations Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, Social Media Officer Johnny Anton, Communication and Media Officer Elia Nasrallah, and Documentation Officer Charbel Bastoury who was among the organizers of the event. Attendees were also journalists and representatives of media institutions.

مرصد فلسطين – تقرير الجمعة 4 أيلول/ سبتمبر 2026

In light of the worsening humanitarian and social conditions in the region due to the escalation of security operations, the Middle East Council of Churches presents a weekly report entitled "Palestine Observatory," which includes the latest developments in Palestine, especially amid the deteriorating living, social, and security conditions in the country. Some texts will be in Arabic, and some others in English, depending on the source.

في ظلّ تفاقم الظروف الإنسانيّة والاجتماعيّة في المنطقة جرّاء تصاعد العمليّات الأمنيّة فيها، يقدّم مجلس كنائس الشرق الأوسط تقريرًا أسبوعيًّا بعنوان "مرصد فلسطين" حيث يتضمّن آخر المستجدّات الّتي تشهدها فلسطين خصوصًا وسط تدهور الظروف المعيشيّة والاجتماعيّة والأمنيّة في البلاد. ستكون بعض النصوص باللغة العربية، وبعضها الآخر باللّغة الإنكليزيّة، وذلك حسب المصدر.

Produced by MECC

An Interview with Father Antoine Al-Ahmar, Director of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department, About the Season of Creation and the Feast of Creation

Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand – Lebanon

Produced By MECC

Together We Unite in Prayer and Work to Protect Our Common Home! 

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

The Ecumenical family around the world is preparing for an environmental Ecumenical season, a season that holds a lot of hope for glorifying, praising and thanking God the Creator for all His blessings and gifts. It is the “Season of Creation,” a station that extends annually between September 1, the Feast of Creation, and October 4, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Ecology. 

The Season of Creation is an Ecumenical celebration for praying and responding together to the cry of creation. Hence, its calls on us to renew our relationship with the Creator and creation by learning and working, through studying the Holy Bible and delving deeper into the Teachings of Jesus Christ, as well as through commitment to the environmental issue and making efforts to protect our common home, Oikos of God. 

As is customary yearly, the season adopts a specific theme and a special slogan. This year, we will unite around the theme “Living Water” and the symbol “Immersion in Living Water,” inspired by Ezekiel 47:9 and 12. Hence, when did this season start? And how was it launched?… 

By Saint Francis of Assisi

Performed by: The Glory of Heaven Choir

Video Produced By MECC

Awareness Sessions for Displaced People and Women from Host Communities

Produced by MECC

“Ecumenical Horizons” is a weekly program that features spiritual, cultural, intellectual, educational, youth and environmental topics.

“Momentum”

24-8-2026

This issue includes reports, videos, news, articles, and a full coverage of the latest developments of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), as well as the Church, Ecumenical, and social events…

This is in addition to the weekly word of the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs which is entitled in this issue "Autonomy in Organizations: Between Accountability and Governance".

You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/ee9f27c09e13/momentum-mecc-weekly-newsletter.

You can also subscribe to the Momentum Newsletter via the following link:
https://mecc.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?id=fd3381352a&u=1db32cafe9ea32b38eb90480a.

مرصد فلسطين – تقرير الاثنين 24 آب/ أغسطس 2026

In light of the worsening humanitarian and social conditions in the region due to the escalation of security operations, the Middle East Council of Churches presents a weekly report entitled "Palestine Observatory," which includes the latest developments in Palestine, especially amid the deteriorating living, social, and security conditions in the country. Some texts will be in Arabic, and some others in English, depending on the source.

في ظلّ تفاقم الظروف الإنسانيّة والاجتماعيّة في المنطقة جرّاء تصاعد العمليّات الأمنيّة فيها، يقدّم مجلس كنائس الشرق الأوسط تقريرًا أسبوعيًّا بعنوان "مرصد فلسطين" حيث يتضمّن آخر المستجدّات الّتي تشهدها فلسطين خصوصًا وسط تدهور الظروف المعيشيّة والاجتماعيّة والأمنيّة في البلاد. ستكون بعض النصوص باللغة العربية، وبعضها الآخر باللّغة الإنكليزيّة، وذلك حسب المصدر.

Emphasis on the Need to Strengthen Media Cooperation

Father Dr. Rifat Bader, General Director of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media in Jordan, Publisher of “Abouna” Website, and Representative of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for Media Affairs, visited the Council’s headquarters in Beirut on Wednesday, August 19, 2026. He was received by the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, and the General Secretariat team, in the presence of the Journalist Rafi Sayegh, from “Abouna” Website.

The visit took place as part of Father Bader’s participation in a seminar organized by MECC entitled “Ecumenical Media: Mission and Ethics,” where he delivered a lecture addressing the subject of Ecumenical media and the importance of its role today in serving the Church and society.