Professor Michel Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

The tragedy of organizations is manifested in corruption, deception, forgery, distortion of facts, pressure, circumvention of established regulations and procedures, and hypocrisy.

The organization, or the institution, is the backbone of modern society. It is an organized entity whose purpose is to serve the public interest through clear rules and transparent procedures. But when organizations are afflicted by corruption, deception, and falsification of facts, they are transformed from instruments of development into burdens on society because of the waste generated by corruption. This affliction is not a passing individual error; rather, it is a systemic deviation that strikes at three fundamental pillars: integrity, efficiency, and trust.

First: Manifestations of Organizational Dysfunction

1. Administrative and financial corruption:
This is the exploitation of public office for private gain. It includes bribery, favoritism, and the embezzlement of public funds. According to the “principal-agent” model in management, corruption occurs when the interests of the employee, the “agent,” conflict with those of the public, the “principal,” in the absence of effective oversight mechanisms.

2. Deception and falsification of facts:
This takes the form of manipulating data, falsifying reports, and embellishing fictitious achievements. This type of corruption is even more dangerous because it attacks the “organizational memory.” When decisions are based on false information, all subsequent policies become flawed.

3. Circumventing regulations and exerting illegitimate pressure:
This means bypassing laws and regulations under the pretext of “necessity” or “exceptional circumstances.” It is often accompanied by organizational hypocrisy: a double discourse whereby an organization publicly proclaims its commitment to certain values while secretly practicing the opposite…

On the occasion of the 255th anniversary of the construction of the Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary at the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Bzommar, a Church exhibition entitled “Testimony of the Spiritual Heritage” was inaugurated during a ceremony held on the evening of August 12, 2026. The exhibition presents a selection of artifacts from the Monastery’s museum, offering visitors a glimpse into the spiritual, artistic, and historical richness preserved by this landmark across generations.

Highlights on the Webinar About "Ecumenical Media: Mission and Ethics", Organized by MECC

Via the SAT7 TV Channel

A team from Danmission visited Diakonia and Social Service Department office of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in Damascus, on the 10th of August. The visit included an introductory session during which MECC team presented an overview of the projects they implemented in Damascus, Rural Damascus, as well as in Dara’a Governorate, in addition to programs and projects carried out in cooperation between the two organizations.

The MECC team also provided an overview of the mechanisms and channels used to communicate transparently with beneficiaries, including the work of the Complaints and Response Mechanism (CARM), as well as Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) mechanisms that accompany all stages of program implementation.

MECC and Danmission team also discussed the importance of the partnership between them in supporting the most vulnerable groups and contributing to meeting their basic needs.

Entitled "Faith is Action, Conversations on Palestine"

Organized By “Orthodox Christian for Palestine"

You can join the webinar via the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zwIpJ1LdT-22pTUHLrDDVg#/registration

Are Pleased to Invite You to the Ecumenical Prayer Service

Celebrating the Season of Creation 2026

Guide of the Season of Creation 2026 Celebration in Arabic and English: https://www.mecc.org/mecc/2026/6/23/the-middle-east-council-of-churches-issues-the-season-of-creation-2026-guide-in-arabic.

Global Webinar on the Occasion of the Ecumenical International Youth Day 2026

A Gathering Affirming the Importance of Youth in the Present and Future of the Ecumenical Movement

On the occasion of the Ecumenical International Youth Day 2026, a global online Ecumenical webinar was held under the title “Healing Spaces”, organized by the World Council of Churches (WCC), in partnership with ACT Alliance, Oikoumene Pasifika, and the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).

The webinar took place on Thursday, August 13, 2026, under the theme “Restore – Empower – Strengthen – Thrive.” It brought together youth from around the world, alongside representatives of many regional and international Ecumenical organizations and bodies. Among the participants were Ms. Maria Bzdigian, Project Coordinator in the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department, and Elia Nasrallah, Communication and Media Officer in the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department.

Choir of the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand

Choir of the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand

Entitled "Faith is Action, Conversations on Palestine"

Organized By “Orthodox Christian for Palestine"

You can join the webinar via the following link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zwIpJ1LdT-22pTUHLrDDVg#/registration

Organized By MECC

You can join this webinar through the following Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86864203294?pwd=7KJDrYiNKaSuFtViTB3BlKwTaxUOah.1

Produced by MECC

Mrs. Eugenia Ghabach and Father De Gaulle Tannous, Priest of the Saint John the Baptist Parish in Safinat Al-Dreib, Akkar: "The church is the family home, and we must draw strength and courage from the example of Saint John the Baptist"

A Webinar on the Occasion of the Ecumenical International Youth Day 2026

Healing begins when we make space for one another.

In a world carrying the weight of conflict, uncertainty, grief, and change, we are invited to pause, listen, and journey together toward healing.

Join young people from across the globe for Ecumenical International Youth Day 2026 as we gather around the theme Healing Spaces—creating communities where restoration, hope, and peace can flourish.

“Momentum”

10-8-2026

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 "Religious Dialogue: Its Principles and Role in Safeguarding Civil Peace".

You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/4c9f5101059d/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.

Professor Michel Abs

The secretary general of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Recently, the media and social media platforms were abuzz over a discussion of a purely religious nature between a person who had converted from one religion to another and someone criticizing that conversion. The discussion sparked a wave of fierce and heated controversy among followers of different religions, to the point that we may describe it as a kind of cyber civil war taking place in the virtual world.

Since the Middle East Council of Churches is one of the pioneering bodies in the field of dialogue, as stated in its founding documents, and since its institutions are active in dialogue at all levels, we find it necessary to reiterate our perspective on this matter, a perspective that is the product of five decades of experience and practical engagement.

Dialogue is a noble human value and a civilized means of communication among people. In pluralistic societies, dialogue becomes an existential necessity rather than an intellectual luxury. Yet the notion of “religious dialogue” carries particular sensitivity because it touches upon what lies deepest within the human person: faith, identity, and sacred beliefs. It is therefore essential to establish principles and safeguards for such dialogue so that it does not turn from a bridge of understanding into an instrument of destruction.

Why is religious dialogue not suitable for the general public?…

With Archimandrite George Yaacoub, Abbot of the Patriarchal Monastery of Our Lady of Balamand