MECC Archive 2008

The World Council of Churches, Middle East Council of Churches, Lutheran World Federation, World Communion of Reformed Churches, World Methodist Council, Mennonite World Conference, Christian Conference of Asia, and ACT Alliance joined in expressing their deep concern regarding the humanitarian and social impacts of the widening conflict in the Middle East, and the threat it poses to the peace and security of the region and the world. 

With profound sorrow yet hope, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) condemns the artillery shelling that targeted Father Pierre Al-Rai, Parish Priest of Klayaa in South Lebanon and Former Chaplain for the South and Nabatieh Governorates at the General Chaplaincy for Prisons in Lebanon. This latest attack targets innocent civilians and clergy, constituting a violation of human rights and dignity.

Father Al-Rai chose to remain with his children and his land, refusing to abandon his Church and his home, no matter how great the dangers and hardships. He dedicated his life to serving humanity, upholding the message of love and peace, and serving all people without discrimination.

In the face of this tragic event that has shaken Lebanon, the Church, Klayaa, and the South, the Middle East Council of Churches condemns this criminal act and calls upon the relevant authorities to assume their responsibilities and take the necessary action to stop these repeated attacks.

MECC extends its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased, the parishioners, and his loved ones, praying that the Lord Jesus, who redeemed us by his death, will let him enter eternal rest. MECC also prays for the recovery of the injured people.

Christ is risen

Produced By MECC

Report from the Diakonia Department at the Middle East Council of Churches

Produced By MECC

The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abd Participates in this Consultation

The World Council of Churches (WCC) convened an online consultation on 6 March with heads of member Churches in the Middle East. Under the theme “Standing Together in Faith and Discernment in a Time of War,” participants met to reflect on the unfolding developments and the widening escalation of violence in the region.

“We are acutely conscious that in times such as these, the churches are called to stand at the crossroads of suffering and hope — accompanying the fearful, sheltering the vulnerable, and bearing witness to the God of life in the midst of destruction,” said WCC General Secretary Reverend Professor Dr. Jerry Pillay, describing the impetus behind the meeting. “Please know that the global ecumenical fellowship stands with you in solidarity and support.”

The online consultation provided space to hear the church leaders’ assessment of the broader geopolitical situation, including how they perceive current dynamics evolving in the days and weeks ahead. The WCC also listened carefully to the pastoral, humanitarian, security, and institutional challenges confronting Churches and communities, and created space for sharing these realities openly. The meeting provided an opportunity to discern together, in a spirit of prayer and ecclesial responsibility, how these developments affect all people in the region, and to reflect collectively on the role the World Council of Churches is called to play at this moment. 

“Momentum”

6-3-2026

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 ‘“The Necessity of War” and the Weakest Link’.

You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/35684b009297/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)

Analysts compete to explain the causes of wars, their trajectories, and the outcomes they will produce. People try to understand why their loved ones were killed, displaced from their homes, impoverished, or thrown into the depths of misery, often believing that what they see on the surface may answer their questions.

On the other hand, the social sciences attempt to analyze or explain wars in a scholarly effort to derive theories that provide an appropriate interpretation of this human madness called war. Yet, none of this erases or justifies the tragedies inflicted on people by the crimes of others.

Some researchers consider war a necessity of industrial or modern society, based on two justifications:

First, war is an economic necessity, as it stimulates the economy through wartime consumption, primarily the use of ammunition and weapons, and later drives investments when the war subsides, on the basis that reconstruction of destroyed areas or repair of damaged infrastructure is required. Victims are rarely mentioned in this context.

Second, war is a necessity of modernity, as it dismantles social structures that certain social groups may have grown weary of, replacing them with new structures acceptable to those previously dissatisfied with prior conditions.

The difference between the two interpretations is that in the first case, the beneficiary is the active participant in the war, who then reaps whatever gains are possible. In the second case, the beneficiary is often not an actor but gains secondary benefits from the actions of others. In other words, their gain comes incidentally or as a byproduct rather than as a primary reward…