Dr. Michel Abs: esta experiencia es única en la región

El Comité Ecuménico para el socorro de Beirut celebró su reunión ordinaria virtual para hacer un seguimiento del proceso de socorro que el Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio (MECC) está dirigiendo en cooperación con representantes de las iglesias miembros, junto con un equipo de los diversos departamentos del Consejo.

Dr. Michel Abs: this experience is unique in the region

The Ecumenical Committee for the relief of Beirut held its virtual regular meeting in order to follow up on the relief process that the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) is leading in cooperation with representatives of the Member Churches, along with a team from the council’s various departments. The meeting was chaired for the first time by Dr. Michel Abs, the new MECC Secretary General, who praised this Ecumenical experience.

El canal de televisión Charity TV dedicó un episodio sobre el Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio en el programa matutino "Hawa Al-Mahba", en el que arrojó luz sobre el mensaje del Consejo, sus programas y aspiraciones en varias áreas. El presentador del programa, Chárbel Zougheib, comenzó el episodio con una entrevista con el Secretario General Dr. Michel Abs, quien expuso su visión y sus proyectos futuros.

The Charity TV channel dedicated an episode about the Middle East Council of Churches in the morning Show “Hawa Al-Mahba” program, where they shed the light on the Council’s message, its programs and aspirations in several areas. The program's presenter, Charbel Zougheib, started the episode with an interview with the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs who discussed his vision and his future projects.

Dr. Michel Abs, el secretario general del MECC inició sus visitas oficiales a los presidentes del Consejo para agradecerles su confianza en elegirlo como secretario general por cuatro años. Su primera visita fue a Su Beatitud Bechara Pedro card. Rai en la sede del Patriarcado en Bkerke. Estuvo acompañado por el P. Gabriel Hachem, el Secretario General Adjunto y director del Departamento Teológico y Ecuménico, la Sra. Huguette Salameh, directora del Departamento de Comunicación y Relaciones Públicas, y la Sra. Nina Hallak, coordinadora del Departamento de Diaconía en Beirut.

Dr. Michel Abs, the MECC Secretary General started his official visits to the council’s Presidents to thank them for their confidence in electing him as Secretary General for four years. Therefore, his first visit was to His Beatitude Mar Bechara Boutros Al Rahi at the Patriarchate headquarters in Bkerke. He was accompanied by Fr. Gabriel Hachem, the Associate Secretary General and director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department, Mrs. Huguette Salameh, director of the Communication and Public Relations Department, and Ms. Nina Hallak, coordinator of the Diakonia Department in Beirut.

The Theological and Ecumenical Department of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), organized a Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling program in partnership and cooperation with the Youth office and the Patriarchal Seminary of the Greek Melkite Catholic Churh - Rabwa. This program targeted a group of young people from different member churches, scout and religious movements. It aims at supporting the participants psychologically and spiritually, so that they can in turn, help others the same way.

The Theological and Ecumenical Department of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), organized a Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling program in partnership and cooperation with the Youth office and the Patriarchal Seminary of the Greek Melkite Catholic Churh - Rabwa. This program targeted a group of young people from different member churches, scout and religious movements. It was launched based on the recommendations made by the youth during two online meetings held by this TED department following the Beirut port explosion, in order to hear their aspirations and suggestions. The program aims at supporting the participants psychologically and spiritually, so that they can in turn, help others the same way.

As part of the follow-up to the practical recommendations expressed by the youth during the online meetings held by the Council of Middle East Churches on the 25th & 26th August 2020 and in the belief of their active role in the disaster relief of Beirut, the department of Theological Affairs and Ecumenical Relations, in partnership and cooperation with the Great Youth and the Theological Seminary Department of the Roman Catholic-Rabbwa Patriarchate, organize the program of "healing from psychological trauma and spiritual advice" on the 12th and 19th of September 2020.

Under the framework of the solidarity visit done by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican’s Secretary of State, to Beirut on the 3rd of September, 2020, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), represented by its Secretary General Dr. Souraya Behealany and the Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department, Fr. Gaby Hachem, participated in the reception ceremony. In addition, they participated in the meeting held by Cardinal Parolin with the spiritual leaders in Lebanon.

Thursday August 31, 2020

A delegation from the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) including Father Gaby Alfred Hachem, Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED), Sister Emily Tannous, Coordinator of the Department, and Mrs. Seta Hadeshian, representing Dr. Souraya Bechealany, MECC Secretary General, visited the Coptic Orthodox Church in Sin El Fil, to meet with His Eminence Anba Antonius, Coptic Bishop of Jerusalem, Lebanon, Kuwait and the Gulf and to welcome Coptic Monk Timon Al-Suriani, who was appointed as the new Head of the Coptic Church in Lebanon.

Télé Lumière - Noursat dedicated a weekly segment for the Middle East Council of Churches every Thursday in "AL Nour Maana" show, to discuss the latest updates regarding the MECC appeal as well its relief and development projects in Beirut.

On Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 August, the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED) held two virtual meetings with around 17 young people from various churches in Lebanon. These two gatherings were a follow-up to the youth consultation seminar held by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) on the 11th of July 2020, within the “Kairos Middle East: Towards Churches Global Compact” process.

Support to the devastated city of Beirut and to its distressed people

Christ is risen indeed He is risen! For two thousand years, Christians in the Middle East have been continuously proclaiming Christ’s Resurrection to express at the same time their faith and their confrontation with death, the greatest threat to humanity and creation. Due to its religious, cultural and commercial vivacity and its presence in the heart of the ancient world, their region did not really witness true peace except for intermittent periods. In fact, it was in most cases, a crossroad, a meeting place and starting point on the one hand, and an arena for conflicts and confrontations on the other. Due to raging conflicts and wars, for more than half a century, the Middle East has tremendously suffered violence, extremism and killing, uprooting its inhabitants from their lands and displacing them, tampering with their fate, and undermining human dignity.

Youth are a key pillar in shaping the future

As part of the “Kairos Middle East Towards Churches Global Compact” process, the Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED) of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) organized the first youth consultation seminar on the 11th of July 2020, at the St Augustine center in Kafra – Ain Saade, Lebanon.

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Youth are a key pillar in shaping the future

As part of the “Kairos Middle East Towards Churches Global Compact” process, the Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED) of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) organized the first youth consultation seminar on the 11th of July 2020, at the St Augustine center in Kafra – Ain Saade, Lebanon.

Following the strategic orientation aiming at keeping an ongoing interreligious dialogue about Christian-Muslim relations and relations with other religions such as with Jews, the Theological & Ecumenical Department held the 5th consultation seminar of the process on Tuesday June 2, 2020 in order to continue the preparation of  the “Kairos Middle East: Towards Churches Global Compact” white paper.

Sr. Emilie Tannous, the coordinator of the MECC Thelogical and Ecumenical Department, was the guest of "Kel Yowm bi Ywomu" program on Voice of Van radio station, and the guest of “Alive” program on MTV. The discussions were about the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity’s appeal to observe the 14th of May 2020 as a day of joint prayer, fasting and good deeds.

Interview with Fr. Gabi Hachem, Director of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department on Voice of All Lebanon radio station, with the journalist Johnny Sadiq. The discussion was about the Higher Committee for Human Fraternity’s appeal to observe the 14th of May 2020 as a day of joint prayer, fasting and good deeds.

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Despite its widespread outbreak around the world, the Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) did not hinder the work of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical department (TED) who was determined to continue the “Kairos Middle East Towards Churches Global Compact” process online. In fact, the fifth consultation seminar was expected to be held between the 12th and 14th of March 2020 in Egypt; therefore, the organizing committee decided to turn the event into an online seminar instead of cancelling it.