Why Is the World Celebrating It?

It is true that the world celebrates the Day of Happiness on the 20th of March, but can we find happiness in a wounded world full of crises and conflicts and which its people are suffering from wars, diseases, poverty and famine...???

Despite this situation, we will stress on happiness and join the United Nations in celebrating the world day of happiness, which was added to the UN calendar of international days. With this day, the United Nations recognized the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals and aspirations in the lives of human beings amidst the difficulties that our world is witnessing.

Days Before Mothers’ Day, Who Are the Holy Mothers?

“Behold, your mother” Said Jesus on the cross to one of his disciples. “Behold, your mother” … She has become our mother, the mother of the Church and of the whole of humanity. She is the Mother of The Lord and the Queen of Peace. The mother who endured constant hardship with patience and obedience, overcame evil and chose to cultivate holiness crowned with compassion and humility, to become a source of life of grace and a fountain of hope.

In this volatile world, the Mother of God protects us from all evil whims, especially from an illness that His Holiness Pope Francis called “spiritual orphanhood”, which besieges us whenever we lack the feeling of belonging to family, people, land, and one God.

You can find a photo album from the MECC 11th General Assembly, held between 6 and 8 September 2016 in Amman, Jordan, under the title of “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136: 1).

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs headed a delegation from the MECC General Secretariat in a visit to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia of the Armenian Apostolic Church, today, Friday, March 11, 2022, at the Catholicosate in Antelias, Lebanon.

Dr. Abs delivered to His Holiness Catholicos Aram I a special invitation from His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, to participate in the 12th General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, which will be held in Egypt under the title of “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27), between 16 and 20 May 2022.

The new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches presents the news about the visit of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs heading a delegation from the General Secretariat to His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, aiming at giving him an invitation from His Holiness Pope Tawadros II to participate in the MECC 12th General Assembly. As for the message of Dr. Abs, it was entitled this week “In Sebastia, There Were Martyrs, and There Was Martyrdom”.

The story of the martyrs of Sebastia is one of the examples of the victory of the powerless over the mighty.

Forty declared their affiliation to the creed of the Incarnate Master, and they rushed to stand firm in martyrdom. However, when one of them weakened, and gained the share of the subservient, those who were not deterred by the cruelty of tyrants supported him.

The testimony of the forty in Sebastia is only the tip of the iceberg of the epics of faith, courage and sacrifice. Some were executed by hailing on the snow, others were killed between the canines of predators, others were put to death by burning, slaughtering, or cutting up, and the list goes on.

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs headed a delegation from the MECC General Secretariat in a visit to His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi, Patriarch of Antioch and all the East for the Maronites, today, Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at the Patriarchal edifice in Bkerki, Lebanon.

At the invitation of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, Dr. Abs asked His Beatitude to participate in the 12th General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, which will be held in Egypt under the title of “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27), between 16 and 20 May 2022.

Rev. Rifaat Fikri: The Evangelical Conference of Cairo is Part of the Evangelical Synod of the Nile

The MECC 12th General Assembly in Egypt Is a Blessing

Last week, the Evangelical Church in Egypt witnessed new elections. The Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Rev. Rifaat Fikri was elected as a new president by acclamation of the Evangelical Conference of Cairo in its 159th session, which was held on February 25, 2022. Thus, we can ask many questions; what is the Evangelical Conference of Cairo? and what is the mission of the new president?

Youth Renewing the Beauty of Earth with the Middle East Council of Churches

The Middle East Council of Churches launched its environmental activity for this year with an afforestation campaign in the Lebanese town of Anjar and the lands of the Evangelical School, on Saturday, March 5, 2022, in partnership with Danmission organization and in cooperation with the youth of the Armenian Evangelical Church.

The activity was part of the environmental international campaign “Season of Creation” launched by the Middle East Council of Churches for the first time in the region in September 2021, and included many youth environmental segments that were filled with joy and friendship.

You can find a video presenting experts and speeches from the MECC 11th General Assembly, held between 6 and 8 September 2016 in Amman, Jordan, under the title of “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136: 1).

What Is the Triodion Period?

“Lord, I have cried out on to Thee,” ... “Let us all make haste to humble the flesh by abstinence, as we set out upon the divine and unblemished Fast...” “I beseech Thee: cleanse me in the waters of repentance, and through prayer and fasting make me radiant…” with these hymns, the Orthodox Church prepare on the eve of the Vespers of Forgiveness Sunday for the journey, a fasting journey towards the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches presents the message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, entitled this week “Affiliation and Cultural Mutual Maturation”. In the issue also, the MECC General Secretariat extended its warmest congratulations to Rev. Rifaat Fikri, MECC Associate Secretary General after his election as President of the Evangelical Conference of Cairo by acclamation.

Ever since his birth, man finds himself in a state of belonging, more precisely in a plethora of multiple affiliations. He is the son of his family, his clan, tribe, race, sect, region and country, of course, apart from the affiliations that he gathers during his social upbringing. But when he becomes an adult, the dimensions of affiliation increase in his life, as he adds to them various affiliations and activities, from the cultural to the political, passing through various types of life choices.

The Service and Relief Department – Diakonia, at the Middle East Council of Churches distributed food and hygiene kits to poor families in Dara’a Al Balad in Dara’a Governorate.

In addition to the food and hygiene kits, the families having children aged 4 and below received infant kits so that each of these families received a maximum of three kits.

Read Sajida’s Story

White mask, palette of 6 colors: yellow, pink, blue, violet, black and gold.

A 12-year-old girl took a brush and chose the blue and black. She painted the mask with these two colors and then chose the yellow to paint the remaining white part of the mask.

The story of the mask and colors was narrated by Sajida Ismail Dib who hid her sadness by her smile.

Under the slogan of “I am the light of the world”, Egypt will be launching the days of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2022 during many celebrations that will start on Thursday 3 March 2022 and end on Saturday 12 March 2022, organized by the Egypt Council of Churches and the Middle East Council of Churches. Noting that MECC chose the theme of the Week of Prayer for this year “We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage” (Matthew 2:2) and prepared its international booklet of prayers.

“Building bridges, standing together,” is the slogan of the Middle East Council of Churches, which pledged since its establishment to be a Christian platform that crosses all religions, reflecting the Christian reality in the Middle East in a unified voice emanating from the cradle of Christianity towards all the world.

In the constant pursuit to reinforce the council's ecumenical and human mission and to shed lights on all the Churches in the East through all media platforms, a new channel is now launched on the Telegram application.

A Workshop on Media and Advocacy, the Preparations Begun!

With great hope, the Middle East Council of Churches General Secretariat, continues its preparations for its 12th General Assembly of the Council under the title “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27), between May 16 and 20, 2022, hosted by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, in Egypt. Given the importance of the media's role in shedding the light on Christian reality in the East and serving mankind, the General Assembly has included in its activities a workshop on Christian Media in the Middle East.

President by Acclamation of the Evangelical Conference of Cairo

“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ (Matthew 25:21).

After the election of Rev. Rifaat Fikri as President of the Evangelical Conference of Cairo by acclamation, the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches extended its warmest congratulations and best wishes to Reverend Fikri, wishing him success on his new journey.

You can find the list of participants in the MECC 11th General Assembly, held between 6 and 8 September 2016 in Amman, Jordan, under the title of “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 136: 1).