The importance of the General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, which was held from 16 to 20 May 2022, lies in the lines it drew for the future work of the Middle East Council of Churches.

The above timing of the convention of the Assembly comes after Christian spiritual leaders were unable to meet in a general conference for nearly six years due to the pandemic that separated people from each other thus laid the foundations for new interactions in various fields.

The organizational layout for the preparation to the Assembly was clearly apparent to all due to the assiduous organization as well as to the quality and method of services provided to the participants, aspects that were the praised by all.

What I would like to lay out in this article are the programmatic dimensions, priorities and future directions ensuing from the Assembly deliberations.

The Communication and Public Relations Department at the Middle East Council of Churches have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of June 2022. 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. Noting that the remaining months of the year will be published consecutively.

On the occasion of the Feast of the Holy Family’s Entry into Egypt, which is celebrated by the Coptic Church on the first of June of each year, the MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents a documentary entitled “From Egypt I Called My Son”, highlighting the most prominent historical stations of the Coptic Church, a history of martyrdom and Holiness. The documentary was screened for the first time during the opening ceremony of the MECC 12th General Assembly, which was held under the title "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27) with the generous hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt from 16 to 20 of May 2022.

A Thank you letter from the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs to Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Churches in Egypt, the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services and the Fellowship, following the MECC 12th General Assembly which was held with the support of the Evangelical Church in Egypt, and with the hospitality of the Coptic Orthodox Church headed by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, under under the title of "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27).

A Thank you letter from the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, who has hosted the MECC 12th General Assembly, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, under under the title of "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27).

A Thank you letter from the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs to the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Mr. Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, following the MECC 12th General Assembly hosted by the Coptic Orthodox Church under the patronage of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, under under the title of "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid" (Matthew 14: 27).

Armenian Translation Available

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Holiness Catholicos Aram I, Catholicos of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Cilicia, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

Watch a special interview with His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London and President of SAT-7, with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The Service and Relief Department- Diakonia, at the Middle East Council of Churches, Syria Office, implemented remedial classes for 9th-grade students in five institutes and schools in Rural Damascus. 600 students benefited from the program that aims at supporting students to continue their academic attainment.

The classes provided the needed information for the main subjects in order to promote the academic level of students and enable them to pass the final 9th-grade official exams successfully.

The 3-months training included psychosocial support sessions for 400 students entitled “Life skills - a journey with myself”.

One of the participants said, “the remedial classes played a major role in helping me to understand the curriculum as I became able to continue my studies alone. I used to face difficulties in studying math, science, English, and French. However, now my academic level has improved a lot”.

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of “Al Nour Maana” program (which means “The Light is with Us”) with Lea Maamari, on Télé Lumiere and Noursat, on Tuesday, May 24, 2022. During the episode, Dr. Abs shed light on the activities of the MECC 12th General Assembly and its final statement, as well as, the projects and activities that will be implemented in the post General Assembly period.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Churches in Egypt, the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services and the Fellowship, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with Reverend Boutros Zaour, MECC Executive Committee Alternate Member, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, President of Haigazian University, and MECC Elected President for the Evangelical Family, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Beatitude Patriarch Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Louis Raphaël Sako, Chaldean Patriarch in Iraq and the World, and MECC Honorary President, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and MECC President for the Orthodox Family, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Beatitude Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Syriac Catholic Patriarch of Antioch, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and MECC Honorary President, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with His Beatitude Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac, Patriarch of the Coptic Catholic Church in Egypt, and Head of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department presents in cooperation with the Media Center affiliated to the Coptic Orthodox Church in Egypt C.O.C, a special interview with Reverend Dr. Riad Jarjour, MECC Honorary Secretary General, General Secretary of the Arab Group for Muslim - Christian Dialogue, National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, during the MECC 12th General Assembly held with the hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt.