From the Middle East Council of Churches, congratulations on your 10 Years of Service! Many years of service and dedication to making The World Council of Churches (WCC) Mission, Vision and Values come true for many of the member churches.

Dr Souraya Bechealany, the secretary general of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), was the guest of Father Nicolas Riachi on “Saa men wa’tak” which means in English “An Hour of Your Time”, a show broadcasted on Télé Lumière and NOURSAT. Bechealany clarified the position of the Middle East Council of Churches during these hard times due to the Coronavirus outbreak and highlighted the joint statement issued by the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Secretaries General of Regional Ecumenical Organizations (REOs).

As representatives of Regional Ecumenical Organizations and the World Council of Churches, we share the challenges that our communities around the world are facing due to the coronavirus, COVID-19.

As the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) believes that such difficult times strengthen the ecumenical spirit and spreading hope and faith, it has decided to positively adapt to the situation imposed by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Thus, it has set goals to achieve during this period along with clear deadlines, and conducts regular follow-ups to evaluate the progress made.

In all the regions where DSPR/MECC works, there is total closure except for vital and necessary services to fight the virus. Measures are put in place to ensure responsiveness to those in need for groceries, medical attention other than infection, and procurement of medications.

The worsening emergency situation stemming from the coronavirus outbreak has pushed the Regional Ecumenical Organizations (REO) to increase their efforts in order to help and rescue all communities around the world, while working together as a fellowship of churches.

Avec la bénédiction du conseil de ses Présidents, le Conseil des Églises du Moyen-Orient (CEMO) adresse aux Églises membres et aux hommes de bonne volonté, en ce temps de carême et de la pandémie Corona qui menace le monde, un message.

With the blessing of the Heads of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in this Season of Lent and in the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic which threatens all of humanity, the MECC wishes to issue the following Communique to its member churches and all people of good will.

This report is the product of a meeting of thirty veteran ecumenists, church leaders who have had long and deep commitment to the ecumenical cause, hosted in Antelias, Lebanon from January 31-February 2, 2020 by His Holiness Aram I.

The MECC Communication and Public Relations Department on a learning journey to the World Council of Churches in Geneva

As an advanced step to strengthen the cooperation and deepen the coordination and communication between the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the World Council of Churches (WCC) on many levels, MECC Communication and Public Relations Department and Archives team visited WCC Communications Department at the Ecumenical Center in Switzerland - Geneva.

The Theological and Ecumenical Department of the Middle East Council of Churches has held the second consultation seminar of its process entitled " Kairos Middle East Towards Churches Global Compact ". The seminar is taking place over two days, on 21 and 22 February 2020 in Bethania - Harissa, Lebanon.

A first session between earth and sky in Anaphora – Egypt

“Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while…” (Mark 6:31): This was the title of the first session within the Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling program organized by the Middle East Council of Churches’ Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED) at the Anaphora Center in Egypt.

A new experience discovering the financial and investment strategies of Churches and their institutions

At the invitation of the World Council of Churches, Agape and Churchinvest foundations to the international conference entitled “Impactful cooperation” which took place in Geneva/ Switzerland on 17-18 January 2020 in the premises of WCC, the Middle East Council of Churches participated in the event and was represented by Mr. Samer Laham, director of the Diakonia Department and Ecumenical Relief Services.

The MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department (TED) held the first session of its program “Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling”, dedicated for ministers and pastors from different parishes in the village of Al-Mishtaya in Wadi Al-Nasara - Syria from January 27 till February 1, 2020.

A delegation from the German Catholic Bishops’ Conference headed by Dr. Udo Bentz, chairman of the Middle and Near East Working Group, has visited the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). The delegation included Dr. Daniel Legutke, Secretary of the Working Group, and Mr. Nadim Amman, one of the Group’s members.

The Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME)

Reviving the Ecumenical Spirit after 11 years of interruption

The ATIME Student Committee, composed of students from different theological institutes in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq held its first regular meeting on the 1st of February 2020. The meeting was hosted by the Pontifical Faculty of Theology at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik (USEK) – Kaslik, Lebanon. His Eminence Archbishop Yacoub Babawi, dean of the Mor Aphrem Theological Seminary at Ma'arat Saydnaya, attended the meeting and gave his blessing.

S.G Dr Bechealany: The crisis in the Middle East threatens the “Togetherness” lived by Churches

MECC Secretary General, Dr Souraya Bechealany, participated in the Ecumenical Consultation entitled “Towards a more responsive and inclusive ecumenical vision” organized by the Armenian Church Catholicosate of Cilicia from the 31st of January till the 2nd of February 2020 at the Armenian Catholicosate of Cilicia in Antelias, Lebanon.

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches, Dr. Souraya Bechealany took a firm stance against what has been called the “Deal of the Century”.

Le 21 et 22 Janvier 2020, la réunion du Comité Exécutif s’est tenue pour deux jours, à Larnaca – Chypre. Elle a été généreusement accueillie par Sa Béatitude Chrysostomos II, Archevêque Orthodoxe de Nuova Giustiniana et de tout Chypre. Les membres du comité sont venus de Chypre, de l’Égypte, de Syrie, du Liban, de l’Irak, de la Jordanie et de la Palestine.

MECC Diakonia department has helped 1735 families to overcome the extreme cold, which is one of the biggest challenges during the severe winter. Therefore, these returnee families in many villages of Daraa Rural, have received winter clothes kits and coats.