MECC
"Season of Creation" 2022 Started
The MECC General Secretariat Prays for Creation
Teach us, O Lord, to contemplate your creation, and listen for the voice of each creature declaring your glory!
The international “Season of Creation” 2022 has started in the Middle East and its theme for this year is “Listen to the Voice of Creation”. The Season begins on September 1 and ends on October 4 of each year. Hence, the Season invites us this year to listen to the voice of creation, which is suffering due to many factors. So we unite in prayer, thanking God for all His blessings and glorifying His Holy Name, “faith comes from hearing.” We also unite and share a common call to care for our Lord’s creation. We are co-creatures, and part of all that God has made. Our wellbeing is interwoven with the wellbeing of the Earth.
On the occasion, members of the MECC General Secretariat’s family who were present in Beirut, gathered and prayed for God the Creator, on Thursday 1st of September 2022, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut. MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs and a delegation of Directors were absent due to their participation in the WCC 11th General Assembly taking place in Karlsruhe, Germany, as well as others were busy due to many conferences.
His Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to the WCC 11th Assembly: Restoring the shattered Image of creation requires repentance and resurrection
His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew offered greetings and a pointed message to the delegates and participants at the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly in Karlsruhe, Germany.
He began his remarks with the teaching and the belief that “the light of Christ shines more brightly than any darkness in our hearts and in our world,” offering this idea as the underlying premise to the theme of the assembly, that “Christ’s love moves the world to reconciliation and unity.”
Yet, we have fallen short of this ideal, he suggested. Asking each of us the question, “how can we reconcile our magnificent faith with our manifest failure?”
The Ecumenical Patriarch was referring to our “sin of ignoring the divine presence in all things and in all people,” and our failure to look larger than ourselves to “discern and detect the purpose for which God has created everyone and everything.”
His words were delivered on 1 September, which he notes as a “consecrated day of prayer and protection for God’s sacred creation,” and a day that “Orthodox Christians since 1989 have dedicated to praying for the protection of God’s gift of creation.”
Momentum, the Weekly Newsletter from the Middle East Council of Churches
In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches, MECC launches the “Season of Creation” 2022 in the Middle East, and invite you with its Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, in partnership with “Danmission” organization, to participate in a series of celebrations that will be held in various countries of the region. As for the weekly message of Dr. Abs, it is entitled “An international Ecumenical meeting at the level of the actual challenges”, in which he tackled his impressions and expectations from the WCC 11th General Assembly taking place between 31 August and 8 September 2022 in Karlsruhe, Germany.
Noting that Dr. Abs is participating in this Assembly heading a delegation from the General Secretariat including the Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department Fr. Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, and the Director of the Communication and Public Relations Department Mrs. Huguette Salameh.
The issue also presents the “Season of Creation” 2022 international booklet entitled “Listen to the Voice of Creation”, which was translated into Arabic by MECC for the second consecutive year, and published in Arabic for the whole world.
Un encuentro Ecuménico Internacional a la altura de los desafíos actuales
Esta semana, El Evento es la Asamblea General del Consejo Mundial de Iglesias.
Tras una larga ausencia impuesta por la pandemia, la familia ecuménica internacional se reúne hoy en una asamblea general con una apretada agenda.
Lugar: Karlsruhe, Alemania.
Fecha: Del 31 de agosto al 8 de septiembre de 2022.
A esta asamblea le han precedido un gran número de asambleas especializadas que han allanado el camino para madurar el programa de esta asamblea.
Los preparativos llevan más de dos años a toda velocidad debido a la magnitud del evento, así como a la grandeza de sus organizadores: un Consejo de Iglesias de todo el mundo, compuesto por más de trescientas iglesias que incluyen más de 500 millones de creyentes.
En los pocos días que precedieron a la apertura de la Asamblea General, se ve a la gente por cientos de voluntarios y expertos de todas partes del mundo con el fin de poner sus competencias a disposición del evento, que no será uno ordinario este año. Puede superar en su crucialidad a las Asambleas Generales celebradas desde el inicio de la concreción del movimiento ecuménico en un Consejo Mundial de Iglesias.
An international Ecumenical meeting at the level of the actual challenges
This week, the General Assembly of the World Council of Churches is The Event.
After a long absence imposed by the pandemic, the international ecumenical family is gathering today in a general assembly with a busy schedule.
Place: Karlsruhe, Germany.
Date: From August 31 to September 8, 2022.
This was preceded by a large number of specialized assemblies that paved the way for maturing the agenda of this assembly.
Preparations have been in full speed for more than two years due to the magnitude of the event as well as the greatness of its organizers: a council of churches around the world, comprising more than three hundred churches including more than half a billion believers.
In the few days that preceded the opening of the General Assembly, you see people by hundreds of volunteers and experts from all parts of the world in order to put their competencies at the disposal of the event, which will not be an ordinary one this year. It may surpass in its cruciality the general assemblies held since the beginning of the concretization of the ecumenical movement in a world council of churches.
Pre-Assemblies Preceding the Launching of the WCC 11th General Assembly in Germany
Towards the Consolidation of Ecumenism in a More Just and Peaceful World
From all over the world, the international and Middle Eastern ecumenical family meets in Karlsruhe, Germany, where the 11th General Assembly of the World Council of Churches is taking place from 31 August to 8 September 2022, under the theme "Christ's love moves the world to reconciliation and unity". In fact, the theme is an affirmation of faith that Christ’s love transforms the world in the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit, to a more alive and safer one. The love of the compassionate, crucified, and risen Christ is at the heart of this world, and wins over the powers of destruction, sin and difficulties.
Hence, the WCC 11th General Assembly is being held at a difficult time when the whole world is witnessing severe health, social, economic and security crises... Nevertheless, the Assembly is an event that calls, with Christ’s infinite love, the churches to work together unceasingly and with people of other faiths and all those of good will for just peace and reconciliation. It is a call for the visible unity of the church to become a prophetic sign and a foretaste of the reconciliation of this world with God, and the unity of humankind and all creation.
Before the WCC General Assembly kicked off, four pre-assemblies convened, with the participation of hundreds of people from the whole world in each one. The pre-assemblies included Indigenous Peoples, Ecumenical Youth Gathering, Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network, and Just Community of Women and Men, and aimed at discussing and exchanging ideas, challenges and expectations.
The “Season of Creation” 2022 Kicks Off in the East
“Listen to the Voice of Creation”
Middle Eastern Celebrations to Pray and Work Together for the Protection of Our Common Home
#SeasonOfCreationME
We are happy to announce that the international "Season of Creation" for this year will be kicked off in the Middle East after it was launched by the Middle East Council of Churches for the first time in the region last year. Noting that its international celebrations start on September 1 and end on October 4 of each year. A Season during which the people and Christians of the Middle East, unite with the ecumenical family around the world, to participate in prayer and work together to protect our common home, as well as to listen and respond to the cry of Creation which is under threat.
For the second consecutive year, the Middle East Council of Churches has translated the international “Season of Creation” booklet into Arabic, which you can download it by clicking here. This year’s theme is “Listen to the Voice of Creation” and its slogan is “The Burning Bush”. The Psalmist (19: 1-4) acknowledges that hearing the voice of creation requires a kind of listening that is increasingly rare. Within the ecumenical Christian family, there is a diverse range of traditions to help us recover our capacity to hear the voice of creation.
The Middle East Council of Churches Issues the Ecumenical Calendar for September 2022
And Launches the “Season of Creation” 2022 in the Middle East
The Communication and Public Relations Department at the Middle East Council of Churches have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of September 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.
As well as, the Middle East Council of Churches launches during September 2022, the “Season of Creation” activities in the region for the second consecutive year through translating the Season’s international booklet into Arabic, with this year’s theme “Listen to the Voice of Creation”. This is in addition to a series of celebrations organized by MECC, in partnership with “Danmission” organization, in many countries of the Middle East. Noting that the international celebrations of the Season start on September 1st and end on October 4 of each year.
A Summer Club Helps Children to Positively Spend their Summer Vacation
In order to help children spend their time during the summer vacation positively in a safe environment and to discover and develop their talents, The Service and Relief Department –Diakonia, at the Middle East Council of Churches, Syria’s Office, organized a summer club for 200 students aged between 6 and 13 years old, in Al Asieh School in Jaramana in Rural Damascus.
The atmosphere was interactive, fun, joyous and full of enthusiasm including many interactive recreational and educational activities and sessions such as Arabic and English languages, mathematics, mental math, sports, handmade crafts, drawing, theatre, music, mental and competitive games that were also accompanied by two psychosocial sessions per week entitled “Self – Journey”.
The summer club targeted vulnerable children that were affected by the Syrian crisis in order to help them release their stress resulting from social and academic pressures.
The summer club helped children to better manage their time, learn new various skills, and make new friendships.
“Social Justice in Times of Crisis”
Video - MECC in Its Second Monthly Webinar
Towards Human Dignity Preservation and Social Capital Rehabilitation
The Middle East Council of Churches held its second monthly webinar entitled “Social Justice in Times of Crisis”, on Thursday evening 25 August 2022, with the participation of experts, specialists and students from many countries in the region. This webinar, which was broadcasted live on the MECC Facebook page, is part of a series of monthly seminars launched by MECC last June, and comes within the framework of the “Human Dignity Project” as part of the work of a department that is being developed in the Council under the name of “Dialogue and Social Cohesion-Social Capital Rehabilitation”.
Entre el Reino de Dios o el infierno de la humanidad
¿Notamos el caos absoluto y la maldad total que impregnan a la humanidad hoy en día?
El hombre moderno se ha preocupado por su vida cotidiana y por el ansia de dinero para satisfacer necesidades, incluso ilusorias o artificiales, inventadas para él por la sociedad industrial, hasta el punto de que ya no es capaz de ver la situación del género humano en la actualidad.
Las guerras, las epidemias, los problemas sociales, el deterioro de las condiciones económicas, la mala distribución de la riqueza, los alimentos y las medicinas a escala mundial, y otras desgracias de la sociedad moderna, han arrasado el planeta y han llevado al género humano a lo que el Maestro, que encarnaba nuestra salvación, advirtió.
Momentum, the Weekly Newsletter from the Middle East Council of Churches
In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches, MECC publishes the "Season of Creation" 2022 international booklet in Arabic under the title “Listen to the Voice of Creation”. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “Between the kingdom of God and the hell of humankind”.
Earth, Water, Fire and Wind Indigenous Peoples Pre-Assembly celebrates creation
Led by the Sami people in a special processional, 97 Indigenous delegates to the World Council of Churches (WCC) 11th Assembly were present in Karlsruhe for the pre-assembly. They symbolically ushered in four elements—Earth, Water, Fire and Wind—through biblical texts and prayer.
The theme of their gathering was “Reconciliation: Restoring Wholeness in Creation.”
They began their pre-assembly work on topics ranging from engagement with the Indigenous peoples in Europe, to reflecting and testifying on the learnings from Pilgrim Team Visits.
Lighting candles to remember where they came from, they also received an orientation to the German context of the assembly, as well as interaction with assembly committee members and pre-assembly delegates.
