As part of its program in Lebanon, a delegation from the international humanitarian organization “Bread for the World”, a partner of the Middle East Council of Churches, visited the offices of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut, on Monday 20 February 2023. The delegation was received by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, alongside a team from the MECC General Secretariat.

The “Bread for the World” delegation included officers and consultants from the organization, Francis Tams, Ghinwa Mikdashi, Jens Halve, Nadja Schlau, and Sabine Schwirner.

“Medical Ethics and Human Dignity”

Thursday 23 February 2023 - 7:30 p.m

The Middle East Council of Churches has the honor to invite you to its new monthly webinar under the title of "Medical Ethics and Human Dignity", on Thursday 23 February 2023, at 7:30 pm. You can participate in the webinar via the following Zoom link: shorturl.at/lEOTU, and live on the MECC Facebook page.

This webinar is part of the series of monthly seminars launched by MECC, within the framework of the “Human Dignity Project” as part of the work of a department that is being developed in MECC under the name of “Dialogue and Social Cohesion-Social Capital Rehabilitation”.

On the Occasion of the Contemporary Martyrs' Day 2023 at the Coptic Orthodox Church

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs Participates in an International Webinar

On the occasion of the Contemporary Martyrs' Day 2023, which was designated by the Coptic Orthodox Church, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs participated in an international webinar entitled “Working together for those alone”, on Wednesday 15 February 2023. It was at the invitation of His Eminence Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, and Founder and Director of REFCEMI, the Coptic Orthodox Office for Advocacy and Public Policy. The webinar was hosted by REFCEMI in conjunction with the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of London.

Report: February 17th, 2023

The Middle East Council of Churches is being involved in the relief and rehabilitation efforts in Syria under the name of "Rescue Syria Campaign" through which the Council shall be dealing with the relief efforts in this emergency period and later on with rehabilitation plans in order to help people survive properly and resume a normal life with dignity.

MECC will be publishing a periodical report under the name of "Rescue Syria Update" which will keep you informed about the developments of MECC action as well as the overall situation in a context analysis perspective. 

of the Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling Program

for Parishes’ Ministers and their Associates in Kafra, Lebanon:

Strengthening the Spiritual and Psychological Accompaniment is Needed Amidst the Various Crises

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs, visited, on Thursday 16 February 2023, the participants of the second phase of the Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling Program, which is being implemented by the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department, for Parishes’ ministers and their associates from the Middle Eastern countries, under the title of “Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile” (Mark 6: 31). The program is being held with the participation of 28 attendees from various Church Families, between Sunday 12 and Saturday 18 February 2023, at the St. Augustine Center in Kafra region, Lebanon.

"Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2023 in Egypt

With the blessings and presence of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, Churches in Egypt began the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2023, in a Prayer celebration hosted by the Wednesday weekly meeting of His Holiness. The Prayer was held on Wednesday 15 February 2023, in the Church of Saint Mary and Anba Bishoy, St. Mark's Cathedral, in Abbasiya.

During the celebration, Dr. Gergis Saleh, Honorary Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches, delivered a speech in Arabic for the occasion, which you can listen to and watch it via the video.

"Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2023 in Egypt

The "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2023 began in Egypt, and extends between 15 and 22 February 2023. An opening Prayer was held with the blessings and presence of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, on Wednesday 15 February 2023, in the Church of Saint Mary and Anba Bishoy, St. Mark's Cathedral, in Abbasiya.

During the celebration, Rev. Refaat Fikri, Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches, delivered a speech for the occasion, which you can listen to and watch it via the following link.

A Celebrations’ Program Bringing Together the Various Church Families

Under the theme “Learn to do right; seek justice” (Isaiah 1:17), the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2023 begins in Egypt, during which the Church Families unite in Prayer to the Lord Jesus for the desired and awaited unity since decades. For the occasion, the Middle East Council of Churches and the Egypt Council of Churches invite you to a series of celebrations in Egypt between 15 and 22 February 2023.

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, you can find the statement issued by MECC following the earthquake that hit the north of the Antiochian Levant, in which the MECC calls on the international community for emergency aid and urges for lifting the sanctions on Syria. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, which title is “Reflections on harsh times”, and has the subtitle “On the sidelines of the earthquake in the north of the Antiochian Levant”, he praises the rescue and relief work being made by various parties in Turkey and Syria, which were affected by the earthquake. He also stresses the importance of assisting others’ during their tragic times and helping the neediest.

On the sidelines of the earthquake in the north of Antioch

The ordinary observer, as well as the social and psychological analyst, cannot fail to notice the reactions of states and people, regarding the rescue and relief work that is taking place in our northern Antiochian Levant region, where the earthquake occurred, in two neighboring countries, Turkey and Syria.

The spontaneous rapprochement that has emerged between people, as well as between states, is worth contemplating because of the humanitarian and peaceful potentials it carries that bode well for the future of humanity.

We will not go into the names, because everyone watches and sees, and is certain of what you are talking about.

In conversations, people's natures is revealed, their merit floats to the surface of events, and their goodness appears in public, and this is what we want to underline in this article.

The quarreling states and peoples have forgotten or set aside the differences and conflicts between each other, and have rushed automatically to provide whatever logistic, in-kind and monetary assistance they can to the affected communities.

An Ecumenical Gathering Bringing Together Parishes’ Ministers and their Associates from the Middle Eastern Countries

Under the title “Then Jesus said, “Let’s go off by ourselves to a quiet place and rest awhile” (Mark 6: 31), the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches is organizing the second phase of the Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling Program, for Parishes’ ministers and their associates from the Middle Eastern countries. Attendees are 28 participants from different Church Families, and the program is being held between Sunday 12 and Saturday 18 February 2023, at the St. Augustine Center in Kafra region, Lebanon.