Talks About the Forestation Campaigns Implemented by the Council in an Interview with “Danmission” Organization

On the occasion of the “Season of Creation,” “Danmission” organization, a partner of the Middle East Council of Churches, made an interview with Deacon Garen Yosolkanian, a member of the MECC Eco Justice Committee, and expert in the environmental issues, in which he talked about the forestation campaigns that MECC implements as part of its environmental activities. He also highlighted its importance, especially in environmental awareness, as well as the forestation campaign organized by MECC in Mhardeh, Syria, with a group of youth.

Highlights the Importance of the “Season of Creation” in an interview with “Danmission” Organization

As part of the “Season of Creation” 2023 activities, “Danmission” organization, a partner of the Middle East Council of Churches, made a video interview with Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, Director of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department, during which he highlighted the meanings and goals of the “Season of Creation.” He also talked about the importance of celebrating this season in the Middle East and the MECC mission in this context, especially in environmental awareness.

With the deterioration living conditions in Lebanon, refugees, like all Lebanese, suffer from severe economic and social crises in the country. Due to the unavailability of sufficient job prospects and the nature of their legal status in Lebanon, their situation is getting worse, and many refugees struggle to secure a source of livelihood. Hence, refugees are facing many mental health challenges, in addition to the economic and social challenges that hinder them.

In this context, the Middle East Council of Churches, Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, continues to implement the capacity building program, as it recently organized new sessions of skills development for a group of refugee women at Our Lady Dispensary, affiliated to MECC, and located in the Sabtieh region – Lebanon.

Between the Middle East Council of Churches and SAT 7

Together We Celebrate the “Season of Creation”!

As part of strengthening the partnership between the Middle East Council of Churches and its partners, an online meeting was held between MECC and SAT 7, on Thursday 7 September 2023. The meeting included the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, the Director of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, and the Member of the MECC Eco Justice Committee Deacon Garen Yosulkanian, alongside the Director of Development Programs at SAT 7 Mr. Rafik George, and the Coordinator of Development Projects at SAT 7 Mrs. Margaret Magid.

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 details about the monthly webinar organized by MECC under the title “Human Dignity for Newborns of Unknown Parents”, on Thursday 31 August 2023, with the participation of specialists, academicians, universities’ students and interested attendees in the topic at hand. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “Pieces of us abandoned in the street”. It was the speech he delivered during this webinar, in which he talked about the issue of the children of unknown parents.

Reporting Officer

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) is a regional ecumenical organization, which brings together churches in the Middle East for a common Christian witness in a region where Christ was born, lived, spread His word, died and resurrected.

The purpose of the MECC is to deepen the spiritual fellowship among the churches of the Middle East, and to unite them in word and deed as they strive to achieve the unity of the churches and to serve humans on the basis of the Christian faith. The MECC works through its various structures to achieve this purpose by promoting dialogue amongst the churches (locally, regionally and internationally), and strengthening the spirit of fellowship and ecumenical awareness. Its activities include social and economic development, interfaith and interreligious dialogue, education, woman, youth and family development, communication, and several related activities.

The Vacancy

MECC is currently recruiting a Reporting Officer

Report: August 2023

During August, the Middle East witnessed an unbearable heatwave that left climate experts warning of the disastrous consequences climate change is leaving behind. The fact that experts have warned we are no longer in a ‘Global Warming Stage’ and we are now actually in a ‘Boiling Stage’, sent shivers down everyone’s spine, humanitarian actors in particular. As such during these difficult circumstances, refugees and IDPs are forced to deal with elevated temperatures while water scarcity is increasingly becoming an issue in the region. In other words, refugees will have to face elevated heat levels from the environment and the ramifications of the ‘political heat’ between major powers.

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel E. Abs delivered this speech at the monthly webinar organized by the Middle East Council of Churches under the title “Human Dignity for Newborns of Unknown Parents”, on Thursday 31 August 2023. This webinar is part of the series of monthly seminars launched by MECC, within the framework of the “Human Dignity Project” - “Dialogue and Social Cohesion-Social Capital Rehabilitation”.

Dr. Michel E. Abs

Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches

They came to where they have no place.

They were "unwelcomed guests" in a society unprepared to receive them.

They are the result of a mistake, sin, crime, or any other reason!

“I wish they were not there,” says those who are not ready to receive them or who were not expecting them.

Why did you come into the world, you "unwelcome" children?

With this context, attitude, and thinking, newborns end up on the street, either on a hill of rubbish, or at the door of a temple or institution.

An Environmental Theology Lecture Delivered in Arabic by Archimandrite Euthymios Faqas

A Priest at Saint Elie Chouaya Patriarchal Monastery - Lebanon

With the beginning of the “Season of Creation” 2023, Archimandrite Euthymios Faqas, a Priest at the Greek Orthodox Saint Elie Chouaya Patriarchal Monastery – Lebanon, delivered a spiritual lecture about Environmental Theology with an Orthodox view, under the title “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come” (2 Corinthians 5: 17), which you can find its full text in Arabic. The lecture was part of a Spiritual Retreat organized by the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches on Friday 1 September 2023, which also marks the beginning of the Ecclesial Year. It was hosted by His Eminence Bishop Costantine Kayyal, the Head of the Saint Elie Chouaya Patriarchal Monastery, at the Monastery.

Due to the worsening conditions in Lebanon’s relatively remote locations, and the absence of government policies to develop such areas, poverty is increasing during a time when humanitarian actors are suffering from donor shortage. However, the Middle East Council of Churches, thanks to its partners’ gracious support, is able to mobilize to alleviate the burdens of several households.

As such, scoring was undertaken, with the help of local Churches, to identify the most vulnerable 400 households among a selection of 500, in the Akkar and South of Lebanon areas. Results were staggering as most of the beneficiaries in Akkar – North Lebanon needed the cash assistance mainly for buying medication then food, whereby in South Lebanon, the majority needed the money to keep a roof over their heads. As such, money was dispatched through a local cash transfer service to the vulnerable households.

A Spiritual Retreat Hosted by Bishop Constantine Kayyal

Head of the Greek Orthodox Saint Elie Chouaya Patriarchal Monastery in Lebanon

Together We Glorify God the Creator!

The “Season of Creation” 2023 started around the world on 1 September, bringing a lot of hope to the world and the Middle East. It is a Christian environmental season during which the Ecumenical family around the world unites in Prayer and working together to protect our common home. The season ends, as every year, on 4 October. Noting that the theme of the Season for this year is “Let Justice and Peace Flow” and its symbol is “A Mighty River”.

In celebration of God’s creation, the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches organized a Spiritual Retreat on Friday 1 September 2023, which also marks the beginning of the Ecclesial Year. It was hosted by His Eminence Bishop Costantine Kayyal, the Head of the Greek Orthodox Saint Elie Chouaya Patriarchal Monastery - Lebanon, at the Monastery.

Participants in the Retreat were, alongside the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs, the Associate Secretaries General of the Council, Father Nicolas Bustros and Mrs. Seta Hadeshian, as well as the MECC General Secretariat’s team from various departments in Beirut, and online with the colleagues from the Council’s offices in the countries of the region.

The New Monthly Webinar Organized by MECC

Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs: Childhood is the basic red line in any society that wants to produce normal adults, and wants to secure a better future for its generations, born and yet to be born

The Middle East Council of Churches continues its series of monthly seminars, and held a new webinar entitled “Human Dignity for Newborns of Unknown Parents”, on Thursday 31 August 2023, with the participation of specialists, academicians, universities’ students and interested attendees in the topic at hand. Noting that this webinar comes within the framework of the “Human Dignity Project” - “Dialogue and Social Cohesion-Social Capital Rehabilitation”, which MECC is implementing consecutively.

The webinar, which was broadcasted live on the MECC Facebook Page, included three interventions, moderated by Dr. Chawki Attieh, who presented in his opening speech an overview about the phenomenon of leaving children without custody, in addition to its causes and the situation of this issue today.

The webinar began with a speech delivered by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, in which he spoke about children with unknown parents…

In light of the severe crises that cast its shadows over Lebanon, mental health is becoming an issue in the country. Therefore, the Middle East Council of Churches, Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, continues its implementation of mental health awareness sessions. It organized recently a new session Session to address such a topic. A group of women were invited to the session at Our Lady Dispensary, affiliated to MECC, and located in the Sabtieh region – Lebanon.

During the session, one of the Council’s social workers explained to the participant’s ways of dealing with stress and how to mitigate its impact. Usually, anxiety is the real culprit behind stress and failing to understand or manage it can lead to more significant problems such as depression, unproductivity, social isolation, and in extreme cases, suicide.