Organized by the MECC Eco Justice Justice Unit

The Eco Justice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) organized an environmental day in the Bekaa, Lebanon, on Saturday 25 November 2023, under the auspices of the Heads of Churches, with the participation of the General Director of the Ministry of Agriculture Mr. Louis Lahoud, and in the presence of the region’s officials and Parishes’ Servants from various Churches, with the contribution of Michel Daher Foundation.

Participants in this environmental activity were also school students from: “Saint Anne’s School - Rayak, Holy Family School - Ibrin, Holy Family School - Rayak, Educational Friendship House – Al Ferzel, Redeemer Sisters School - Ablah, Haratch School - Anjar, Armenian Evangelical School - Anjar, and Saint George Syriac Orthodox School – Al Midan.”

This environmental day came within the framework of the Season of Creation special program which was launched by MECC in the countries of the Middle East in cooperation with the Danmission Organization. The Season included Ecumenical Prayer celebrations, Cultural meetings, Environmental tours, and afforestation campaigns, with media and social media coverage, including Télé Lumière TV Station which covered audio visually the activities of this environmental day, in coordination and cooperation with the media of the Middle East Council of Churches.

But the Need is Still Urgent and Necessary at Various Levels!

In response to the escalating situation in the Lebanese South due to the ongoing war at the Lebanese borders, and the consequent displacement of people from their homes, a shelter in the city of Tyr was set up to accommodate fleeing civilians from the dangerous circumstances in the South. As the shelter is crowding with newcomers, humanitarian needs are also piling up. Currently, there is a shortage in necessary items such as Hygiene Kits, disinfections, food item, bed cover and the list goes on.

Luckily, with the timely contribution of the MECC partners such as the international organization Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), and in coordination with the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Unit and the Union of Tyre Municipalities (UOTM) - represented by Mr. Mortada Mhanna, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) is being able to respond to such needs. As such, the Diakonia and Social Service department of the MECC was busy throughout this period with distributing these essential items. As expected, they were quickly exhausted as needs remain high at various levels.

Students face many difficulties when they lack clean and usable health facilities, as well as safe drinking water in schools. Poor health facilities can be a source of disease spread, such as hepatitis, typhoid, and cholera. Providing clean and safe health facilities in educational institutions undoubtedly has a significant impact on improving health and educational outcomes.

Therefore, the Diakonia and Social Service Department, at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), worked on renovating and rehabilitating health facilities in four government primary schools in Kaswa and Akraba in the countryside of Damascus, Syria. These schools are Akraba The 2nd, Zakia alsadisa, Khiara Z – N, and Khiara The 2nd.

The rehabilitation activities included the rehabilitation of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and its equipment, maintenance of the drinking water network, and installation of taps, toilets, doors, tile, ceramic, electric cables, water pumps and tanks, and water pipes in addition to completing the required painting activities. Moreover, solar energy work was executed.

With the League of the Lebanese Christian Publishers Affiliated to the Bible Society Association

Within the framework of capacity building and skills development, the League of the Lebanese Christian Publishers affiliated to the Bible Society Association, organized its third training as part of its training program, with the participation of the team of the Communication and Public Relations’ Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), alongside 36 colleagues representing 16 publishing houses in Lebanon. The training was held on Tuesday 21 November 2023, at the Bible Society headquarters in Beirut.

The training was presented by Dr. Mike Bassous, Secretary General and CEO of the Bible Society, and focused on marketing and its various types, in addition to Push vs Pull marketing, and its ways of implementation, stressing on its importance especially in our time today. During the session, Dr. Bassous gave his explanations and shared his expertise and experiences with the attendees, answering the participants’ questions and inquiries, as they applied together many exercises in order to consolidate the acquired information.

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Communication and Public Relations Department, you can find the final statement issued by the MECC Executive Committee which held its regular meeting in Beirut on Friday and Saturday, November 17 and 18, 2023. As for the message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled this week “Leadership decisions at a critical stage, The meeting of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches”, in which he presented details about what this meeting included, as well as the topics that were discussed and the decisions that were taken, amidst very difficult circumstances in the Middle East region.

The meeting of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches

Last week ended with the impact of important decisions in the history of the Middle East Council of Churches, taken by the Executive Committee in its meeting held on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November of the year 2023, that is, the last year of the first half century of the Council’s life. It is the last meeting before the MECC crosses the threshold of fifty.

The meeting was held in very difficult circumstances in the Middle East region, which is plagued by crises from all sides.

Occupied Palestine, under the fire of devastating bombardment that destroys souls and stones in the most horrific war of genocide and ethnic cleansing the world has ever seen. Lebanon is suffering under a series of crises at all levels: social, economic, political and legislative. Its south is being burned by bombing fire and part of its people has been displaced, and its fate as a nation and entity is up in the air. Syria is torn apart, parts of it are occupied, and its economic conditions are very difficult. Iraq is also torn, its wealth is being wasted, and it lacks stability. Cyprus is still divided and refugees are arriving in large numbers. Sudan is burning with the fire of war. All of these societies are witnessing an unprecedented exodus of their talents and labor force, as if the intention was to empty the region of its people and capabilities. All of this must be a prelude to a stage that does not bode well, despite our clinging to hope and looking forward to a better tomorrow.

At the conclusion of the regular meeting of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), which was held in Beirut on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November 2023, the participants issued a final statement. It was read by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, as you can find in the video what the statement included.

November 2023

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) held its regular meeting in Beirut, during two consecutive days, Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November 2023. At the beginning of the meeting, the participants observed a minute of silence and prayed for the relief of the souls of the victims of the bloody war in Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip. During the sessions, the Executive Committee discussed several issues especially the difficult circumstances that the region is witnessing. In the video, you can find details about the first day of the Executive Committee meeting.

“Street Children and Human Dignity”

Thursday 30 November 2023 - 7 pm Beirut Time

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) has the honor to invite you to participate in its monthly webinar entitled “Street Children and Human Dignity”, on Thursday 30 November 2023, at 7 pm Beirut time.

You can participate in the webinar via the following Zoom link https://rb.gy/wlscrd, and live on the MECC Facebook Page.

The webinar, which includes three interventions, will start with an opening speech by its moderator Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, and will be followed with a speech by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs.

Middle East Council of Churches Executive Committee Meeting

Beirut, 17-18 November 2023

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches held its regular meeting in Beirut on Friday and Saturday, November 17 and 18, 2023. The meeting was chaired by His Eminence Anba Antonios, Archbishop of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox and MECC President for the Eastern Orthodox family, His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East for the Greek Orthodox and MECC President for the Orthodox family, represented by His Excellency Metropolitan Antonios Al Souri, Metropolitan of Zahle, Baalbek and their dependencies, His Excellency Rev. Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Association of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East and MECC President for the Evangelical Family, and His Beatitude Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Menassian,  and Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia for the Armenian Catholics and MECC President for the Catholic Family, represented by His Excellency Archbishop Boutros Marayati, Archbishop of Aleppo. The meeting was attended by members of the Executive Committee from Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Cyprus, and Palestine, representatives of the Middle Eastern churches, members of the MECC, the Secretary-General Dr. Michel Abs, the Associate Secretary Generals, and the General Secretariat team of directors of departments and sections, and administrators.

On the Agenda Are the Latest Harsh Developments Happening in the Region

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) held its regular meeting in Beirut on its first day, on Friday 17 November 2023, and will be continued on Saturday 18 November 2023. Hence, the Executive Committee discusses the difficult circumstances that the region is witnessing, especially the ongoing war in Gaza. The meeting’ sessions started with a minute of silence for the souls of the martyrs who fell in Gaza, raising Prayers on the intention of peace, ending wars, and healing the wounded. The agenda also includes a follow-up to the spiritual, administrative and financial MECC affairs, especially the preparations taking place for the celebration of the 50-Year Jubilee of the MECC founding.

You can find photo albums from the Executive Committee meeting of the Middle East Council of Churches, which was held in Beirut on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November 2023. On its agenda were the latest painful developments which are happening in the region, in addition to various issues related to the Middle East Council of Churches.

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches held its regular meeting in Beirut on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 November 2023. In the video, you can find a highlight about the activities of the first day of this meeting, which began with a minute of silence in honor of the souls of the martyrs of Gaza.

“Our presence in this region is strong and rooted. We reject the language of war and always strive to be advocates of peace”

At a time when the drums of war are growing louder, and the region is witnessing from crises, scourges, wars, persecutions, displacement, destruction and killing, the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches convenes and emphasizes the presence of the Church and its essential role in supporting the people who are suffering and standing by the wounded amidst escalating crises.

This is what was stated by the participants in the meeting of the MECC Executive Committee in Beirut, in which attendees from various countries of the region participated.

They also mentioned the importance of this purposeful and effective meeting, which addressed in its sessions Ecclesiastical and national issues in order to sorrow a glimmer of hope in the heart of humanity marginalized and tired as a result of crises”…

The Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) starts its meeting with a minute of silence for the souls of the martyrs who fell in Gaza. Prayers are raised on the intention of peace, ending wars, and healing the wounded.

Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and MECC President for the Evangelical Family, said:

We meet with hope and faith at a time when our countries are passing through dangers and challenges, especially in Palestine. We witness great sadness and pain…

The United Nations has designated November 16th as the International Day for Tolerance, commemorating it through various activities. Furthermore, the year 1995 was designated as the United Nations Year for Tolerance. Member States have adopted the Declaration of Principles on Tolerance and the Plan of Action for the follow-up to the United Nations Year for Tolerance.

Undoubtedly, this Declaration of Principles is a valuable and important document that should be examined and reflected upon due to its values and aspirations, which secure a better future for humanity. However, we also witness an escalation of intolerance, rejection of others, and the resulting hate speech, which threatens to overthrow all the progress humanity has made in terms of openness, love, and yearning to mature and interact with others who differ from us in several ways. This difference does not necessarily lead to conflicts and wars if countries, societies, and peoples manage this diversity well.

In this regard, we must address some of the social ills that require society to be aware of the disasters they carry.

The first concept is stereotyping, which is an idea or image we form of a person or group based on an excessive and sometimes harmful simplification of existing or supposed characteristics of that group. This stereotype may be negative or positive and is based on prejudices that nullify the privacy of individuals.

What Are the Meanings that this Booklet Carries?

The Middle East Council of Churches releases the Arabic version of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” booklet 2024, under the title “You shall love the Lord your God... and your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10:27). What are the meanings and symbols that it presents? The answer is in this video that highlights this booklet and the theme taken for this year.

What Are the Meanings of this Annual Historical Date?

With the preparations for Christmas, Churches in the Middle East and the world are being ready to celebrate an annual and historic Ecumenical station in January, which is the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.” A station that includes eight days of daily Prayers around the world, extending from 18 to 25 January of each year. Hence, we walk together as one united family according to the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, especially since He commanded us “that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you” (John 17:21).