Within the framework of maintaining a healthy and clean environment in schools, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Diakonia and Social Service Department, Syria’s Office, restored and rehabilitated health facilities in many schools in Dara'a Governorate. The restoration activities included the rehabilitation of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure, maintenance of the drinking water network, and installation of the other necessary equipment. It contributed to providing clean and safe health facilities away from the spread of diseases. Hence, this video highlights this restoration program that was implemented in Dara’a.

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 a video word delivered by His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, on the occasion of announcing the theme of the “Season of Creation” 2024 around the world, which is “To Hope and Work with Creation”. His Beatitude stressed that the “Season of Creation” is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all of Creation through celebration, conversion and commitment together. You can also find details about this theme and the activities that will be implemented in the world in celebration of the “Season of Creation”.

As well as, the issue includes the message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs which is entitled this week “Common life and human fraternity, The role of the Middle East Council of Churches as a model”. It was the speech that Dr. Abs delivered at the Human Fraternity Meeting: A Journey and Participation, on Saturday 3 February 2024, in Al-Zahraa Hall - Haret Hreik, Lebanon.

The literature of the dialogue field is full of terms that played a major role in bringing minds together and bringing people closer when they were used in the context of conflict resolution and extinguishing hostilities between people. But these terms, after fulfilling the role assigned to them for a certain era, no longer fulfill the conceptual and practical purpose that we need at the current stage, where human mixing has reached its peak, accompanied by escalating hostilities between peoples, ethnic groups, religions and communities, and also accompanied by hate speech that was exacerbated by social media to reach its peak and turn into a poison and a separation tool par excellence.

These inspiring concepts at the time, we, those working in the dialogue, began to discover how much they carried within them the seeds of discord, while we used them as a means of rapprochement. Truth be told, their introduction at that stage was only out of good faith, but the conceptual and field horizon did not require more than that.

Peaceful coexistence, between religions or groups, for example, shows us that there is an existing balance between diverse identities, but this balance can be disturbed at any moment as soon as an external factor interferes with the balance or one of the balance-coexistence parties makes a mistake, which leads to something undesirable with unforeseen consequences.

At the Invitation of the Journal “Ilmolmabdaa”, “Tahawoulat” Forum and the Delta Center for In-depth Research

Friday 23 February 2024 – 3pm Beirut time, at “Ilmolmabdaa” Headquarters

As part of the “Reflection Sessions” series, the journal “Ilmolmabdaa”, “Tahawoulat” (Transformations) Center and the Delta Center for In-depth Research have the honor to invite you to participate in the first episode entitled “The Values of the West in their Cognitive and Moral Integration” (Current Evidence). The episode includes two interventions with Professor Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and Professor Talal Atrissi, a Researcher and Professor of sociology. The episode is moderated and presented by the Researcher Sarkis Abou Zeid, and the two interventions are followed by an open discussion.

On the Occasion of the Announcement of the “Season of Creation” 2024 Theme

With the launching of the “Season of Creation” theme for this year, which is “To Hope and Work with Creation,” His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, delivered a video message in which he stressed that the “Season of Creation” is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all of Creation through celebration, conversion and commitment together.

Noting that this message, which you can watch and listen to it in the following video, came as part of a video released by the international Laudato Si’ movement, which includes several messages addressed by many Religious Leaders from around the world.

“To Hope And Act With Creation”

Stemming from its belief in the importance of the creation care during all the year, the international Laudato Si’ movement announced, at the beginning of this month, February, the theme of this year’s “Season of Creation,” which is "To hope and act with Creation". It is an encouragement to Christians all over the world to prepare for this international Ecumenical and environmental season that is celebrated between 1 September, the Feast of Creation, and 4 October which coincides with the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi.

The symbol of this year’ “Season of Creation” is "The firstfruits of hope," inspired by the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Romans (8: 19-25). It emphasizes the importance of clinging to hope despite all the challenges that surround us, especially the environmental ones, and the necessity of working together to protect our common home and responding to the cry of creation.

Health and Psychological Support for a Group of Elderlies in Lebanon 

On the 24th of January, the medical team at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) collaborated with ABAAD association and the Lebanese university, to launch an event under the title of “Everyone Deserves a Better Life” in which a Health Session and a Psychosocial session were held in parallel for 25 beneficiaries. The event took place at the Our Lady Dispensary, affiliated with MECC, and located in the Sabtieh region - Lebanon. 

The Health Session aimed to promote health and a good nutritional diet, as well as a positive mental wellbeing. For this reason, 4 nutritionists from the Lebanese University inspected the beneficiaries by checking their weight, height, blood pressure, Hemoglobin level for warning signs such as Anemia, and made recommendations for a proper nutritional diet. Also 4 social workers from the Lebanese University evaluated their mental health condition and collected information regarding the things that they need in their life to be happy.  

The theme and symbol for the Season of Creation 2024 are now available, with a theological reflection inspired by the Letter to the Romans, encouraging Christians around the world to prepare to experience the ecumenical season next September.

This Friday, February 2, the 2024 Season of Creation was presented with the theme "To hope and act with Creation". The annual Christian celebration is convened each year to pray and respond to the cry of Creation, between September 1st, the Feast of Creation, and October 4th, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi.

The “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2024 will be held in Egypt carrying the theme “You shall love the Lord your God... and your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10:27), through a program of celebrations that will start on Wednesday 13 March, and continue until Friday 22 March, at the invitation of the Middle East Council of Churches and the Egyptian Council of Churches.

The celebrations program includes many Prayers and meetings with various Church Families according to the following program:

- Wednesday 13 March 2024: Church of the Virgin Mary and Anba Bishoy in Saint Mark’s Cathedral in Abbasiya - Meeting of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, in the presence of Heads of Churches.

During the Weekly Sermon of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II

Under the theme “You shall love the Lord your God... and your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10:27), the Saint Mark's Cathedral in Abbasiya - Egypt, invites you to participate in the opening of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2024 in Egypt, during the weekly Sermon of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of Saint Mark, on Wednesday 13 March 2024, in the presence of the Heads of the Churches and their representatives.

During the meeting “Human Fraternity: Journey and Participation” which was held on the occasion of the International Day of Human Fraternity, and at the invitation of the Head of the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Lebanon His Eminence Bishop Mar Mathias Charles Mrad, on Saturday 3 February 2024, at the Islamic Cultural Center – the Two Imam Al Hussein Compound - Al-Zahraa Hall - Haret Hreik, Lebanon, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs delivered a speech which you can watch it and listen to it in the video.

Words Stresses that the Human Fraternity Document Should be a Guide for Emerging Generations

On the occasion of the International Day of Human Fraternity, and at the invitation of the Head of the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue in Lebanon His Eminence Bishop Mar Mathias Charles Mrad, a meeting was held on “Human Fraternity: Journey and Participation”, at the Islamic Cultural Center – the Two Imam Al Hussein Compound - Al-Zahraa Hall - Haret Hreik, Lebanon.

Attendees were His Eminence Bishop Mar Mathias Charles Mrad, the Scholar Sayyed Ali Fadlallah, Church and Religious personalities, Scholars, Priests, members of the Episcopal Committee for Christian-Muslim Dialogue and journalists.

The meeting started with the National Anthem, followed by the Lord’s Prayer for the journalists, prepared and written by Télé Lumière-Noursat TV Channel.

Then the journalist Lea Adel Maamary addressed a speech in which she welcomed the audience and summarized her speech with a statement quoted from the words of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Orthodox Family, "Between We and You, the "and" disappears and We becomes You and You becomes We", stressing that this quote and others are applied to the content of the Human Fraternity Document.

of the “Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling” Program in Syria

“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6: 31)

Amidst a world burdened by wars and crises that are also casting a shadow over the Middle East, Eastern people suffer from many daily challenges and life pressures that may negatively affect their mental health. Therefore, psychological and spiritual support has become essential to help the most vulnerable people to overcome the difficulties and troubles that reduce their usual activity. 

In this context, the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) implemented a new session of the “Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling” program in Syria, under the title “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6: 31), over the course of five days, between 29 January and 1 February 2024, in Al-Naama Center, Al-Mishtaya, Western Homs Countryside. 

Syrians Want Life...

A year has passed since the earthquake that struck the North of the Antiochian Levant, and the Syrians' wounds have not yet healed. A year has passed, carrying with it pain, tragedy, and a lot of sadness that the Syrian people are still passing through, and are suffering under the burden of difficult living conditions, especially with the unjust economic sanctions imposed on the country. One year after the earthquake and 13 years after the Syrian war, what is the circumstances of Syria today?

The Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of February 2024. 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.

At the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and as part of the celebrations which were organized in Lebanon by the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Relations at the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, in partnership with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), an Ecumenical Prayer Service was held on Sunday 28 January 2024, hosted by the All Saints Evangelical Episcopal Anglican Church in Beirut. Hence, the video sheds light on this Service that brought together the Heads of the Middle East Churches and Believers in Prayer.

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 message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs which title is “A prayer for unity, or a prayer in unity?”. It was the speech that Dr. Abs delivered at the Prayer Service which was held on the occasion of the end of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity”, on Sunday 28 January 2024, hosted by the Evangelical Episcopal Anglican Church of All Saints in Downtown Beirut.

The issue also includes details, photos, a video report and a video reel, about this Prayer Service which was held as part of the celebrations organized in Lebanon by the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Relations at the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Lebanon, in partnership with the Middle East Council of Churches.

To gather, despite our diversity, in humility before the Cross of the Redeemer, in a church different from ours, reciting common prayers together, distributing their stages, this is something we cannot call anything other than unity!

Diversity is not a division, differentiation is not a division, uniqueness is not a division, and renewal is not a division. The division occurs when we deny the incarnation of the Word, and when we deny the Redeemer’s wounds and his blood that was shed for the New Testament, and his resurrection with which he gave new life to humankind.

We are one, no matter what they say, no matter our differences, and even our disputes. If we were not one, there would be no disagreement or conflict. If we had not disagreed, we would have been in a state of indifference towards the message of salvation, and this message would not have spread to all corners of the earth and pervaded the globe.

Once you believed in Him, you are one with all the children of the faith, because He said, “That they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me and I in you, so that they also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” (John 17:21)

No one should think that unity requires complete dissolution between components, or cloning from one component to another. This is contrary to human nature and the structure of societies. Unity is maintaining aspirations even if the means differ.

For fifty years, the Church of Christ has been meeting, praying, glorifying the Creator, and restoring the Redeemer’s message in all its dimensions, divine and human. Isn't this a unit?

Sunday 11 February 2024, at 8:30 pm Beirut Time

Watch the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs in an episode of the program “I Came to Serve,” prepared and presented by Father Elias Karam, on Télé Lumière and Noursat, on Sunday 11 February 2024, at 8:30 pm Beirut Time.

During the episode, Professor Dr. Abs will highlight the mission of the Middle East Council of Churches and the activities that will be held on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of its Founding. He will also talk about the issue of Christian unity, in addition to the Ecumenical Musical event “Beirut 2024,” which was held at the Forum de Beirut on the occasion of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity and the MECC Fiftieth Jubilee. In addition, Professor Dr. Michel Abs will speak about the Church’s role regarding the environmental issue, as well as the MECC work in dealing with crises and the importance of the seminars it holds monthly.