The generalization of the Church paradigm in Peacebuilding

Elements for the Church’s action in Peacebuilding

 The Church, as engaging in a faith-based action in Peacebuilding and being a stable societal and historical human faith setting, at the sociological and organizational levels, is meant to deal with peacebuilding in its two dimensions: The curative and the preventive.

The church cannot ignore emergency conflictual situations and deal with them since their effects may be destructive. Dealing with them will save lots of effort for the future if it succeeds to prevent damage.

Reconciliation can only be achieved through direct dialogue between the churches

We must strengthen the Christian presence in the region through steadfastness and Prayer

Without MECC we would remain dispersed Churches

Exclusive the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

“Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25: 23)

The Lebanese Antonine Monk His Eminence Archbishop Michel Jalakh is taking on greater responsibilities, and serving the Church of Christ remains his motto forever.

Archbishop Jalakh, Honorary Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and its Secretary General from 2013 to 2018, was elevated by His Holiness Pope Francis in March 2024 to the Episcopal Rank with the title of “Titular Archbishop of Nisibis”. Blessed Service!

With the blessings of His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, he will be ordained Archbishop on Saturday 8 June 2024, in the Patriarchal Edifice - Bkerke, Lebanon.

The Middle East Council of Churches Joins the Believers in Presence and Prayer

Hundreds of believers came to the Shrine of Saint Rita - New Rawda, Lebanon, to participate in an annual event that brings together Christian communities and civil society in moments of faith and devotion. The Divine Liturgy this year was presided over by the Head of the Mekhitarist Fathers’ Congregation, Monsignor Mesrob Sulahian, who gave the event an atmosphere of holiness and contemplation, and was organized and supervised by the Deputy Superior of the Congregation, Father Leo Nareg Jenanian.

The Mass witnessed a remarkable presence of more than 1,500 believers, in addition to representatives of various Christian denominations, representatives of embassies, parties, and security and military services, which reflects the diversity and unity of this spiritual gathering. Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, the Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and Representative of the Secretary General at the celebration, also participated in the Mass.

The Middle East Council of Churches Participating

On the occasion of Pentecost Sunday and the 34th Anniversary of the Founding of Télé Lumière and its satellite channels, His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, presided over a Celebratory Mass held by Télé Lumière and Noursat, on Sunday 19 May 2024, at the Patriarchal Edifice - Bkerke, Lebanon. His Beatitude was assisted in the Mass by Their Eminences Bishops, representatives of the Heads of Churches and various Ecclesiastical Families, and Priests.

The Mass was attended by the General Director of Télé Lumière and Noursat Mr. Jacques El Kallassi, its Board of Directors, the Télé Lumière and Noursat family, and religious, social and political figures. A delegation from the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) also participated, including the Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, the Media and Communication Officer Elia Nasrallah, and the Social Media Officer Sub-Deacon Chady Chata.

Together for a Cleaner and Safer Environment!

Environment, justice, climate, reducing environmental injustice... are all issues that the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) is keen to raise awareness about, stemming from its belief in the importance of preserving the creation that God has entrusted us with and protecting our common home. Therefore, within the series of “Environmental Days” that MECC had previously launched, the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department, EcoJustice Unit, continues its environmental work in various countries of the Middle East, emphasizing the need to join hands and pray together for a safer and more prosperous future.

In this context, MECC implemented several environmental activities in Egypt, including awareness campaigns on environmental justice, which were held by the Archdeacon Garen Yosolkanian, Manager of the MECC EcoJustice Unit. This is in addition to ecotheological think-meeting held by Yosolkanian with many groups, associations, Theological centers, and interested people with the aim of empowering Church leaders, servants, and educational workers and developing their environmental capabilities.

As A Follow-Up to the “Spiritual and Psychological Support” Program

Amidst a world burdened by wars, crises, hate speech, injustice..., the Church today faces great challenges, especially in responding to humanitarian emergencies, securing the needs of its children, and supporting the neediest people. Therefore, the Parish servants and their assistants seek to heal the wounds of those affected by the difficult living conditions to help them regain their hope and consolidate their faith. However, they, in turn, are facing many psychological pressures as a result of all the painful situations surrounding them.

In this context, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Theological and Ecumenical Department, continues to implement several sessions of the “Spiritual and Psychological Support” program for the Parish servants, and active people working in Churches, in order to support them psychologically and spiritually so that they can complete their mission and perform their mission in a better way.

Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, the Coordinator of the Social Capital Rehabilitation Project at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and Professor of Public Policy and Strategy at the Lebanese University, was the guest the journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Coordinator of Communication for Church Relations at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in an episode of the program “Initiative”, via Voice of Van Radio, on Thursday 16 May 2024. 

Within the framework of enhancing environmental awareness through various environmental and theological programs, an online meeting was held between the World Council of Churches (WCC) and the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), on Friday 17 May 2024. 

From the MECC side, participants were the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, Mrs. Seta Hadeshian, the MECC Associate Secretary General, Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, the Director of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department, and the Archdeacon Garen Yosolkanian, the Manager of the MECC EcoJustice Unit. As for the WCC side, Ms. Frederique Seidel, WCC Leader in child rights, climate solutions and peace-building participated.  

A Round Table at the Invitation of the Hayat Al Howayek Foundation for Cultural Studies

Thursday 23 May 2024, at the Independence House in Bchamoun - Lebanon

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs Will Participate and Moderate It

Stemming from its belief that the history and massacres of peoples are indivisible, and that the repetition of certain experiences such as wars and genocides indicate patterns that are not coincidental, Hayat Al Howayek Foundation for Cultural Studies invites you to a round table entitled “From Taurus to Gaza, 110 Years Since the Bleeding of the East.” It will be held on Thursday 23 May 2024, from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, at the Independence House in Bchamoun, Aley District - Lebanon. His Eminence Archbishop Atallah Hanna will participate in the round table, as well as the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs who will deliver a speech at the opening session and will moderate the gathering.

Dr. Michel E. Abs

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Embeddedness of Peace in Christianity

Jesus was named the Prince of Peace because He chose to be sacrificed for our sins to reconcile human beings with God. He mended our broken relationship to God & restored it so we can have peace. Receiving Jesus’ gift of eternal life restores our peace with God and allows us to love others as God loves us, therefore, our relationship with others is restored too. Therefore, He became the way for humans to reconcile with God and have peace with themselves first before having it with other human beings.

This is the foundation of peace in the church.

This way we become peacemakers, as Jesus, our Lord, is called the Prince of Peace – this puts a Historical responsibility on Christians and the church. 

At the same time, Jesus reassures the faithful: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”–John 16:33

Middle East Socioeconomic

Overview Report: April 2024

During this month, opposing forces escalated the magnitude of the armed conflict almost clashing with one another in a full-blown war. For the time being, diplomatic efforts have halted any further escalation but have failed to address the great divide between foes. Moreover, humanitarian conditions remain dire and are at risk of getting worse, knowingly an incursion into Rafah may occur sooner or later. Currently, diplomatic efforts are underway to stall the planned ground invasion by implementing a truce in Gaza. Yet, as always, nothing is guaranteed.

The Church should be a precocious warning voice for harmful trends that take place in society and a catalyst for mutual maturation between different groups

The ACT Alliance MENA Forum held its annual meeting in Amman and online, on Monday 13 May 2024, in the presence of the concerned officers of the ACT Alliance, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, the Director of the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department at Mr. Samer Laham, and members of the ACT Alliance MENA Forum representatives of local and international organizations. 

During the meeting, the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs delivered a lecture entitled “Church’s Role in Peace Building, A Middle Eastern Experience”, in which he spoke about many  topics centered around embeddedness of peace in Christian Faith, essence and ingredients of peacebuilding, the modalities of Church’s action in peacebuilding, the Logos: "word, discourse, & reason", the Praxis:  Joint Actions in Society & Culture, and working towards a paradigm of Church peacebuilding. 

The Middle East Council of Churches Participates in it

The Head of the Episcopal Committee for the Media Institutions and the Maronite Patriarchal Vicar of Jounieh His Eminence Bishop Antoine Nabil Al Andari, presided over a Mass in Our Lady Church in Amchit, Lebanon, on Sunday 12 May 2024, on the intention of journalists and media workers, on the occasion of the 58th World Communications Day. Noting that His Eminence was assisted by the Head of the Catholic Information Center Monsignor Abdo Abou Kasem, the Media Officer in the Maronite Diocese of Byblos Father Antoine Atallah, and the Parish Servant Father Charbel Al Khoury.

At the invitation of the United Church of Canada

The United Church of Canada (UCC) organization, held on Thursday 9 May 2024, an online farewell meeting for Mrs. Patti Talbot, who retired after 30 years of working at the UCC and contributing to strengthening the ecumenical spirit. The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs and the Director of the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department Mr. Samer Laham, participated in the meeting.

A Prayer Service Organized by Al Sabeel Center with the Participation of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs

On the occasion of Easter according to the Eastern calendar and Ascension according to the Western calendar, Al Sabeel Center, which is an ecumenical theology movement in the Holy Land, organized an online prayer service, entitled “Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness,” on Thursday 9 May 2024. Participants were Church leaders, clergy, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, and guests.

During the Easter season 2024, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, held an awareness day camp on gender-based violence (GBV), Our Lady Dispensary, affiliated with the MECC, in the Sabtieh region –Mount Lebanon, where recreational activities were carried out.  

The social worker used music to better deliver her message to the kids and to create a joyful atmosphere for them to enjoy. As for the activities, they included games such as hula hoops, jumping, playing with balloons, doing handcrafts such as decorating cakes and coloring pictures. Most importantly however, was the gender-based violence awareness messages that the social worker infused with the session as the kids engaged in the activities.   

Believing in the importance of environmental awareness, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) continues its theological environmental missions in various countries of the region to emphasize the necessity of prayer and working together in order to preserve God’s creation that we are entrusted with. 

In this context, the Middle East Council of Churches had an environmental presence within the activities of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” in Egypt last March, where the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs traveled to the Arab Republic of Egypt to participate in it. He was accompanied by the journalist Lea Adel Maamary, Coordinator of Communication for Church Relations at MECC, and the Archdeacon Garen Yosolkanian, Manager of the EcoJustice Unit at MECC.