This report sheds light on the meeting that was held between 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, and the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, at the head of a delegation including colleagues from the MECC General Secretariat, on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at the Patriarchate in Balamand, Lebanon.

Held in Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, from January 23 to 24, 2025

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in cooperation with the United Church of Canada, organized a consultative seminar entitled "Dismantling the Authority of Decision or Participation in the Authority of Decision", with the aim of discussing the mechanism of the new partnership relationship between the United Church of Canada and its partners in the world, including its partners in the Middle East, such as the Middle East Council of Churches, in order to give partners more future freedom to choose their humanitarian and development needs and have their direct management to the programs supported by the United Church of Canada.

This initiative comes in response to the new strategic goals of the United Church of Canada on the topic of abandoning the authority of choice and decision that Church institutions in the West have been accustomed to following for many years in the past, which contradicts the spiritual and moral concept of respecting the needs of others without imposing specific goals or strategies that do not achieve the partners' goals and actual needs.

The consultation session was attended by the United Church of Canada partners in the Middle East from Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, along with some ACT Alliance members present in Jordan and abroad, either in person or via Zoom.

A report that sheds light on the Prayer that was held on the occasion of the closing of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025, entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut, hosted by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family, with the participation of the Heads of the Churches, and the presence of the MECC Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs.

The Closing Prayer was held under the title “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), on Saturday 25 January 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

The Closing Prayer was held under the title “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), on Saturday 25 January 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

You can find in the video the word delivered by His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rai, Maronite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, during the closing Prayer of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity", which was held on Saturday 25 January 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

You can find in the video the word delivered by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family, during the closing Prayer of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity", which was held on Saturday 25 January 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

With the blessing and presence of Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family, the UAECNE hosted an Ecumenical Prayer Service on the occasion of the ending of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025 entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26), in celebration of the conclusion of the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), as well as the announcement of the launch of the 1700th Anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea, on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut.

With the completion of the achievements for the year 2024 and preparation for the entitlements in the new year, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, held a general meeting for the MECC General Secretariat team, entitled progress and success in International forums. The meeting was held on the occasion of the election of the MECC candidate Eng. Samer Laham, Director of the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department, as a member of the new Governing Board of the International ACT Alliance.

Noting that the elections of the new Governing Board took place at the 4th General Assembly of ACT, which was held in Yogyakarta - Indonesia, under the theme "Hope in Action, Together for Justice," between October 28 and November 1, 2024.

During the MECC General Secretariat meeting, which was held on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the Council's headquarters in Beirut, the Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs addressed a congratulatory word to Mr. Samer, praising his distinguished competencies and capabilities, thanking him for his efforts and contributions in the Ecclesiastical and humanitarian fields. He also emphasized the credibility of the Middle East Council of Churches internationally and the quality of the humanitarian services it provides with the support of the "ACT Alliance".

In the video, you can find the word delivered by His Eminence Archbishop Youssef Soueif, Archbishop of the Maronite Diocese of Tripoli and President of the Episcopal Committee for Ecumenical Work at the Assemblée des Patriarches et Evêques Catholiques du Liban (APECL), during the Prayer Service held on the occasion of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2025, at Our Lady of the Dormition Church, Aadbel Akkar - Lebanon.

In the video, you can find the word delivered by His Eminence Metropolitan Basilios Mansour, Greek Orthodox Bishop of Akkar and Dependencies, during the Prayer Service held on the occasion of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” 2025, at Our Lady of the Dormition Church, Aadbel Akkar - Lebanon.

What Are Its Details?

This report sheds light on the health and psychological awareness sessions for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers implemented by the Diakonia and Social Service Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Syria’s Office, in three governorates which are Damascus and its Countryside, Aleppo and Daraa.

Father Rifaat Bader, the Head of the Catholic Center for Studies and Media, Publisher of Abouna Website, and Media Consultant on behalf of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), met with His Holiness Pope Francis in the Vatican, where he offered him an illustration of the Baptism Church and presented to him an overview about the upcoming Jordan Exhibition in the Vatican.

As part of the "Season of Creation" and Environmental Days Celebrations in the Middle East, the EcoJustice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) prepared an environmental activity and a Christmas celebration in the Anafora Oasis on the Desert Road in Egypt.

For the occasion, the youth of Egypt, in coordination with the youth of the Coptic Orthodox, Catholic, Evangelical and Episcopal churches, the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt and all other youth, celebrated the fourth day of Christmas and Epiphany on January 10, 2025, which is a great and wonderful Feast. Upon arrival, the youth were hosted with ecological welcome drinks.

Then, the Coordinator of the EcoJustice Unit Archdeacon Garen Yosolkanian, welcomed the active youth who are the pulse of life and the leaders of the present in developing the society and studies. He also welcomed the President of the Egypt Council of Churches Reverend Yeshua Yacoub, the Presidnet of the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt Mr. Medhat Fayez, and all the officials and representatives of the Egyptian youth.

Under the title "Awareness Is One of the Foundations of Education and One of the Pillars of the Church Social Work", the EcoJustice Unit invited the Egyptian Church Youth to an environmental day in Wadi El Natrun in the first section of the Anafora Oasis, which helps a lot of young people to find their devotion in their lives.

In this context, the EcoJustice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) prepared a lecture on Environmental Theology and a celebration of the beginning of the year in the Eastern Julian tradition with His Eminence Bishop Thomas of Qusiya and Church personalities in Environmental Theology.

At the beginning of the discussion, Archdeacon Garen thanked His Eminence for his attendance at the celebrations of the Season of Creation and his continuous cooperation in the Middle East and the world.

Archdeacon Garen, the Coordinator of the EcoJustice Unit at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), visited His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, congratulating His Holiness on the New Year, Christmas, and Epiphany holidays at the beginning of the year according to the Julian calendar and the Feast of the Circumcision on January 14, 2025.

The visit was attended by the Associate Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Gerges Saleh, the President of the Ecumenical Youth Committee in Egypt Mr. Medhat Fayez, the Vice President Mr. Nour Bahnan, the Director of the Armenian Genocide Orphans Museum, Aram Bezikian, Archdeacon Maestro Krikor El-Wazian, Deacon Kyrillos Wehbeh, and Agnostos Samuel Ibrahim.

With love and one voice, the fragrance of hymns at the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity wafts through the voices of the Ecumenical choir which included members from different Church Families.

End of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

Professor Dr. Michel Abs from the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari:

"In the absence of institutional unity that every believer longs for, we can be united in the spirituality of faith and society, as we embrace the same faith, we follow it, as well as the social values ​​that result from it, and through which we serve humanity. Thanks to this faith, humanity has created all forms of services that care for the tired and burdened people.

At the first half century of the MECC’s life, we promise you to continue the work of rapprochement that we have been doing since its founding, and which is included as a basic rule in its constitution and founding documents...

Today, we are at the peak of the institutionalization work that will ensure the continuity of MECC, so that it can continue the tasks entrusted to it by the founders, and we need your continuous blessings, Prayers and support so that this institution, which is considered one of the highest forms of joint Christian work, will be preserved for decades to come, and remains the home of Christian fellowship in the region that witnessed the Incarnation and Resurrection.”

With one love, one heart and great hope, the Heads of the Churches and faithful people unite in a Prayer Service at the First Armenian Evangelical Church - Kantari, Beirut, on the occasion of the ending of the "Week of Prayer for Christian Unity" 2025 entitled “Do you believe this?” (John 11: 26).

“O Merciful Lord, lead us to work together to spread Your light and freedom wherever there is darkness, tyranny, suffering and injustice” (from the Prayer Service of the Week of Unity 2025).