The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs Participates Along with a Delegation from the Council

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, participated in the Divine Liturgy presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch Mar Polis III Nona, Patriarch of the Chaldean Church in Iraq and the World, at St. Raphael Cathedral in Baabda_Brasilia.

A delegation from the Council also took part in the Liturgy, including Chorbishop Habib Mrad, Member of the MECC Executive Committee, Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department at MECC, Lawyer Ibrahim Traboulsi, Member of the MECC Executive Committee, and Lea Adel Maamary, Coordinator of Media and Church Relations at MECC.

On July 25, 2026, Youth Leadership Building (YLB) held its Training of Trainers () workshop at the Armenian Evangelical Nor Marash Church Youth Room, bringing together the leaders in preparation for YLB season 2.

The training provided a space for reflection, prayers, team building, and leadership formation, emphasizing YLB’s vision of developing compassionate, resilient, visionary and servant young leaders. Through worship, interactive activities, group discussions, and practical exercises, leaders explored themes of leadership, teamwork, communication, inclusion, and the importance of creating safe and supportive environments for young people.

About the topic of "Freedom of Conscience and Responsible Faith"

Organized by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

A Lecture By Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian

Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian is the 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, delivered this lecture at a webinar organized by the Middle East Council of Churches, entitled “Freedom of Conscience and Responsible Faith,” on Thursday, July 23, 2026.

I thank the Middle East Council of Churches for this meaningful opportunity and pray that its media ministry be enriching for the life of the church in our region and also globally.

Why Freedom of Conscience Matters Today

On the occasion of the 180th anniversary of the Armenian Evangelical Church, the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East has chosen the central theme of "Freedom of Conscience and Responsible Faith."

The theme has been part of the story of the founding of our church in 1846, but is much more than a historical reminder. It is a theological confession, a description of the Church's identity, and a challenge for its future.

The Armenian Evangelical Church did not emerge in 1846 merely because forty believers in Constantinople wished to establish another ecclesiastical body. Their main concern was a deep understanding of the Gospel itself. They longed for a Church in which faith would be personal not only inherited, that it would be strongly biblical and freely sincere. In a foundational statement, they declared that freedom of conscience was more precious than social obedience and institutional authority, because only a conscience in service of Christ can genuinely worship God…

MECC Holds a Webinar on “Freedom of Conscience and Responsible Faith”

Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian: “Responsible faith reminds us that freedom reaches its highest expression not in defending ourselves but in serving others”

Secretary General Professor Michel Abs: “Communication is an essential issue within the framework of freedom of conscience”

On the occasion of the 180th Anniversary of the Armenian Evangelical Church, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) held a webinar entitled “Freedom of Conscience and Responsible Faith.” The main speaker was 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 webinar was moderated by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Professor Michel Abs, with in-person participation from MECC colleagues, including Associate Secretary General Mrs. Seta Hadeshian, Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, and Coordinator of Media and Church Relations Journalist Lea Adel Maamary. In addition to an online participation from those interested in the topic from various Church families and countries around the world. It took place on Wednesday, July 23, 2026.

Receives the Head of the Department of Social Studies at Bayt Al-Hikma in Iraq Dr. Khadija Jasim

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, received the Head of the Department of Social Studies at Bayt Al-Hikma (House of Wisdom) in Iraq, Dr. Khadija Jasim, in the presence of the Coordinator of the Dialogue, Social Cohesion, and Human Dignity Rehabilitation Programs at MECC Professor Laure Abi Khalil. The meeting took place on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at the MECC General Secretariat offices in Beirut.

During the meeting, the participants exchanged views on various topics and issues of mutual interest. They also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between the Middle East Council of Churches and Bayt Al-Hikma. This is in addition to discussing mechanisms for developing collaboration between the two institutions through the preparation and implementation of joint research projects aimed at achieving shared social and humanitarian objectives, as well as promoting dialogue and academic cooperation between both parties.

On a Protocol and Official Visit to Lebanon, Bearing a Message of Love and Solidarity

Entitled "Disarmed and Disarming: Peace Is a Gift"

Produced by MECC

“Ecumenical Horizons” is a weekly program that features spiritual, cultural, intellectual, educational, youth and environmental topics.

“Momentum”

20-7-2026

This issue includes reports, videos, news, articles, and a full coverage of the latest developments of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), as well as the Church, Ecumenical, and social events…

This is in addition to the weekly word of the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs which is entitled in this issue “The Association (ATIME): A Model of Christian Unity in Action”. It is the address he delivered to the General Assembly of the Association of Theological Colleges and Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME) - Cairo, 17 July 2026.

You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/6d9d862163d5/momentum-mecc-weekly-newsletter.

You can also subscribe to the Momentum Newsletter via the following link:
https://mecc.us14.list-manage.com/subscribe?id=fd3381352a&u=1db32cafe9ea32b38eb90480a.

Professor Michel Abs

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

Peace be with you all.

It is an honor to stand before you at this distinguished gathering, which brings together leading figures dedicated to theological education in the Middle East, the very region where the message of salvation was first revealed, from which the Gospel was proclaimed to the world, and which, despite its many wounds, continues to bear the message of Christ to humanity.

We are gathered around a project unlike any other. The ATIME is far more than an academic network bringing together institutions of theological education. It is a living prophecy, written anew each day in our classrooms, our libraries, and our common prayers. It is a model of Christian unity in action, for it takes shape where the Church forms tomorrow's ministers as laborers in the vineyard of the one Lord, and prepares the future leaders of the ecumenical movement.

We live in the land where the Christian faith was first proclaimed and where the price of witness was first paid. Here, too, we came to know the diversity of theological expressions through which our one faith has been articulated. Ours is a history marked by theology, sacrifice, and tears. Today, the whole world looks to us with hope and joy as Christians, in the cradle of Christianity, gather around one table.

Our meeting today is far more than an ordinary administrative assembly or an academic conference. It is an act of hope. At a time when differences in language and forms of expression often suggest division, and when the crises afflicting our region continue to deepen, the coming together of the Churches around the mission of theological education becomes a prophetic sign. It proclaims that unity is not a distant dream but a shared journey toward the One, founded upon the crucified love of the One Lord—a journey built through patience, knowledge, charity, and common service…

About the topic of "Freedom of Conscience and Responsible Faith"

Organized by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian is the 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.

You can participate in this webinar through the following Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83235814639?pwd=IdcjVTD3hVEcWFDC6QHM4odxN1ajNK.1.