The MECC New Executive Committee Held Its First Meeting

Thanking His Holiness Pope Tawadros II

And Planning for A Renewed Ecumenical Work

Following the 12th General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches, the elected Executive Committee, representing the four ecclesiastical families that constitute the Council, held its first meeting, online, on Monday 27 June 2022.

The meeting was attended by the elected MECC presidents His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and all the East and MECC President for the Orthodox Family, His Grace Archbishop Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church and MECC President for the Eastern Orthodox Family, His Excellency Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Federation of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East and MECC President for the Evangelical Family. In addition to the members of the Executive Committee elected by the General Assembly, the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, the Associate Secretaries General Father Nicolas Bustros and Mr. Adel Syryani, as well as the General Secretariat team from various departments.

Following the opening Prayer, the attendees expressed their thanks and gratitude to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, for hosting the activities of the MECC 12th General Assembly at the Logos Papal Center, Anba Bishoy Monastery, in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, praising the generous organization, coordination and hospitality of the Coptic Orthodox Church.

In a follow-up to the results of the General Assembly, the attendees discussed the first planning steps of the next period aiming at implementing the recommendations issued by this ecumenical event, which is held each 4 years, trusting the words of the Lord Jesus Christ: “Be encouraged! I am He. Do not be afraid!” (Matthew 14:27) which was taken as the slogan of the General Assembly.

During the meeting, the attendees also discussed ways of developing the work mechanisms and setting priorities for a better coordination and cooperation in accompanying the team of the General Secretariat in the implementation of the various MECC Ecumenical, humanitarian and media programs.

Therefore, the participants agreed to hold their second meeting between the end of October and November 2022. As the beginning, the meeting ended with an Ecumenical Prayer on the intention of the pain, concerns and hopes of Christians and the people of the Middle East with renewed hope to heaven.