Momentum, the Weekly Newsletter from the Middle East Council of Churches

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, MECC, on behalf of its Presidents, the members of its Executive Committee, its Secretary General, its Associate Secretaries General and its team, extends its warmest congratulations to His Beatitude Patriarch Youssef Al-Absi, Greek Melkite Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, on the occasion of the 50-Year Golden Jubilee of his Priesthood. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “Media and Stereotyping in Modern Society: The Dangerous Game”, and it was the speech he delivered at the monthly webinar organized by MECC under the title “Media and Stereotyping the Other”, on Thursday 29 June 2023.

As well as, the issue includes the statement of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem and the statement of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem, following the aggression on the city of Jenin, Holy Land. This is in addition to the Prayer of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for peace in the region.

In the issue, you can also find a video that presents testimonies of some survivors of the earthquake that struck the North of the Antiochian Levant, in the region of Jableh, Syria. Additionally, the Central and Coastal Area Coordinator at MECC, Syria’s Office, Shadi Saroukh, describes, in the video, the difficult living conditions in Jableh after years of war and following the devastating earthquake, as he explains the response of the Middle East Council of Churches to help and support the affected and afflicted people.

The issue also presents details about the monthly webinar held by MECC under the title "Media and Stereotyping the Other", on Thursday 29 June 2023, with the participation of specialists, academicians, universities’ students and interested attendees in the topic at hand. Noting that this semianr was part of the monthly webinars organized by MECC and comes within the framework of the “Human Dignity Project” - “Dialogue and Social Cohesion-Social Capital Rehabilitation”, which MECC is implementing consecutively.

This is in addition to a news about the new phase of the Trauma Healing and Spiritual Counseling Program implemented by the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department, which sessions were dedicated to Parishes’ ministers and their associates, both ordained and non-ordained, in Syria, who were affected by the repercussions of the earthquake or worked to help and accompany the affected people. Hence, 24 attendees from different Church Families participated in the course, which was held between Sunday 18 and Friday 23 June 2023, at Saint Christophoros Monastery in Saydanya, Syria.

You can also find in the issue details about the training courses being implemented by the Middle East Council of Churches, Jordan’s Office, about energy and renewable energy and also about elderly care facilities. These courses are organized with the support of the international humanitarian organization “Evangelical Lutheran Church in America” (ELCA) through ACT Appeal JOR 231 and in cooperation with the Young Women's Christian Association Academy (YWCA) and the German university in Jordan.

Furthermore, you can find the Ecumenical Calendar for the month of July 2023, issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department.

Moreover, the issue includes many reports issued by MECC after the earthquake that hit the North of the Antiochian Levant, under the name of "Rescue Syria Update" which will keep you informed about the developments of MECC action as well as the overall situation in a context analysis perspective. The MECC will be also publishing other periodical and updated reports. This is in addition to photo albums showing the difficult humanitarian situations in Syria.

The issue also includes the international “Season of Creation” guide 2023 entitled “Let Justice and Peace Flow” in Arabic and English. Noting that MECC has translated it into Arabic. As well as, you can find Ecumenical reports, the weekly Prayer, videos, and news of the Middle Eastern Churches.

In addition, the issue presents a socio-economic overview of the Middle East during May 2023 and the latest updates of the Coronavirus in the region.