In celebration of Its 100th Jubilee
The Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East Holds Its 77th General Assembly in Beirut
Headed by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian
The Middle East Council of Churches
On the occasion of the 100th Year Jubilee of the Founding of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), and under the theme “The Lord’s Prayer,” the UAECNE held its 77th General Assembly between 1 and 3 July 2024 in Beirut. It was inaugurated with a Celebratory Worship Service headed by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, President of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East (UAECNE), and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Evangelical Family. It took place on Sunday 30 June 2024, at the First Armenian Evangelical Church in Beirut.
Attendees in the General Assembly were members of the UAECNE Central Committee, officials from various fields in the UAECNE, representatives of international organizations, and some members of the Armenian Evangelical Church.
The Assembly’s activities included morning Prayers and Bible study sessions on “The Lord’s Prayer” with Reverend Dr. Andreas Baumann, the Executive Director of Christliche Hilfsbund, as well as Ecclesiastical, Theological and Ecumenical lectures, in addition to business meetings to discuss the UAECNE affairs and its most prominent updates and future aspirations.
On the first day, the General Assembly’s activities were held in the Armenian Evangelical Church in the Achrafieh area, which included a seminar entitled “Our Ecumenical Path,” moderated by Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian. Speakers were the President of the United Church of Christ (UCC) in the United States of America Reverend Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, the General Secretary of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, the President of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) Reverend Najla Kassab, and the Secretary General of the Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches Mrs. Rosangela Jarjour.
The second day’ sessions were held in the Armenian Evangelical Nor Marash Church in the Bourj Hammoud area, and included a first seminar entitled “Armenian Christian Vistas and Challenges,” moderated by Reverend Nishan Bakalian. Speakers were His Eminence Archbishop Shahan Sarkissian from the Armenian Apostolic Church and His Eminence Bishop Krikor Badishah from the Armenian Catholic Church.
The next lecture revolved around the title “The Bible and Our Mission,” moderated by Reverend Hrayr Cholakian, in which speakers were the Secretary General of the Bible Society in Lebanon Dr. Mike Bassous, and the Secretary General of the Bible Society in the Gulf Dr. Hrayr Jebejian.
The second day also included a documentary film screening on the 100 Years of the Armenians of Greece entitled “New Homeland,” by the Greek director Konstantinos Georgopoulos.
On the third day, the work of the General Assembly ended in a Communion Worship at the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church Amanos in the Bauchrieh area, during which the participants raised their Prayers to the Lord Jesus Christ to bless their journey and give them strength and determination in their service and mission.