The Middle East Council of Churches General Secretariat Team Prays for the Pastors in Its Weekly Meeting
You can find some photos at the end of the text.
“Praying and working together” is a motto that the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) General Secretariat team has always embodied in a journey of faith, hope, and joy, aiming to consolidate the Ecumenical spirit and serve every human being with dignity. Hence, the weekly meeting, presided over by the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, with the participation of colleagues from various departments, in person and online, provides a new opportunity for reflection, supplication to the Lord, and exchange of experiences.
The meeting, held on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, at the MECC headquarters in Beirut, began with a reading from the Gospel of John about the call of Peter the Apostle (John 21: 15-19), followed by a Biblical reflection delivered by Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, the Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department at MECC. He spoke about the qualities of the Good Shepherd, his care for the sheep, and his vigilance for their safety. He also touched on the enthronement of Pope Leo XIV and the importance of the responsibility he bears in caring for the Catholic Church.
Then, the attendees raised their Prayers for the Pastors, remembering the new Pope and emphasizing life with Christ and serving the Church and humanity with boundless love.
The second part of the meeting then began, with the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs presenting a detailed report on his visit to Amman and his participation in the conference “Christians in the Arab Levant and the Aspirations of Unity and Enlightenment.” He also highlighted the importance of this conference in line with the mission of the Middle East Council of Churches, particularly in building bridges and achieving dialogue between the various components of society. He also noted that MECC contributed in the preparation of its final recommendations.
In his turn, Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar highlighted the conference “Creation Day & The Nicaea Centenary: Crystallizing the Ecumenical Dream of the New Liturgical Feast”, in which the Middle East Council of Churches attended and participated in its organization, in the Italian city of Assisi. The aim was to contribute to the development of a common Liturgical Feast to celebrate creation together.
For her part, the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Media Officer, the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations, and the Director of the Platform of the Word at MECC, spoke about the inauguration of the Church of Our Lady of Unexpected Joy and the Metropolitan Niphon Saikali Museum in Zahle, noting the importance of this event in its Ecumenical and social dimensions.
The meeting also included many files and topics related to the affairs of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and the various programs it implements.
