Episode 1

Prepared and Presented by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary

Produced by MECC

Produced by the Middle East Council of Churches

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

An Episode Within the "Community Knowledge" Series

On MECC TV

Watch the Weekly Word of the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, entitled this week "Toward the Meeting of the Executive Committee." It will be broadcasted on the MECC Satellite Channel on Saturday, July 5 and Sunday, July 6, 2025, at 4:10 pm Beirut time.

MECC TV Frequencies:

Nilesat: 11096

S.R: 27500

Pol: Horizontal

On MECC FM and MECC TV

Watch the “Ecumenical Horizons” program, every Tuesday live at 10 am Beirut Time on MECC FM 106.9, and at 4:10 pm Beirut Time on MECC TV, via the following frequency:

Nilesat: 11096

S.R: 27500

Pol: Horizontal

Rerun on MECC TV every Friday at 4:10 pm Beirut Time.

“Ecumenical Horizons” is a weekly program that features spiritual, cultural, intellectual, educational, youth and environmental topics, produced by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).

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 “Toward the Meeting of the Executive Committee”.

You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/d61158ae371c/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.

In its endeavor to embody its slogan, "Building Bridges, Standing Together," to be a unifying platform for Church and Religious Families and all components of society, reflecting the Christian reality in the Middle East with a unified Church voice emanating from the cradle of Christianity to the entire world within a shared life with all components of society,

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen its Ecumenical and humanitarian mission and to shed lights on the Church in the Middle East through all available media platforms and digital technologies,

The Middle East Council of Churches has launched a new WhatsApp channel, entitled “MECC News”.

We invite you to join this channel and follow the MECC news via the following link: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbB2Ym05a240L8hfFv0s.

Through this link, you can follow all the MECC activities, in addition to episodes, reports, videos, and articles produced by MECC, about various Christian, Ecumenical, humanitarian, and social issues.

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of July 2025. It includes the Ecclesiastical and Liturgical Feasts of the various Families of Churches in the Middle East. In addition to international days identified by the United Nations, and which are related to the MECC identity and its spiritual and human mission.

The Secretary General Professor Michel Abs: It is necessary to strengthen the Church's capabilities and develop human capital

At the invitation and organization of the Communication and Media Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and under the supervision of the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, a training course on graphic design is being held with Father Spyridon Tanous, Parish Priest of Sharbila in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Akkar and its Dependencies. The course is taking place at the offices of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut, with the participation of the media team and colleagues from various departments in Lebanon and Syria, both in person and online.

The course, which will last for several weeks, began on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, with a word delivered by the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs. He welcomed the trainer, thanking him for his efforts and skills, emphasizing the need to strengthen the Church's capabilities and capacities, and stressing the importance of developing human capital.

In his turn, Father Spyridon was briefed about the participants. He also presented an overview of the knowledge, skills, and practical exercises that the training will provide, and which will benefit the participants in their respective fields and contexts.

As part of the Program “Restoration Fund for Rehabilitation of Faith-based Social Services & Religious Infrastructure Damaged During the Crisis in Syria”

"My Lord and my God"

Faith, Renewal, and Life

Media of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC)

His faith is a continuous passage to the Resurrection, life, and renewal. He is the fisherman known as the Twin from Galilee. He answered the Lord's call without hesitation, bearing witness to Him and His miracles. He is Saint Thomas the Apostle, who cried out with great confidence, "My Lord and my God."

Saint Thomas the Apostle is one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lord Jesus, celebrated by all Church Families in their Liturgies and calendars. He is also the Patron Saint of the Chaldean Patriarchate, from whom the firm faith in Jesus Christ is derived and whose Feast Day is celebrated annually on July 3.

This Faith was emphasized by His Beatitude Patriarch Cardinal Louis Raphaël Sako, Chaldean Patriarch in Iraq and the World, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in one of his letters, when he said:

"The profound faith of Thomas, when he joined the Church in the Upper Room on the eighth day, is a great strength that sows hope in our hearts despite our fatigue, strengthens our confidence, and helps us overcome the difficulties and challenges initiated by the attempts of the 'forces of evil.'"

Middle East Socioeconomic Overview

Report: June 2025

Two rival powers in the region have finally clashed after years of ongoing tension and flashpoints. Although the escalation only lasted for a couple of weeks, it will most likely increase uncertainty in the region as well as socioeconomic hardships. The conflict came at a time during which the World Bank, has already forecasted that MENA countries' growth will decrease by 0.7% to 2.7% for the remainder of the year. Also, the bank also reduced its growth forecast for the region next year by 0.4 percentage points to 3.7%. As such, the conflict will force the World Bank as well as other organizations to rethink their economic predictions, as it is still yet not so clear how things will develop. For the time being, we can only hope the whole thing is over but given the massive animosity between the countries, one cannot be fully certain of a lasting peace.

about the background and repercussions of the explosion at the Church of the Prophet Elias in Dweilaa- Damascus

“Momentum”

27-6-2025

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 “Words Before It’s Too Late”.

You can check the issue via the following link: https://mailchi.mp/c05a4257fff7/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.

This Video Is Produced by MECC.