Following Up on Work Updates with Great Hope

The General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) continues its weekly meetings, with colleagues uniting in work, Prayer, and reflection in an Ecumenical and fraternal spirit, praying for peace and justice in the region and the world. Today, the team is living the Holy Week with humility and hope in preparation for the joy of the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In this context, the MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs, held the latest weekly meeting on Tuesday, April 15, 2025, at the Council’s headquarters in Beirut, with the presence of the General Secretariat team from various departments and the online participation of colleagues from Syria, Palestine, Egypt, and Canada.

At the beginning of the meeting, Professor Michel Abs, delivered, on behalf of the MECC family, a word of consolation, sympathy, and support to the colleague 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, who lost her life partner. He prayed that the Lord, through His Resurrection, would grant her strength and determination in this new chapter of her life.

With the increasing of daily pressures, not all families have the required knowledge to parent their children on topics related to health. This is especially the case among disadvantaged refugees who have very little knowledge about such topics, especially when it comes to young girls. For this reason, the Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) launched a health awareness session for 8 young girls to cover topics related to puberty. 

This session was designed to educate and support young girls as they navigate the physical and emotional changes of adolescence. In a safe and respectful environment, and accompanied by a health specialist, participants learned about body development, menstrual hygiene, and emotional well-being, helping them better understand and manage this important stage of life. The session encouraged open dialogue, promoted self-care, and empowered girls with the knowledge and confidence to make healthy choices.

Saint Assia the Wise Clinic Center in Aleppo, which belongs to the Armenian Catholic, Syriac, and Maronite Communities, was inaugurated, on Friday 11 April 2025, in the presence of His Eminence Archbishop Boutros Marayati, His Eminence Archbishop Antoine Shahda, and His Eminence Archbishop Joseph Tobji.

The center was renovated with the generous support and funding from the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and the ceremony was attended by the Council's representative Lamis Makhloul, as well as the management and members of the charity organizations of the concerned Communities, doctors, and staff at the center.

The ceremony was opened by His Eminence Archbishop Antoine Shahda with a short Prayer, followed by a speech delivered by Dr. Rizkallah Malo, who reviewed the steps that led to this achievement. His Eminence Archbishop Boutros Marayati congratulated all the doctors, workers, and donors, especially the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), before cutting a cake to celebrate the occasion.

The ceremony concluded with a speech delivered by His Eminence Archbishop Joseph Tobji, and commemorative photos were taken for this significant event in the history of joint work between the Communities to serve the society.

What are the details…

As part of supporting rural communities and enhancing food security, MECC team, through its Service and Relief Department – Diakonia, carried out an initiative to distribute winter vegetable seeds and agricultural tools to the residents of Al-Quniyya village in rural Dara’a. The aim was to support family stability and improve economic livelihoods.

A total of 895 families benefited from the initiative, including households where women are the sole breadwinners.

The distributed seeds included: fava beans, garlic, spinach, lettuce, radish, parsley, coriander, and onions. The agricultural tools provided included: shovel, grape hoe, mulch, hose, water tap, garden rake. In addition, the families received Balanced fertilizer, two water tanks and had modern irrigation systems installed to ensure the sustainability of agricultural production.

The beneficiaries also attended training sessions on proper farming techniques, how to deal with plant diseases, and practices that help increase crop yields. Moreover, an agricultural engineer visited the beneficiary families on a monthly basis to monitor the crops and provide necessary guidance to improve production quality.

Hosted by the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut

His Eminence Archbishop Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh: "Let us work to enhance cooperation and solidarity to serve the little brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ with honesty and dignity"

The MECC Secretary General Professor Michel Abs: "It is necessary to serve people with dignity and protect their rights"

With the blessing and presence of His Eminence Archbishop Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh, Syriac Orthodox Archbishop of Beirut and Delegate of the Executive Committee of the Middle East Council of Churches to the Diakonia and Social Service Department, and in coordination with MECC, the Lebanon Forum of the International ACT Alliance held its annual meeting on Monday, March 3 and Tuesday, March 4, 2025, hosted by the Syriac Orthodox Archdiocese of Beirut.

In the presence of the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Michel Abs, participants were representatives of the members of ACT Alliance in Lebanon from various Church Families, associations, local, regional and international organizations.

After the opening Prayer, the Secretary General Professor Michel Abs welcomed the attendees, thanking His Eminence Archbishop Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh for his hospitality. He also introduced His Eminence to the participants, emphasizing his long Ecumenical career in the Middle East Council of Churches where he held many responsibilities, as well as in the Ecumenical world which he realizes its importance today in networking and cooperation. Professor Abs also mentioned the necessity of serving with dignity and preserving human rights.

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

Drama Therapy and Psychological Support

In light of the daily pressures surrounding our societies, children became in dire need of a safe space in which they can feel free to express themselves. Therefore, it has become necessary to develop their abilities and skills and teach them valuable skills which can elevate them to better heights once they reach adulthood. Hence, the Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in cooperation with the international organization Mennonite Central Committee - MCC, launched 10 drama therapy sessions over a period of 3 weeks, for a group of 7 children.

The aim was to empower the participants, build skills for self-expression and self-regulation, which can in turn boost self-confidence, enhance empathy and social skills, reduce stress and anxiety, and foster cognitive development.

“For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18: 20).

With these Holy Words, the team of the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in Beirut continues its periodic meetings headed by the MECC Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs, raising Prayers to the Lord Jesus for the intention of peace and justice in the Middle East and the world, for the suffering and marginalized people, and for every human being on this earth.

In its last meeting on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, the family of the MECC General Secretariat gathered around the Gospel of the Feast of the Presentation of Christ into the Temple, which was read by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Media Officer at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the Director of “The Platform of the Word” and the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at MECC, in an atmosphere of reverence, contemplation and fraternity, amidst an inner peace that filled the hearts of the worshipers.

Details in this Report!

A report that sheds light on the workshop organized by the Diakonia and Social Service Department – Lebanon’s Office, at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in partnership with the TearFund organization, entitled "Connecting Hearts and Minds", with the participation of a group of workers in the humanitarian and social fields from different Church Families and Lebanese regions, on 23 to 25 January 2025.

A Workshop on Psychosocial Support in Lebanon with the Middle East Council of Churches and Tearfund

The Diakonia and Social Service Department – Lebanon’s Office, at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in partnership with the TearFund organization, organized a workshop entitled "Connecting Hearts and Minds", with the participation of a group of workers in the humanitarian and social fields from different Church Families and Lebanese regions, on 23 to 25 January 2025, at the Padova Hotel - Sin El Fil, Beirut.

This workshop aimed to train participants on ways to manage feelings and behaviors in order to work together to overcome all challenges and difficulties, in addition to enhancing their psychological health and developing their counseling abilities in order to enable them to take care of themselves in correct and sound ways, especially in times of crises, hardship and wars. As well as, the course helped the participants, through various tips and advice, to transfer these acquired experiences and information to the children of their Parishes and communities so that they could in turn overcome all the difficult circumstances they might face.

Held in Amman, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, from January 23 to 24, 2025

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in cooperation with the United Church of Canada, organized a consultative seminar entitled "Dismantling the Authority of Decision or Participation in the Authority of Decision", with the aim of discussing the mechanism of the new partnership relationship between the United Church of Canada and its partners in the world, including its partners in the Middle East, such as the Middle East Council of Churches, in order to give partners more future freedom to choose their humanitarian and development needs and have their direct management to the programs supported by the United Church of Canada.

This initiative comes in response to the new strategic goals of the United Church of Canada on the topic of abandoning the authority of choice and decision that Church institutions in the West have been accustomed to following for many years in the past, which contradicts the spiritual and moral concept of respecting the needs of others without imposing specific goals or strategies that do not achieve the partners' goals and actual needs.

The consultation session was attended by the United Church of Canada partners in the Middle East from Lebanon, Palestine and Jordan, along with some ACT Alliance members present in Jordan and abroad, either in person or via Zoom.

With the completion of the achievements for the year 2024 and preparation for the entitlements in the new year, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Professor Dr. Michel Abs, held a general meeting for the MECC General Secretariat team, entitled progress and success in International forums. The meeting was held on the occasion of the election of the MECC candidate Eng. Samer Laham, Director of the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department, as a member of the new Governing Board of the International ACT Alliance.

Noting that the elections of the new Governing Board took place at the 4th General Assembly of ACT, which was held in Yogyakarta - Indonesia, under the theme "Hope in Action, Together for Justice," between October 28 and November 1, 2024.

During the MECC General Secretariat meeting, which was held on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, at the Council's headquarters in Beirut, the Secretary General Professor Dr. Michel Abs addressed a congratulatory word to Mr. Samer, praising his distinguished competencies and capabilities, thanking him for his efforts and contributions in the Ecclesiastical and humanitarian fields. He also emphasized the credibility of the Middle East Council of Churches internationally and the quality of the humanitarian services it provides with the support of the "ACT Alliance".

What Are Its Details?

This report sheds light on the health and psychological awareness sessions for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers implemented by the Diakonia and Social Service Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Syria’s Office, in three governorates which are Damascus and its Countryside, Aleppo and Daraa.

The of Service and Relief - Diakonia Department at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Syria’s Office, holds health and psychological awareness sessions for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in three governorates which are Damascus and its Countryside, Aleppo and Daraa.

Details in this report!

The Middle East Council of Churches (MEC) through its Diakonia and Social Service Department, is committed to supporting education, believing that knowledge is the cornerstone of achieving security and peace worldwide.

In this context, the Diakonia Department – Syria Office organized remedial classes for 9th-grade students at the “Orphanage school of Our Lady of Saidnaya Monastery”.

The remedial classes lasted two and a half months. It benefited 100 students by providing them with essential knowledge in core curriculum subjects to improve their academic performance and equip them with the necessary support during this critical educational stage. The aim was to prepare them to successfully pass their middle school exams.

The remedial classes was distinguished by the MECC team’s close supervision and guidance, along with the inclusion of psychosocial support sessions titled "Life Skills: A Journey with Myself." These sessions aimed to enhance young people's resilience in navigating their surroundings.

The Middle East Council of Churches Implements Many Awareness Sessions in Lebanon!

In the context of strengthening health awareness about various chronic diseases, the Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, in the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), implemented two new sessions about cancer for a group of women and men, at Our Lady Dispensary (OLD), affiliated with the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in the Sabtieh region – Mount Lebanon. The sessions were held with the support of the international humanitarian organization Mennonite Central Committee – MCC.

These two sessions come in light of a world facing the danger of pollution and the repercussions resulting from the chemicals that some food contain, as well as amidst rising levels of daily pressures, which all has led to the rapid and increasing spread of cancer, especially among the most vulnerable and poor groups. This negatively affects the fabric of societies and their safety, especially since medical care is not available in a fair manner to many families.

The two sessions included awareness segments on breast cancer for a group of 20 women, and prostate cancer for a group of 20 men, as these two topics were identified after a questionnaire was distributed to the participants.