Lebanon, the homeland of life, love and dialogue, where religions come together... It is today, bleeding and suffering due to the wars and conflicts that tore apart the dreams of its children. However, despite all the severe tragedies it is exposed to, Lebanon remains a country of resurrection, full of hope, fraternity, and determination to continue life with great faith, especially that “light shine out of darkness” (2 Corinthians 4: 6). Let us unite together in Prayer on the intention of Lebanon so it rises from its ashes and life returns to all its people who have been deeply hurt. 

In a phone call with the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary on the "Initiatives" program on Radio Voice of Van, Bishop Elias Kfoury explained the tragic situation in the Southern Lebanon, calling for an end to the war and suffering, and praising the support of the Middle East Council of Churches in the humanitarian and relief aspects.

A New Training on Disaster Risk Management and Churches Response

In light of a difficult time during which Lebanon is suffering as a result of air strikes targeting its towns, accompanying activists, as well as Church and health workers, has become necessary in order to support them. This is in addition to providing them with basic skills which are essential for responding to the repercussions of the ongoing war in the country. Hence, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Diakonia and Social Service Department, implemented new training course entitled “Disaster Risk Management and Churches Response,” which was held in the border town of Marjayoun, with specialists from various fields.

The session, in which participants were an Ecumenical group of clergy, lay people, and activists in the border regions, included many sessions centered around the essential role played by Churches, especially since they are lifelines for communities in turmoil and the first side that seeks to embrace the affected, needy, and displaced people. The training also empowered the Church on how to be more efficient in their response and be more organized in times of crisis for best outcome. Moreover, it shed lights on ways to support citizens in the border areas and other regions affected by the conflicts and raids they are exposed to, as well as how to accompany the displaced people, whose number is increasing significantly, in search of places that may be considered safe.

With Support of MECC and Kerk in Actie in the Netherlands

With the blessings of His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, His Eminence Metropolitan Antonios Saad, Metropolitan of the Archdiocese of Bosra, Hauran, and Jabal Al-Arab, inaugurated the halls of the Lady of Annunciation Church in the city of Dara’a, after the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) completed its rehabilitation work, in cooperation with Kerk In Actie in the Netherlands, within the program “Restoration Fund for Rehabilitation of Faith-based Social Services & Religious Infrastructure Damaged During the Crisis in Syria”.

The Middle East Council of Churches Participates in Its Preperation 

On the occasion of the centenary of the International Missionary Council (IMC), many studies were conducted on the situations of Christians in the world, and a new series of books was published, including a book entitled “Christian Mission in the Middle East, Ecumenical Perspectives.” This book comes at a time when the region, which is the cradle of Christianity, is witnessing several social, economic, demographic, geopolitical and environmental transformations, that have led the Church to take on new forms in its Christian mission. 

Hence, the book explains the response of Christians in the Middle East to all the changes surrounding them and how they are jointly exploring new paths in mission and how they are relating to other faiths, especially Islam. In this context, the book emphasizes the extent to which Christian communities in the region strive to persevere, cling to the land, and bear witness to Christ. 

And Concludes the “Season of Creation” For This Year in the Middle East

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of October 2024. 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. 

As well as, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) concludes during October 2024, the “Season of Creation” in the region, with this year’s theme “To hope and act with Creation” and its symbol “The firstfruits of hope” based on the Epistle to the Romans 8: 19-25. Noting that the Season extends internationally and annually from 1 September, the Feast of Creation, until 4 October, the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of Ecology. 

First, we must make it clear that displacement based on violence is a violation of laws and the Bill of Human Rights. It is, in fact, a process of humiliation, a daily violation, and a massive crushing of human dignity. It involves removing individuals from the circle of their daily lives, from their schools and institutions, and throwing them into the streets, which constitutes the height of humiliation and societal disintegration. People live together in a community that provides safety, stability, and tranquility. Casting them into the unknown prevents them from realizing what their future holds.

Historically, we experienced such events in the eighties, and today they are being repeated through displacement, relief, refuge, and similar situations. The main issue we neglected in the past, but must pay attention to today in this dilemma of displacement, is the dismantling of the psychological strength of individuals by throwing them into the unknown, halting production, and destroying their livelihoods, leaving them prey to poverty, unemployment, and destitution. We are placing a large segment of the population into a crucible of economic and social destruction resulting from displacement, war, and aggression.

There are people who do not want us to be alive or to exist in the first place. They aim to exterminate us and use various methods to do so. This is what is happening in Lebanon and the Levant, or what we call the Antiochian Levant.

Moreover, the Middle East Council of Churches was the first to describe the Gaza war on the eighteenth of October 2023 as "genocide" because it is a war of extermination and ethnic cleansing. Despite objections from some to this description, they gradually agreed to the term and adopted it.

This video presents the full celebration held on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of the Founding of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), on Saturday 14 September 2024, at the New Papal Headquarters in Anba Royce, under the patronage, blessings, and presence of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, and in the presence of His Beatitude Patriarch Bishop Anba Ibrahim Ishak, Coptic Catholic Patriarch, and President of the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops in Egypt, Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Community in Egypt, and President of the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, His Grace Anba Antonios, Metropolitan of Jerusalem and the Near East for the Coptic Orthodox Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Oriental Orthodox Family, representatives of various Churches,  Professor Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Reverend Yachouh Ayoub, the Secretary General of the Egyptian Council of Churches, Honorary and Associate Secretaries, Fathers Priests and Pastors, Nun Sisters, personalities and invitees. 

On the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary of His Accession to the Patriarchal See

On the Occasion of the 20th Anniversary of the accession of His Holiness Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II, Greek Orthodox Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, to the Patriarchal See, the family of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in the name of its Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, extends heartfelt congratulations to His Holiness, wishing him continued health, well-being, goodness, blessing, and holiness.

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) also wishes His Holiness Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II continued success in his paternal and patriarchal care, lifting prayers to God to support him in his pastoral mission and service in the Lord's field for the good of the Church and its faithful people. May his years be many.

The Greek Orthodox Parish Priest of Ibl Al Saqi in Lebanon

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, was a guest on the Egyptian ME Sat TV Channel, to talk about the health condition of Father Gregorios Salloum, the Greek Orthodox Parish Priest of Ibl Al Saqi in Lebanon, after he was injured as a result of a raid that targeted his town. Dr. Abs also highlighted the deteriorating humanitarian circumstances in Lebanon and the relief work of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC).

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, was a guest on an episode of the “Zawya Tanya” (“Another Angle”) program broadcasted on SAT 7 TV Channel, to talk about the statement of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) following the dangerous security incidents that Lebanon is facing, in addition to the MECC relief response to support the affected and displaced people, as well as supporting them on various moral, material, health and psychological levels.

During the interview, which you can watch in the video, Dr. Abs also highlighted the difficult humanitarian conditions that Lebanon is passing through, in addition to the urgent needs in the country.

to Support the Displaced People in Lebanon

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, was a guest on the news bulletin broadcasted on the Egyptian ME Sat TV Channel, to talk about the importance of the humanitarian initiative launched by the Pastoral Office for Persons with Disabilities in the Maronite Patriarchate in Bkerke, Lebanon, which it established a crisis cell to support the displaced people in Lebanon.

Hence, you can watch the full interview in the video.

He calls for Ongoing Work to Preserve the Environment:

“The gift of being created in the image of God also carries the responsibility of caring for all creation”

“In the beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and darkness covered the abyss, while a mighty wind swept over the waters.” (Genesis 1: 1-2). This is how God created Earth and everything on it, and gathered all of them in one environment, thus creating Man in His image, and after His likeness, making him guardian of the Earth "Let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, and the cattle, and over all the wild animals and all the creatures that crawl on the ground." (Genesis 1:26).

On the occasion of the “Season of Creation” 2024 which carries this year the theme “To hope and act with Creation”, His Eminence Metropolitan Anba Thomas, Bishop of Al-Qusiyah and Primate of the Coptic Orthodox Church, founder of the Anafora Center in Egypt, presented a spiritual reflection full of hope, faith and an emphasis on the need to continue working to preserve the Earth and everything on it, based on the responsibility that God has entrusted human to it.

This reflection came within the international Ecumenical celebration that was held online on the first of September 2024, at the invitation of His Holiness Pope Francis, His Beatitude the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, His Beatitude Archbishop Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury and Head of the Anglican Church, as well as many Heads of Churches and Ecumenical Leaders from around the world, in addition to the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and concerned organizations and institutions.

In the “Season of Creation”:

“The environment is the most significant gift the Creator has bestowed upon us. Let us protect it out of respect for the One who gave it to us”

It is true that the world is struggling as a result of conflicts, wars and crises that have cast their shadows all over the earth, especially in the wounded Middle East, but clinging to hope remains a source of strength and determination amidst all the challenges that surround human. Hence, the “Season of Creation” comes to constitute a Season of Prayer and hope to praise the Lord, the God of justice and peace. The Season calls us to continue praying and working together in order to preserve creation and protect our common home.

On the occasion of this environmental and Ecumenical Season, which extends between 1 September and 4 October of each year, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, delivered a word to the people of the Middle East and the world, entitled “Crisis Creation and the Forgiving Creator,” in which he talked about the importance of the environmental issue. He stressed the necessity of the environmental advocacy and concerted efforts to protect creation, and condemned all actions that threaten it. Dr. Abs also shed light on the environmental and Theological activity being implemented by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in addition to its work for the “Season of Creation.”

Dr. Abs began his word by highlighting the environmental reality and said “There is a frantic race in the world between those who strive to protect the environment, willing to sacrifice everything for its sake, and those who, driven by selfishness and armed with ignorance, persist in its destruction to secure interests that prioritize profit above all else.”

Friday 4 October 2024 - 4 pm Beirut Time

Amidst a world mired in wars and conflicts, the “Season of Creation” 2024 ends on 4 October, with the Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, the Patron Saint of ecology, as is customary annually, after it had started on 1 September, with the Feast of Creation.

On this occasion, the Ecumenical Youth Committee in the “Season of Creation” is organizing an international online celebration to Pray and praise God the Creator and thank Him for all His abundant Gifts and graces. It will be held on Friday 4 October 2024, at 4 pm Beirut time, and you may join it by clicking here, through the “Season of Creation” YouTube channel.

Let us participate together in this celebration and unite in Prayer on the intention of creation and our common home, hoping to achieve peace, truth and justice in the Middle East and the world.

The Ecumenical Lebanese Youth Raise Their Prayers from the Heart of Taanayel’s Nature to the Heart of God

“How many are your works, Lord! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures” (Psalm 104 :24). With these sacred words from the Book of Psalms and with a heart full of hope, a group of Lebanese and Ecumenical youth united in Prayer on the occasion of the “Season of Creation.”

This season, which extends between 1 September and 5 October annually and internationally, calls us to Pray and work together to protect our common home and care for God’s creation. we share a common call to care for creation. We are co-creatures and part of all that God has made. Our well-being is interwoven with the well-being of the Earth.

They woke up early and went with all enthusiasm to the Lake Taanayel, where they walked in the middle of an integrated natural oasis to Pray together, glorify God the Creator, and contemplate all His creatures, on Friday 6 September 2024. They are the participants in the Ecumenical camp “Youth Leadership Building”, which is a joint project organized by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in partnership with Kerk in Actie (KIA) organization, Bible Society, Youth for Christ (YFC), and Ithraa Center in Lebanon. Noting that the camp was held between 2 and 7 September 2024, at the Monastery of Our Lady of Consolation for the Jesuit Fathers, Taanayel - Lebanon.

A team from ACT Alliance organization visited Aleppo, on 18 September 2024, accompanied by a team from the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in order to review the projects being implemented by the Council there. These projects aim to alleviate the economic hardships resulting from years of conflict and instability. 

Both teams met at the MECC Office in Aleppo, where they were briefed on the projects implemented by the Council to support those affected by the earthquake over the past year. The briefing also covered current programs, including the restoration of clinics, schools, and Church and social facilities damaged by the crisis in Syria, as well as cash assistance programs for the elderly, among other initiatives.  

The meeting included discussions about the deteriorating economic situation in Syria, particularly in Aleppo, and the challenges that the community faces amid rising living costs and unemployment. In addition, the importance of the role played by humanitarian organizations in general, and MECC in particular, in securing the community's needs was emphasized, along with the vital partnership between ACT Alliance and MECC in supporting the most vulnerable groups and addressing their basic needs. 

The Diakonia and Social Service Diakonia, at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), continues to support education and alleviate the financial burdens on families through organizing remedial classes for 9th-grade students in the areas of Erbin, Jaramana, and Sahnaya in rural Damascus, which targeted 410 students.   

The course lasted for about two and a half months, during which students received essential information for the core subjects in the curriculum. The aim was to improve the academic level of students to enable them to pass the 9th-grade official exams successfully. 

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Professor Michel Abs, was the guest of the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Coordinator of the Church and Media Relations at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in an episode of her program “Moubadarat” (“Initiatives”), broadcasted on Radio Voice of Van and all its social media platforms, on Thursday 26 September 2024, to talk about the statement issued by the MECC General Secretariat following the dangerous security incidents in Lebanon.

During the episode, which you can watch in the video, Professor Michel Abs highlighted the difficult circumstances that Lebanon is passing through, as well as the urgent humanitarian needs, speaking about the MECC response to help the affected people by the security conditions taking place in the country. He also talked about the most prominent programs of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), especially the activities it is implementing on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of its Founding.

Lebanon is in pain... a sentence that may perfectly express what this wounded country is witnessing. A country that has been torn by conflicts and crises for several decades. In the recent days, Lebanon is witnessing a new and violent wave of dangerous security incidents which have turned into comprehensive aggression against various Lebanese regions. The scene is tragic, even catastrophic, and expresses the pain of people who have not yet recovered from their old wounds...

In fact, Lebanon is currently recording the martyrdom of thousands of citizens, and the displacement of hundreds of thousands from all its regions, especially from its South and the Bekaa to other regions due to concerns for their lives being threatened. The scenario is repeated daily amidst deteriorating humanitarian conditions, embodied by the screams of grieving mothers who are searching for a glimmer of hope from under the rubble of their destroyed homes, and the crying of children who have lost their childhood and their simplest dreams.

In the wake of the accelerating and worsening security events in Lebanon, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) issued a statement in which it strongly condemns the killing of innocent people, children, women, the elderly, and other civilians, and deplores the attacks carried out by aggressor forces on densely populated areas that have led to the death of thousands of people and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of citizens from their areas. MECC said that these crimes indicate the forces of aggression's disregard for the principles of international law, the rules of the Geneva Conventions, and all conventions governing armed conflicts.