Against Wind and Waves: Challenging the challenges
Introduction of the MECC 2021 Annual Report
Dr. Michel E. Abs
Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches
It seems that every new year that dawns on the Middle East-as well as on Lebanon too as it is part and parcel of it- is destined to be worse than its predecessors at all levels, political, safety-wise, economic, social and environmental, all of which reflect mounting despair among people constantly living a decline in their standard of life as well as in a decline in the extent of their aspirations and in the prospects to their future.
Therefore, whenever we bid farewell to a year, we wonder to what extent the next year will be worse and at what level.
The year 2021 was just one of the lean years that passed over the greater part of the Middle East, as it was subject for decades to attempts at destruction, dismantling, impoverishment, displacement, and emigration. A geopolitical view of the events in the region over a long timeline makes one feel that there is a systematic plan programmed to eliminate civilization and human presence in part of this region. Moreover, maintaining a state of the lack of awareness of this ongoing process in the region among large segments of its people may be a main element in this plan.
Faced with this reality, the Middle East Council of Churches, which is the body that groups all the church communities rooted in the various societies in this region, had but one main choice, namely to continue to perform the role it has played since its establishment, at all levels.
All dimensions are present in the work of the Council.
The relief-development dimension through which the Council ministers to the urgent needs of the affected and displaced groups, be it in terms of the provision foodstuffs, medications and health protection services, educational services, vocational rehabilitation services as well as in terms of other areas of basic support for a better life for people.
The theological dimension through which the following events and ventures have been planned and carried out are the following: a Day of Prayer for Unity is held on a regular basis each year, events pertaining to ecumenical relations as well as to Muslim-Christian relations are developed and implemented at regional level, in addition to consultations between the various ecclesiastical groups on their respective future aspirations, as well as events pertaining to religious nurture that aim at making the voice of youth heard, and at strengthening the theological-ecumenical dimension of the relations that exist between the institutes and colleges of theological education of the member churches.
The media and communication dimension covers the activities of the Council as well as the activities of the churches and all that relates to the concerns that the Council considers as top of priorities in its work. The Council’s weekly newsletter communicates its voice and activities to its wide audience, and the Council’s social media pages ensure interaction with an ecumenical and interested community that is constantly increasing in size and diversity.
On the other hand, the institutional set ups that support the work of the Council’s various departments are constantly being upgraded in order to keep pace with the growth witnessed in their activities, as there is no growth without development, as well as with the aim of enhancing organizational-administrative performance in order to conform to internationally established standards.
Moreover, the financial management department is constantly developing its methods in-keeping with ongoing developments in the world of money management, accounting, and auditing.
From its side, the General Secretariat sustained all the above-mentioned aspects of the Council’s work through a package of activities and measures that aimed at supporting and consolidating the evolving development of the various departments as well as in providing them with a boost in order to push them forward in achieving maximal productivity and results.
In this context, internal work policies and procedures were developed, and the functions of procurement coordination as well as human resources coordination were created. In addition to this, and in order to support programs in developing projects and formulating texts based on scientific data, a research commissioner post has been created, entrusted with the function of providing the General Secretariat as well as the various departments with the necessary data for project-writing, in addition to providing local and international partners with data that makes them form a realistic picture of the state of the region at economic, social, demographic and environmental levels.
In parallel, and due to the difficulties resulting from the confinement as well as from the energy problems in Lebanon, we have adopted administrative measures that increase the flexibility of the work team and raise its ability to deal with ensuing obstacles and challenges as they appeared.
On the other hand, as meetings constitute the best means of interaction between team members, as well as provide a guarantee that decision-making comes as the outcome of ongoing consultations that further participation at all levels, the General Secretariat has convened meetings at all levels, for teams of departments, directors of departments, staff of the various country offices of the Council, as well as specialized technical teams whenever deemed necessary. All meetings took on a regional character, especially the weekly meetings of directors of departments. The assistant secretaries-general attended many meetings with the various working groups and were convened to sit in with the Secretary-General whenever deemed necessary thus participating in the interaction and decision-making processes.
Moreover, the task that took a large part of the Council’s work and efforts is related to conveying our standpoint as a consultative body of the churches in the Middle East and making the voice of the Middle Eastern Ecumenical Movement heard to the world in terms of analyzing on-going events and developments and expressing the stance of the Church in them in their human, social and cultural dimensions based on the teachings of Christ as well as on the writings of the apostles and on the heritage of the Fathers.
The Council’s standpoint was voiced out through the Secretary-General's weekly articles published in Momentum, the Council's Weekly Bulletin that was launched just before the start of the present year. In addition, the Secretary-General had a substantive media appearance in line with work necessities, in addition to the sizable number of public lectures he gave, locally and internationally as well.
All of the above-mentioned activities are duly expounded in detail in the Annual Report which highlights the fundamental fact that this Council is a living interactive body with its surroundings, well aware of the issues they face and responding to them with challenges as well. This Council is an institution that has its own community of churches and partner institutions internationally and locally and is able to perform its key role and complete the tasks entrusted to it even if amid winds and storms.
In accomplishing its calling, it expresses the life and teachings of the Savior.