Jordan Celebrating the “Season of Creation” at the Redeemer Church for the Arab Evangelical Episcopal Church in Jabal Amman
H.E. Archbishop Joseph Jabara: Creation has no mouth to speak, but it groans and needs someone to listen to it
Rev. Georges El Copti: When the Lord created us, He formed us with dirt and water and entrusted us with the care for creation
The Middle East is still celebrating the "Season of Creation" 2022, stressing the need to pray and work together for the protection of the creation and everything it includes.
In Jordan, the Churches celebrated the Season with an Ecumenical Prayer service held at the Redeemer Church for the Arab Evangelical Episcopal Church in Jabal Amman, in the capital of Jordan, on Monday 26 September 2022, under the title of “I have heard them crying out… I am concerned about their suffering… So now, go. I am sending you… I will be with you” (EX 3: 1-12). The event was part of the series of celebrations organized by the Middle East Council of Churches, in partnership with “Danmission” organization, in various countries of the region, on the occasion of the “Season of Creation” 2022.
The service was commissioned by His Eminence Archbishop Hosam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem and the Middle East. It was under the supervision of Reverend Georges El Copti, Pastor of St. Paul's Anglican Church in Ashrafieh, Amman, in cooperation with Reverend Canon Faik Haddad, Pastor of Redeemer Church for the Arab Evangelical Episcopal Church, which hosted the Prayer.
The Prayer was attended by Archbishop Joseph Jabara, Archbishop of the Roman Catholic Church in Jordan, Bishop Jamal Khodr, Latin Patriarchal Vicar of Jordan, Father Benjamin Shamoun, from the Syriac Orthodox Church, Father Thomas Khoury, from the Chaldean Church, Father Joseph Soueid, from the Maronite Church, Reverend Ibrahim Nayrouz, from the Episcopal Church, and Fathers Khaled Chaaban, Malik Amsis, and Georges Al Kaed, from the Roman Catholic Church. As well as, a group of nuns, and believers from different Churches in Amman participated, and prayed together glorifying God the Creator and thanking Him for all the blessings He bestowed upon us.
The service included the Ecumenical Prayer from the "Season of Creation" booklet, which was translated into Arabic by the Middle East Council of Churches for the second consecutive year, during which everyone participated in turn. This is in addition to hymns from the Episcopal and Latin heritage and the hymn "Hananaka Ya Rab Al Akwan", which means “Your tenderness, Lord of the universes."
In his homily, Archbishop Joseph Jabara stressed the need to listen to the voice of creation, giving examples from international events happened due to global warming and difficult weather conditions. He also said that creation doesn’t have a mouth to speak, but it groans and needs someone to listen to it and take care for it. We are a part of this creation. As well as, he explained the theme of this year's "Season of Creation" entitled “Listen to the Voice of Creation.”
In a statement for the MECC website, Reverend Georges El Copti expressed his happiness holding this Prayer service in Jordan and celebrating the Season in the Middle East. He also mentioned that the participants, especially youth, showed after the service their interest in the environmental matter, since they learned a new issue in our Christian faith, and thus we have to promote it in the Middle East.
He also added, "For years, I have been calling, through my lectures, to preserve and listen to creation, and I believe that we are part of creation. When the Lord created us, He formed us from its dirt and water and entrusted us with the care for it. Harming the creation is also a harm for ourselves, so we have to take care for our common home.”
He continued, "I would like to thank the Middle East Council of Churches for preparing this service and translating the booklet. I also thank Reverend Canon Faik Haddad and the Evangelical Redeemer Church for hosting the Prayer and making all the best necessary arrangements. As well as, I thank Archbishop Hosam Naoum for his trust."
Rev. El Copti: ended, “Let us pray together and be responsible towards creation.”
It is worth mentioning here that the Church in Jordan is thinking to launch and implement youth environmental projects in cooperation with the Middle East Council of Churches.
