Momentum, the Weekly Newsletter from the Middle East Council of Churches

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, you can find the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, which title is “Religious Events and the Sharing in Common Life”. Dr. Abs highlighted the Ramadan experience that people live in Beirut, as in all the capitals of Arab countries. He mentioned that this experience reconciles hearts and strengthens the bond between people. Dr. Abs also stresses the importance of sharing a common life, removing psychological barriers between people, and encouraging them to get acquainted with mutual traditions, and even beliefs.

In the issue, MECC also invites you to participate to its new monthly webinar, entitled "Dignity for the Afflicted People", on Thursday 30 March 2023, at 7:00 pm. You can participate in the webinar via the following Zoom link: https://tinyurl.com/24k26h5b, and live on the MECC Facebook page.

Moreover, the issue includes details about the MECC Rescue Syria Campaign that MECC is implementing in order to support the afflicted and affected people in Syria due to the earthquake that struck the North of the Antiochian Levant.

The issue also presents a news and photos about the Spiritual Retreat organized by the MECC General Secretariat, headed by the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, on the occasion of the Great Lent, on Friday 24 March 2023. It was hosted by the Saint Paul Convent in Harissa, Lebanon, and the Congregation of the Missionaries of Saint Paul, Melkite Greek Catholic Church, and participants were the General Secretariat’s team from various departments from Beirut.

In addition, you can find a news about the visits hold by the Executive Secretary of the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME) Father Dr. Michael Kanbar to the St. John of Damascus Institute of Theology at the University of Balamand, Lebanon, the Higher Institute of Religious Studies, the Faculty of Religious Sciences at St. Joseph University in Beirut, and the St. Paul Institute of Philosophy and Theology in Harissa, Lebanon. Noting that other visits to Theological Institutes in the region will be hold next month.

You can also find a news about the forestation campaign implemented by MECC with youth in Jordan, in the Latin Patriarchate High School in Al Wassieh, on Saturday 25 March 2023, within the framework of the “Forestation Days” project as part of the “Season of Creation” program. It was organized in coordination with His Eminence Bishop Jamal Khader, Latin Patriarchal Vicar for Jordan, and in partnership with the humanitarian international organization “Danmission”.

Furthermore, the issue presents many reports issued by MECC under the name of "Rescue Syria Update" which will keep you informed about the developments of MECC action as well as the overall situation in a context analysis perspective. The MECC will be also publishing other periodical and updated reports.

As well as, the issue presents a photo album showing the difficult humanitarian situations in Syria, the Ecumenical Calendar for April 2023 issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, Ecumenical reports, the weekly Prayer, videos, and news of the Middle Eastern Churches.

Additionally, the issue presents a socio-economic overview of the Middle East during February 2023 and the latest updates of the Coronavirus in the region.