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, MECC strongly condemns the armed conflicts taking place in the country and affecting the Sudanese brothers and sisters, and also denounces the painful attacks on the Churches and places of worships in the country, which some of them were converted into military barracks. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “An Open Letter to the Incarnate Lord, Jesus Christ”, in which he condemned the lack of humanness in our societies which are mired in problems and crises, instead of adhering to the teachings of Jesus Christ.
On the occasion of the one-year anniversary of the convening of the MECC 12th General Assembly under the title “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27) between 16 and 20 May 2022, at the Papal Logos Center in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, with the generous hospitality of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, and the support of Reverend Dr. Andrea Zaki, President of the Evangelical Churches in Egypt and its institutions, the issue presents a video highlighting some footages and fraternal moments from this historic Ecumenical event.
As well as, the issue presents an invitation to participate in the MECC monthly webinar, entitled "Family Planning and Human Dignity", which was held on Thursday 25 May 2023.
In preparation for the MECC 50-Year Jubilee, you can find an interview with the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, by the Communication Department of the World Council of Churches, in which he reflected on how challenging daily lives can be in the Middle East, response to the earthquake in Syria and Türkiye, and plans to commemorate 50 years of the MECC.
In addition, the issue includes a news and photos about the participation of the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs in the ceremony held for the occasion of the 175th Jubilee of the foundation of the National Evangelical Church in Beirut (NECB), on Sunday 14 May 2023, at the National Evangelical Church in Beirut.
The issue also presents an interview with the Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, by Reverend Rifaat Fikry, MECC Associate Secretary General, in a phone interview in an episode entitled “The Pope of Love, the Pope of Peace” within the program “Kadaya Sakhina” (“Hot Issues”), on Al Keraza TV in Egypt, on Monday 22 May 2023. Dr. Abs presented his impressions and aspirations from the visit of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark, to the Vatican, and his meeting with His Holiness Pope Francis.
You can also find many reports issued by MECC after the earthquake, 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. This is in addition to a photo album showing the difficult humanitarian situations in Syria, and Prayers raised by children from the Sunday School of St. Paul United Church of Christ, Taylor, M1, in the United States of America, expressing their solidarity with their sisters and brothers in Syria.
Moreover, the issue presents the Ecumenical Calendar for June 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 April 2023 and the latest updates of the Coronavirus in the region.