Father Dr.  Antoine Al Ahmar Sheds Lights on the “Season of Creation” On Mariam TV

In preparation for the “Season of Creation” celebrations for this year, Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches, and member of the International Steering Committee for the "Season of Creation", was the guest of the journalist and Lawyer Roy Jreish, within the program "On Time", broadcasted on Mariam TV, on Tuesday 12 June 2023.

On a visit to MECC in Beirut

The ACT Alliance Regional Representative – MENA, Mrs. Rachel Luce, visited the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs, on Monday 12 June 2023, at the offices of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut.

During the meeting, Dr. Abs and Mrs. Luce discussed ways to strengthen coordination and cooperation between the Middle East Council of Churches and ACT Alliance. They also discussed the implementation of various projects and programs in Lebanon and the region, especially in fields related to the environment, climate change, and gender issues. As well as, Dr. Abs and Mrs. Luce exchanged opinions and experiences on the possibility of planning joint work and future projects in Iraq, Egypt and Sudan.

With the Presence of Reverend Dr. Paul Haidostian, MECC President for the Evangelical Family, President of the Union of the Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East, and President of Haigazian University in Lebanon, and the church Reverend Pastors, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Dr. Michel Abs, attended meeting at Haigazian University to honor the CEO of the Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA), Mr Zaven Khanjian and his spouse.

Report : May, 2023

With the rapprochement between former rivals continuing to materialize, pieces of the Middle East puzzle are starting to fall into place. Recently Syria has been reintroduced into the family of the Arab League, after a spat that lasted several years. With the world suffering from the war in Ukraine, this step can mitigate the effects by promoting economic and political cooperation.

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, the MECC issues the “Season of Creation” Arabic Guide for this year, under the title “Let Justice and Peace Flow”. MECC translated the booklet into Arabic which is adopted internationally and in different languages. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “Authority, Leadership and Vision”, in which he highlighted the basic concepts on which modern society operates. They are the authority which is the guarantee of social order, the leadership which is the action that identifies, develops and uses existing potentials and resources in society. As well as the vision which includes the shared beliefs and values of the organization and is the basis of the culture of the group or organization.

Authority is the guarantee of social order, when a society - or a group - enters into a state of chaos, there is no way to establish order except through authority.

This is in absolute terms, but in practical life, power is embodied in a specific person, who is required to exercise authority in order to protect the stability of a given society or group, either through instructions, directives, or orders, or through leadership practices that ensure the restoration of a situation to a former state. Whatever the case is, the person detaining authority enjoys the spiritual power of coercion or compulsion, and this religious or moral ground for power draws the lines of regulations necessary to safeguard stability in a society or in a group.

Chaos is a hidden force in our daily lives. It had been so in the past and is still so in modern society, although in different forms. In a complex society, in which crises abound, chaos may turn the social establishment upside down overnight, as is best exemplified in our day and age.

On the occasion of the 33 anniversary of the founding of Télé Lumière and Noursat, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Professor Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of Father Charbel El Khoury and the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, in a special episode entitled "33 Years of Flood of Light". It was broadcasted on Saturday 27 May 2023, on Télé Lumière and Noursat.

You can watch the full interview in the video.

Like women, men are susceptible to various forms of psychological pressures that can affect their overall wellbeing. Since they are fundamental parts of our society and are bread winners for many families, the Service and Relief – Diakonia Department, Lebanon’s Office, at the Middle East Council of Churches, decided during May 2023 to carry out psychosocial support and soft skills sessions to a group of men.

Within the framework of the Middle East Council of Churches’ efforts to assist students in pursuing their academic studies, and stemming from the belief that education is the foundation of peace and security in the world; the MECC Service and Relief – Diakonia Department, Syria’s Office, implemented remedial classes for 9th-grade students which targeted 135 students.

The classes addressed all necessary information in the curriculum in order to improve the academic level of students to enable them to pass the 9th-grade official exams successfully.

With the aim of supporting children morally and psychologically, the Service and Relief – Diakonia Department, Lebanon’s Office, at the Middle East Council of Churches, carried out 5 drama therapy sessions for a group of children aged between 10 and 11. Since they are in a critical stage of their life and will be soon transitioning to the teenage phase, it is important to cultivate their emotional wellbeing.

“Let Justice and Peace Flow”

Under the title “Let Justice and Peace Flow” and the symbol of “A Mighty River” from the Biblical text of Amos 5: 24, the Christian family in the Middle East and the world unites to celebrate the “Season of Creation.” A Christian and environmental Season that starts on the 1st of September and ends on the 4th of October yearly, as it invites us to pray and work together to protect our common home.

“Let Justice and Peace Flow”

In light of a world searching for safety and peace amidst conflicts, injustice and hate speech..., the Ecumenical family around the world clings to hope and prepares to celebrate the "Season of Creation". An annual Season that kicks off this year in the world and the Middle East through a webinar organized by the Laudato’Si movement, which was held on Monday 5 June 2023, coinciding with the World Environment Day.

Attendees were leaders from various Churches and Ecumenical movements and a group of Christians interested in this Christian and environmental issue. The webinar ended with a final blessing addressed by Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department at the Middle East Council of Churches, as you can find in the video, from the “Dog River” in Lebanon.

Monday 5 June 2023 - 4 pm Beirut time

The world and the Middle East will be soon celebrating an annual Christian and environmental which is the "Season of Creation". This season, which extends between September 1 and October 4 of each year, was launched by the Middle East Council of Churches for the first time in the Middle East in 2021. As for this year, the season bears the title “Let Justice and Peace Flow” based on the biblical text about the “Mighty River” (Amos 5: 24).

In preparation for the celebrating this annual season, let us participate together, by clicking here, in the international launching ceremony of the "Season of Creation" for this year, during a webinar that will be held, with the organization of the Laudato'Si movement, on Monday 5 June 2023, at 4:00 pm Beirut time. Noting that June 5 is also the World Environment Day.

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 a news about the visit held by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs at the head of a delegation from the MECC General Secretariat to the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon His Excellency Monsignor Paolo Borgia, on Wednesday 31 May 2023, at the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa, Lebanon. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “Family planning, social planning, and human dignity”, and it was the speech which he delivered at the MECC monthly webinar held under the title "Family Planning and Human Dignity".

Following the Beirut Port Blast that destroyed the capital massively, the Middle East Council of Churches, Service and Relief – Diakonia Department, Lebanon Office, worked on the restoration of the damaged small businesses and investments in order to help their owners restore their hope and get back their sources of income after they lost everything they owned.

After having their businesses rehabilitated by MECC, the Council moved on with the second phase of the project in which it focused on business empowerment. Not only affected small business owners benefitted from this project but so did members of the surrounding community

Report: June 2nd, 2023

The Middle East Council of Churches is being involved in the relief and rehabilitation efforts in Syria under the name of "Rescue Syria Campaign" through which the Council shall be dealing with the relief efforts in this emergency period and later on with rehabilitation plans in order to help people survive properly and resume a normal life with dignity.

MECC will be publishing a periodical report 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. 

Former Moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs mourns Dr. Agnes Abuom, former Moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) Central Committee, in a letter of condolence he addressed it to Reverend Professor Dr. Jerry Pillay, Secretary General of the World Council of Churches.

In all components of this world, whether created by the Creator or man-made, the smallest cell determines the largest or final structure.

If the family constitutes the smallest cell in human societies, then its composition and dynamics are what determine the composition and the dynamics of society, taking into consideration, of course, the intermediate structures that play a basic role in most cases, such as institutions, classes, and culturally diverse groups, and all other components of the complex and fabulous social structure for the specialists and analysts, who are concerned with its reality and fate.

Studying the reality of the family and efforts to organize it in the broadest sense, are therefore part of society’s self-awareness through its researchers, despite how much their ideas and propositions were neglected and how much their achievements and aspirations were ignored. Many societies did not do justice to them ignoring their importance in terms of organizing society and improving its conditions.

Towards Consolidating the Relations Between the Vatican, the Apostolic Nunciature and MECC

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs headed a delegation from the MECC General Secretariat, in a visit to the Apostolic Nuncio to Lebanon His Excellency Monsignor Paolo Borgia, on Wednesday 31 May 2023, at the Apostolic Nunciature in Harissa, Lebanon.

The MECC delegation included the Secretary General Dr. Abs, the Associate Secretary General Mrs. Seta Hadeshian, the Associate Secretary General Dr. Nicola Bustros, and the Director of the MECC Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar.

During the meeting, the attendees discussed various topics. Dr. Abs presented to the Apostolic Nuncio His Excellency Monsignor Borgia the MECC mission and work, in addition to its history and structure, as well as the most prominent activities and programs it implements in the Middle East. Moreover, the attendees discussed ways to strengthen the relations between the Apostolic Nunciature, the Vatican Dicasteries and the Middle East Council of Churches, in order to work and participate together in various activities.