In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Communication and Public Relations Department, MECC releases the Arabic version of the “Week of Prayer for Christian Unity” booklet 2024, under the title “You shall love the Lord your God... and your neighbour as yourself” (Luke 10:27), after it was translated into Arabic by the Council, as every year.

As for the message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled this week “Violence against children and crime against childhood are scourges that are out of control”, and it is for the occasion of the International Week of Science and Peace determined by the United Nations to be celebrated yearly between 9 and 15 November. In his word, Dr. Abs said that building trust between science and people is necessary, but countries, universities, research centers and laboratories must prove to us that people can trust what is being produced behind closed doors.

In Gaza and the Repercussions of the Bombing that Occurred on the Church of Saint Porphyrios

With the deterioration of situations in Gaza, especially following the bombing of the Baptist Hospital and one of the buildings belonging to the Church of Saint Porphyrios, next to the church, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs was a guest on one of the news bulletins on “Al Jazeera” international English TV Channel, on Friday 20 October 2023.

Following the painful events taking place in Gaza, especially following the bombing of Al-Ahli Arabi Baptist Hospital and one of the buildings affiliated with the Church of Saint Porphyrios, and located next to the church, the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) called to a Prayer for Gaza, on Friday 20 October 2023.

Participants from the MECC headquarters in Beirut, the MECC General Secretariat’s team alongside the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs. As well as, colleagues working in the MECC Offices in the countries of the region also joined the Prayer online with also participants from different Ecclesial Families.

What Is the “Recycler Donation” Initiative of the Youth Pastoral Office in the Maronite Patriarchate, Bkerke?

Amidst the increasing environmental risks that humans are facing today, many youth groups are seeking to implement various initiatives in order to preserve the environment and care for creation. This is what included the Eco-exhibition that was organized on Wednesday 4 October 2023, at the Holy Spirit University of Kaslik – Lebanon. The exhibition was part of the activities of “Ecumenical Perspectives on Climate Change” Symposium held by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) in cooperation with the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME).

The “Recycler Donation” initiative, which is concerned with recycling, and affiliated with the Youth Pastoral Office in the Maronite Patriarchate, Bkerke - Lebanon, is one of these youth environmental initiatives, as it launched the “Waste Boat” project. What are the goals of this boat? And how can it contribute to reducing environmental pollution? Maria Abdel Masih, an activist in “Recycler Donation,” sheds light on this initiative.

Strengthening Hope Despite all Challenges

Amidst the difficult living crises that cast a shadow over Lebanon, many families struggle to make ends meet and secure a source of income that enables them to face the daily challenges which are surrounding them. In light of this bitter reality, children are negatively and greatly affected by the socioeconomic pressures that their parents have to pass through. Sometimes, children are unconsciously abandoned and develop poor coping strategies to deal with this reality.

In this context, the Department of Diakonia and Social Service Department at the Middle East Council of Churches, Lebanon’s Office, in cooperation with the international humanitarian organization Norwegian Church Aid (NCA), organized, during July, new psychosocial support sessions with the aim of helping children overcome the difficulties that they may face in their daily lives.

Report: July 2023

Introduction

The Middle East has been showing signs of economic improvement despite the economic slowdown everywhere else in the world. This has enticed regional and international players to delve deeper into the ME, using diplomatic, military, and economic means. Unfortunately, this has prompted tensions to rise across the region as world powers compete over who gets what. As such, the following question comes to mind: Will the ME be more divided as a result of the ambitions of global powers?

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Middle East Council of Churches, Communication and Public Relations Department, MECC presents in cooperation with the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Institute of Coptic Studies, a video in which Dr. Isaac Ibrahim Ajban, Dean of the Institute of Coptic Studies sheds light on the Holy Family's flight into the land of Egypt, stressing that it is a biblical fact, a historical fact, and an archaeological fact. As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, it is entitled “Hate Speech and Social Development”, in which he talked about the forms and spread of hate speech in our Levantine and Middle Eastern societies, in relation to the work of operating humanitarian agencies through programs and projects that they implement in various countries of the region.

After the Earthquake that Struck the North of the Antiochian Levant

Following the catastrophic earthquake that shook the North of the Antiochian Levant, the Middle East Council of Churches’ team in Syria made an interview with His Eminence Archbishop Youssef Tobji, the Maronite Archbishop of Aleppo and the Head of the Ecumenical Relief Committee for Relief in Aleppo, which was formed by MECC initiative with Churches’ representatives in Syria, aiming at supporting the affected people and help them restore their homes.

What Are the Implications of this Event?

Since the first century AD, the Coptic Church celebrates on the first of June of each year an Ecclesiastical Feast that has a special place in history, geography and civilization, according to the His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, Pope of Alexandria and Patriarch of the See of St. Mark. It is the Feast of the Entry of the Holy Family into the Land of Egypt, after taking a journey full of hardships, torments, and dangers, to escape from King Herod.

Hence, the path of the Holy Family carries many spiritual, historical and cultural meanings and connotations, in addition to a tourist aspect, as His Holiness Pope Tawadros II described this path as "a special blessing and a unique gift that God gave to Egypt."

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of 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. He also highlighted the importance of Christian unity where souls embrace and bridges are built. Moreover, the Secretary General considered that this trend of togetherness shall fulfill the role of example for all people.

With the aim of enhancing cooperation and joint work, Mr. Massoud Hafnaoui, President and Co-Founder of “Attalaki” organization in Tunisia, and Ms. Roua Tlili, Assistant Program Coordinator at the organization, visited the offices of the Middle East Council of Churches’ General Secretariat in Beirut, on Thursday 11 May 2023. They were received by the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs.

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 participation of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, at the Last Judgment Sunday Mass, presided over by His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and MECC President for the Orthodox Family, on Sunday 19 February 2023, at Our Lady of Balamand Patriarchal Monastery in Lebanon. This is in addition to details about the meeting of Dr. Abs with His Beatitude Patriarch John X, and also with Archimandrite Dr. Jack Khalil, President of the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East (ATIME).

As for the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, which title is “The Northern Antiochian Levant, A Glimmer of Hope in the Heart of Tragedy”, he talked about the tragedies and sufferings that Antioch has always witnessed over the decades. He added that we should never give up in the face of difficulties and work to support the neediest and most vulnerable people, so that Antioch remains, as His Beatitude Patriarch John X said in his Sunday Homily, “the glorious Bride of Christ.”

La campaña de las Naciones Unidas «ÚNETE para poner fin a la violencia contra las mujeres» sigue en marcha durante 16 días de activismo en todo el mundo. El Consejo de Iglesias del Oriente Medio participa con ACT Alliance en la campaña y alza su voz para proteger a las mujeres y preservar sus derechos.

Señalando que esta campaña anual de la ONU comenzó en el Día Internacional de la Eliminación de la Violencia contra la Mujer, el 25 de noviembre, y terminará en el Día Internacional de los Derechos Humanos, el 10 de diciembre.

The United Nations campaign “UNITE to End Violence Against Women” is still ongoing during 16 days of activism, worldwide. The Middle East Council of Churches is participating with ACT Alliance in the campaign and raises its voice towards protecting women and preserving their rights.

Noting that this UN annual campaign starts on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November, and ends on the International Human Rights Day on 10 December.

In the new issue of the weekly newsletter Momentum issued by the Communication and Public Relations Department of the Middle East Council of Churches, you can find the weekly message of the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs, which is entitled “On World Food Day: Humanity Between Schizophrenia and Hypocrisy”. It is written for the founding day of the Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Food Day, on 16 October.