With the rise of unemployment and inflation rates, as well as the increase in the prices of basic needs, the percentage of families living below the poverty line and relying primarily on humanitarian aid has increased. Many young people find themselves unable to build a stable future under these harsh conditions.

In response to these challenges, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) continues to support the most vulnerable people by organizing vocational training courses that help participants enter the job market. In addition, MECC provided them with vocational kits as well as skills through business start-up courses, enabling them to establish small businesses that can become sources of income, rather than spending months or even years searching for suitable job opportunities.

In this context, the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department, Syria’s Office, conducted a vocational training course on growing oyster mushrooms and another course on distilling medicinal herbs and flowers. A total of 30 participants, aged between 25 and 55, benefited from these courses.

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) have now issued its online Ecumenical calendar for the month of August 2024. It includes the Ecclesiastical and Liturgical Feasts of the various Families of Churches in the Middle East. In addition to international days identified by the United Nations, and which are related to the MECC identity and its spiritual and human mission.

Via ME SAT Channel

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of “Sabah Me” (“Morning ME”) program on the Egyptian ME SAT Channel, on Monday 29 July 2024, to shed light on the position of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) regarding what happened at the opening of the Olympic Games in France, in addition to the MECC statement in this context.

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, was the guest of the “Masaa’ El Kher” (“Good Evening”) program broadcasted on the Egyptian ME SAT Channel, on Sunday 28 July 2024, to talk about the statement issued by the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) following what happened at the opening of the Olympic Games in France.

À propos de ce qui s'est passé à l'ouverture des Jeux Olympiques en France

Beyrouth 27.07.2024

Avec beaucoup d'amour mêlé d'étonnement et de désapprobation, nous avons vu ce qui s'est passé lors de la cérémonie d'ouverture des Jeux Olympiques en France, la moquerie du mystère des mystères du christianisme et de ce qui est sacré pour des milliards de personnes dans le monde.

La liberté, la diversité et la créativité ne sont pas compatibles avec l’humiliation des croyances des autres, ni de s’en moquer d’une manière qui n’a rien à voir avec la qualité humaine.

Le christianisme a été le premier à garantir les libertés, à protéger la diversité et à préserver la dignité et les droits humains. Nous n’acceptons donc pas qu’il soit insulté par certains groupes, sachant que tout être humain est à l’image et à la ressemblance de Dieu et est appelé au salut.

About what happened at the opening of the Olympic Games in France

Beirut 27.07.2024

With a lot of love mixed with astonishment and disapproval, we saw what happened during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in France, the mockery of the mystery of the mysteries in Christianity, and what is sacred to billions of people around the world.

Freedom, diversity, and creativity are not compatible with insulting the beliefs of others, nor with mocking them, in ways that have nothing to do with human quality.

Christianity was the first to preserve freedoms, protect diversity, and preserve human dignity and rights. Therefore, we do not accept subjecting it to insult from some groups, knowing that every human being is in the image and likeness of God and is called to salvation.

“The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

It is with hope and sadness that the General Secretariat of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) bids farewell to its righteous son, our colleague Mr. Toni Michel Franji, the Former MECC Financial Director, who passed away to the Heavenly Father, after accomplishing his humanitarian mission with great sincerity and dedication.

Mr. Toni Michel Franji was known for his zeal for the Church of Christ, his love of God and his constant service to his neighbor. He served the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) with dedication, professionalism, and seriousness, leaving his distinctive mark in the administrative work and the Ecumenical world. He was a role model in sacrifice and giving, and we will always remember him as a pioneering personality and an example of a loving, dedicated, and persevering person.

On behalf of the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs and all the Council’s members, the family of the MECC General Secretariat, extend its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased, asking our Lord Jesus, who redeemed us from death, to bid his enter eternal rest.

Christ Is Risen,

He Is Risen Indeed.

In the present times, all entities of the Middle East region are facing geopolitical situations that require readiness and full presence. In this context, the activities of the Middle East Council of Churches are developing in all fields, and we thank God for the trust that the MECC enjoys from both local and international partners alike. The Council is highly credible in its fieldwork and its financial and programmatic reports.

The Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees (DSPR), which has been serving Palestinians for decades, deals with the challenges it faces professionally based on historical memory and a renewed institutional culture. Its employees treasure their memory, culture, and knowledge, gained through their long history of work, and it opens the way for innovation and creativity—essential for relief and development work among people under occupation, which end we have not yet seen.

The work of the MECC, through the DSPR and other departments as well, is a form of peaceful resistance rooted in the Christian faith, embodying the values of the Master who overcame annihilation, as witnessed in the land of Palestine, irrigated by the blood of its sons. The Council's work is to resist by helping the afflicted to continue their lives as naturally as possible, even when this seems impossible. Are they not the weary and heavy-laden mentioned by the Master?

By providing food, medicine, clothing, water and awareness, vocational training, advocacy, and all forms of activities of the Department, you help them to withstand, which is the basis of resistance. International partner institutions are increasingly aware of the seriousness of what is happening in Palestine, the south of the Antiochian Levant, the land of the Incarnation, the First Evangelization, Calvary, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection. They recognize the systematic extermination of the people and their historical roots, a people who have shown steadfastness and solidity.

From the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council in Beirut:

“It is necessary to work on Islamic-Christian cohesion and preserving civil peace and national cohesion and everything that leads to social cohesion in order to avoid strife”

In a meeting of love and fraternity, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, at the head of an MECC delegation, visited the Vice-President of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council His Eminence Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, on Tuesday 23 July 2024, at the headquarters of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council in Beirut. The meeting was held in the presence of Dr. Mohammad Rizk, Director General of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council and Special Secretary of the Council, and Dr. Ghazi Kanso, Advisor to His Eminence Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, and Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Studies at the Islamic University in Lebanon.

Receiving a Delegation from the Middle East Council of Churches:

“Every action that divides people contradicts religion, and religious affiliation does not give distinction in rights and duties and should be the criteria for competence and assuming national responsibility in serving the nation and its people”

The Vice-President of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council His Eminence Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, received the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, at the head of an MECC delegation, on Tuesday 23 July 2024, at the headquarters of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council in Beirut. The meeting was held in the presence of Dr. Mohammad Rizk, Director General of the Supreme Islamic Shiite Council and Special Secretary of the Council, and Dr. Ghazi Kanso, Advisor to His Eminence Sheikh Ali Al-Khatib, and Dean of the Faculty of Islamic Studies at the Islamic University in Lebanon.

During the meeting, the attendees discussed issues related to Islamic-Christian dialogue, national and religious affairs, and developments concerning the situation in Lebanon and the region. Attendees also stressed the importance of promoting Islamic-Christian dialogue and consolidating human values ​​, as they emphasized the necessity of working to spread the spirit of peace, fraternity and love among all components of society. The attendees also denounced the difficult security and social conditions taking place in the region, especially the ongoing war in Gaza.

“Youth Emigration, A Challenge to Human Dignity”

Thursday 1 August 2024 - 9 am to 2:30 pm Beirut time

As part of its monthly seminar series, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) invites you to a round table entitled “Youth Emigration, A Challenge to Human Dignity,” on Thursday 1 August 2024, from 9 am to 2:30 pm Beirut time, at the MECC General Secretariat’s Offices in Beirut. You can participate in it via Zoom through the following link: https://shorturl.at/PYUb0, or live on the MECC YouTube Channel.

The round table begins with an opening and welcome speech by Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, and will be followed by a speech delivered by the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs.

It will also include several interventions into two sessions with the participation of speakers from various fields and specializations. The first session is entitled “Youth Emigration: Concepts, Causes and Consequences,” moderated by Dr. Chawki Attieh. The second session focuses on “Forms of Migration,” moderated by Dr. Laure Abi Khalil.

This round table, which ends with a discussion, is part of the series of monthly seminars launched by MECC, within the framework of the “Human Dignity Project” - “Dialogue and Social Cohesion-Social Capital Rehabilitation”, that MECC is working to implement consecutively.

The family of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) bids farewell to the colleague Mrs. Grace Boustany, the Director of Our Lady Dispensary, affiliated with MECC, in the Sabtieh region – Mount Lebanon, after a journey in the Ecumenical world and humanitarian work that lasted for 24 years of giving, dedication, and loyalty to the MECC mission. She was known for her service, love, and continuous support for all colleagues, partners, and friends.

The family of the MECC General Secretariat gathered around a farewell lunch to our colleague Grace, on Tuesday 23 July 2024. During the gathering, the MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs offered to Grace an honorary trophy as a token of love and appreciation. He also addressed her with a speech in which he praised her competence, experience and performance, thanking her for her efforts and diligence, and wishing her success in her new journey. In addition, and with heartfelt words, colleagues wished Ms. Grace good luck in every step she takes.

The Danmission organization held a MENA partner seminar, on 2 and 3 July 2024, at the Citea Hotel - Achrafieh, Lebanon, with the participation of many organizations and institutions, including the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC). Hence, the MECC delegation included the Director of the Theological and Ecumenical Department Father Dr. Antoine Al Ahmar, the Director of the Lebanon’s Office of the Diakonia and Social Service Department Ms. Nina Hallak, and the Coordinator of the Social Capital Rehabilitation Project Dr. Laure Abi Khalil.

The seminar’s various sessions aimed at discussing ways to strengthen relations between “Danmission” and its partner organizations, in addition to developing the work mechanism in order to achieve the desired goals. The participants also exchanged experiences and opinions on common issues and affairs, as well as on planning new projects according to the required needs.

MECC Supports the Project of St. Francis of Assisi School and Laverna Association

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon Office, launched a business development program through supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), in the Lebanese Akkar region, in order to help them secure their long-term sustainability, especially amidst the worsening difficult living, social and economic conditions in the country.

In the video, you can find an overview about the St. Francis of Assisi School and the Laverna Association in Menjez - Akkar, in addition to a highlight on the support of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for their project, which has witnessed a new development.

The MECC Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs Participates in the Prayers

His Beatitude Patriarch John X, Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Orthodox Family, celebrated the Feast of Saint Elias, in Dhour El Choueir region - Lebanon, with a Church, popular and official attendance.

First, His Beatitude arrived at Dhour El Choueir Square, on the evening of Friday 19 July 2024, where an official and popular reception was held for him and speeches were delivered by the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, His Excellency President Elias Bou Saab, and His Eminence Bishop Silouan Moussi, Greek Orthodox Metropolitan of Byblos, Batroun and Dependencies (Mount Lebanon).

His Beatitude Patriarch John X also delivered a speech in which he stressed the necessity of approaching everything with the logic of hope in the face of difficulties. His Beatitude expressed his pride in the people of Dhour El Choueir and Matn, as well as the importance of their feeling of belonging to Lebanon despite everything, His Beatitude also stressed the necessity of electing a President of the Republic as soon as possible.

To Egypt, the land of Al Kanana, to the land that is marked by the refuge of the Holy Family, giving it a distinct identity, a delegation of students and deans of theological institutes in the Middle East, under A.T.I.M.E. went in order to meet, debate, and draw lines of action for the future, the future of teaching theology for parish ministers, the leadership of the church and  the joint Christian work, that is, the Ecumenical work.

They were blessed days, during which the students gathered first, in a conference under the theme “We Witness Together,” followed by the General Assembly of the Association, which includes all theological teaching institutes affiliated with the member churches of the Middle East Council of Churches.

The high standing of lectures, the quality of the interventions and discussions, and the dynamism that characterized them, indicate an advanced level in the work of the colleges, as well as in the work of the A.T.I.M.E. In addition to all of this, there were activities related and complementary to these meetings.

The MECC’s media accompanied all these actions, documented them, and published them on its media pages out of the belief that the work of this association, which is organically linked to MECC, is essential in ecumenical work.

The Second Annual Student Conference - Obour - Cairo

“We Witness Together” is the title of the second annual student conference of the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East – A.T.I.M.E., which was held at St. Mark's Conference House in the Obour – Cairo, between 7 and 12 July 2024, with the participation of 40 students from 18 Theological Institutes in the Middle East. The conference was organized and attended by the President of the Association Archimandrite Professor Jack Khalil, Dean of the Saint John of Damascus Theological Institute at the University of Balamand, the Executive Secretary Father Dr. Michael Kanbar, and members of the Executive Secretariat of the Association, Reverend Dr. Bishoy Helmi, Reverend Dr. Samuel Rozfi, and the Rt. Reverend Father Bassam Nassif, who was unable to attend for personal reasons.

Attendees and Participnats were also the Secetary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, the Association Members Dr. Gergis Saleh, the Honorary Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Dr. Ishak Ibrahim Ajban Shenouda from the Institute of Coptic Studies, and Dr. Michael Edward Abdo Mikhael from the Institute of Care and Education.

Hence, the video report provides an overview of the work of this conference.

In the Church of the Patriarchal Monastery of St. George, Cairo

At the invitation of the Rt. Reverend Archimandrite Damaskinos Alazrai, Head of the Patriarchal Monastery of St. George of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa in Cairo, the Rt. Reverend Archimandrite Jack Khalil, Dean of the Saint John of Damascus Institute at the University of Balamand in Lebanon and President of the Association of Theological Institutes in the Middle East A.T.I.M.E., presided over the Divine Liturgy, on Sunday 14 July 2024, at the Monastery’s Church.

The Mass was attended by Dr. Michel Abs, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Arlette Michel, President of the Good Shepherd Greek Orthodox Association in Heliopolis, and Member of the General Assembly of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the MECC Media Church Relations Coordinator, and believers.

Afterwards, there was a tour in the Patriarchal Monastery of St. George and a visit to both the Babylon Fortress and the Greek Orthodox Center for Studies and Dialogue in the Monastery.

In this context, the video report presents some details about the Divine Liturgy, as well as the tour that was held after it.