An Ecumenical Delegation Holds an Online Solidarity Visit to the Holy Land

The leadership of the World Council of Churches (WCC), accompanied by a delegation of Ecumenical Partners, held an online meeting, on Thursday 8 August 2024, with some Christians based in Bethlehem representing a range of different organizations locally, including Diyar Consortium, Kairos Palestine, YMCA, Department of Services to Palestinian Refugees at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), Arab Educational Institute, and SABEEL Association.

The aim of this meeting was to listen to the testimonies of the participants and to accompany and support them in light of the difficult circumstances that the region is going through. It brought forth a range of experiences and perspectives from local communities at a time when accompaniment and solidarity are dearly needed.

This session came within the program of the virtual and solidarity visit to the Holy Land which was held between 7 and 8 August 2024, by a delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Ecumenical Partners, including the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the ACT Alliance, and Caritas Internationalis.

The World Council of Churches Thanks Ecumenical Accompaniers for Being “God’s presence”

Within the framework of closely reviewing the field relief work in the Holy Land, a delegation led by the World Council of Churches (WCC), which included the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), ACT Alliance, and Caritas Internationalis, held an online meeting, on Wednesday 7 August 2024, with staff from the WCC Jerusalem Liaison Office and with accompaniers from the WCC Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme (EAPPI).

This meeting came as part of the program of an online visit held by the World Council of Churches (WCC) between 7 and 8 August 2024, after postponing the visit that was scheduled to take place in person between 5 and 9 August due to the security developments that occurred in the region. Hence, this visit represented an opportunity to accompany Member Churches and Ecumenical Partners, listen to their voices and perspectives, amplify their calls, and remind the world of what is needed to bring about peace in the region.

The delegation which participated in this virtual visit included His Grace Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, WCC Moderator, Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, WCC General Secretary, Mr. Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance General Secretary, and Mr. Alistair Dutton, Caritas Internationalis Secretary General, Dr. Audeh Quawas, Member of the WCC Central Committee and Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and Mr. Erik Lysén, ACT Alliance Moderator.

Emphasizing the Importance of Solidarity and Cooperation Together Towards Peace and Justice

Within the framework of the virtual solidarity visit implemented by an ecumenical delegation to the Holy Land between 7 and 8 August 2024, an online meeting was held with the Higher Presidential Committee of Churches in Palestine, in the presence and participation of the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the ACT Alliance organization, and the and Caritas Internationalis. The meeting focused on the current political situation in the region, the need for an end to the ongoing war and seemingly escalating conflict, so that the region may shift into building peace long-term.

It should be noted that the delegation participating in the visit includes His Grace Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, WCC Moderator, Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, WCC Secretary General, Mr. Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance Secretary General, and Mr. Alistair Dutton, Caritas Internationalis Secretary General, Dr. Audeh Quawas, Member of the WCC Central Committee and Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and Mr. Erik Lysén, ACT Alliance Moderator.

Middle East Socioeconomic Overview

Report: July 2024

With the notorious warmonger visiting Washington to address the US congress about the war in Gaza, the world watched as he spewed lie after lie, unashamedly denying the reports of genocide coming from occupied Palestine. As though the plethora of images, recordings, and UN-confirmed reports are nothing but a fabrication and that he and the entity he represents, are the victims. To make matters worse, he is taking advantage of an event which occurred in the Golan Heights to increase the intensity of the war. Things are definitely escalating towards a dangerous situation, a probable breaking point.

Together Towards Creating a Media Network Unifying the Voice of the Church

Together we join hands, communicate and build bridges! Together we work to consolidate human values ​​and spread love and fraternity throughout the earth! From this perspective, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) seeks, through its media activities, to embody these slogans through service, work, and solidarity in order to raise the voice of the Church so that it remains a prophetic voice carrying the call of our Lord Jesus Christ “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid” (Matthew 14: 27).

Given the importance of the role of Christian media, especially in conveying the good word and good News, coordination is being made between various Christian media offices in the Middle East. It aims at enhancing communication among them and work together to create an Ecumenical media network towards unifying efforts and coordinating at various media levels.

In this context, and following the invitation of the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, an Ecumenical media meeting was held on Tuesday 20 August 2024, in the presence of a group of specialists in the field of Church media from various Church Families and countries of the Middle East. They participated in person at the offices of the MECC General Secretariat in Beirut, and online via Zoom.

Will Lebanon Have the Full Peserved Relics of the Blessed Cardinal Aghajanian?

In preparation for the awaited event that will be held by the Armenian Catholic Church in Lebanon, and with the blessed efforts of His Beatitude Patriarch Raphaël Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of the Armenian Catholic Church of Cilicia, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and Télé Lumière and Noursat TV station highlights the inspiring story of the Servant of God Cardinal Patriarch Krikor-Bedros XV Aghajanian. Yesterday's Patriarch and tomorrow's Saint, his proven miracles and unforgettable service bring him closer to beatification. Will his full preserved relics will be soon moved to the heart of Beirut? Watch with us the following report prepared by the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Coordinator of Church and Media Relations at the Middle East Council of Churches, to learn more.

Lebanon is preparing to receive the body of the Servant of God Cardinal Patriarch Krikor-Bedros XV Aghajanian from Rome to Beirut. A press conference that sheds light on this event in the report.

Video - MECC’s Exclusive Interview with His Beatitude Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian on the Legacy of Patriarch Aghagianian

With the upcoming preparations filled with uplifting Hope, drawn from within the Luminous Gifts of our Lord Jesus Christ where He bestows His crowns of triumph upon those who were worth being called His Champions of Faith, the Armenian Catholic Church in Lebanon prepares for a special event. We share with you an exclusive interview with His Beatitude Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of the Armenian Catholic Church, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family. In this interview, He shares his unique experience lived alongside the Venerable Servant of God Catholicos Patriarch Krikor-Bedros XV Aghajanian and the importance of His relocation from Rome to Lebanon.

It is a path of disappointment, which begins the next day to graduation, after the students rejoice with their friends, families, and professors, and live the saying of Imru’ al-Qais: “Today is wine and tomorrow is matter.”

The joy of graduation is unparalleled, as it defines the space where young people move from the stage of preparation for working life, to fighting the battle of finding their place in society, through the labor market.

When they enter the labor market, disappointments start emerging from institutions that the graduate thinks are waiting for him with open arms to receive him, so he specializes in compiling excuses and polite methods of rejection, just because in my country no one cares about the youth, and no government has made an effort to prepare a place for them in the field of work, nor is it concerned with a better future for them.

Between the beautiful dreams of studying at university, and the painful reality that graduates live in, there is a path of suffering that makes their souls loaded with wounds, and no one knows how it can end.

Painful Stories Amidst a Violent War

The MECC Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees Continues Its Field Relief Work

The ongoing war in Gaza continues and the death toll is rising in light of the dangerous security escalation which the region is witnessing as a result of the conflicts that are worsening there. In this context, a delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Ecumenical partners, which is conducting a virtual solidarity visit to the Holy Land between 7 and 8 August 2024, was keen to listen to field stories from Gaza in order to convey the voices of those affected and in pain to all parts of the world and to renew the call for the necessity of working to achieve peace in the region.

In this context, an online meeting was held on Tuesday 7 August, bringing together the World Council of Churches (WCC), the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), the ACT Alliance, and the Caritas Internationalis, with medical staff in Gaza who shared their testimonies and daily suffering and highlighted their urgent needs and future aspirations.

Calling for the Release of All Detainees and Respect for Human Rights and Dignity

A delegation from the World Council of Churches (WCC) and Ecumenical partners are continuing their virtual and solidarity visit to the Holy Land. The WCC Moderator His Grace Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, and the WCC General Secretary Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, held a meeting with Layan Nasir’ parents, on Wednesday 7 August 2024. Layan is a 24-year-old Palestinian Anglican student who has been detained by the occupation authorities since April 2024.

Noting that the delegation participating in the virtual visit, which extends between 7 and 8 August 2024, includes His Grace Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, WCC Moderator, Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, WCC General Secretary, Mr. biBueno de Faria, ACT Alliance General Secretary, Dr. Audeh Quawas, Member of the WCC Central Committee and Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and Mr. Erik Lysén, ACT Alliance Moderator.

A Virtual Visit to the Holy Land Held by WCC, MECC, ACT Alliance, and Caritas Internationalis

Together Towards Peace and Reconciliation!

In support to the brothers and sisters in the Holy Land and Gaza in light of the difficult circumstances they are passing through, a delegation from the World Council of Churches (MECC) and Ecumenical partners from around the world, including the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), ACT Alliance, and Caritas Internationalis, held an online solidarity meeting with His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of the Holy City and all Other Palestine and Jordan, and Church Leaders in Jerusalem, on Wednesday 7 August 2024.

This meeting comes as part of a virtual visit program held by the World Council of Churches (WCC) between 7 and 8 August 2024, as recent developments in the region led to the postponement of an in-person visit originally slated for 5-9 August. In fact, this solidarity visit is taking place at a time when the war is worsening in the region, especially in Palestine, and emergency humanitarian needs are increasing at various levels. Therefore, it aims to promote dialogue towards restoring peace and stability.

The delegation included His Grace Bishop Dr. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, WCC Moderator, Rev. Prof. Dr. Jerry Pillay, WCC General Secretary, Mr. Rudelmar Bueno de Faria, ACT Alliance General Secretary, and Mr. Alistair Dutton, Caritas Internationalis Secretary General, Dr. Audeh Quawas, Member of the WCC Central Committee and Executive Committee, Prof. Dr. Michel Abs, Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and Mr. Erik Lysén, ACT Alliance Moderator.

Invites You to the Official Reception of the Incorrupt Body of the Servant of God Catholicos Patriarch Krikor-Bedros XV Aghajanian, In Beirut

Thursday, September 12, 2024

His Beatitude Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian, Catholicos Patriarch of Cilicia of Armenian Catholics, and President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) for the Catholic Family, has the pleasure to invite you to the official reception of the incorrupt body of the Servant of God Catholicos Patriarch Krikor-Bedros XV Aghajanian, in Beirut, on Thursday, September 12, 2024.  

Solemn ceremony on the “Martyr Square” in Beirut, at 7:00 pm, followed by a procession towards His new tomb in the St. Gregory the Illuminator – Dt. Elie Cathedral.  

On Mariam TV

Dr. Laure Abi Khalil, the Coordinator of the Social Capital Rehabilitation Project at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), and Professor of Public Policy and Strategy at the Lebanese University, was the guest the Journalist Lea Adel Maamary, the Coordinator of Communication for Church Relations at the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), in an episode of the program “On Time”, via Mariam TV, on Monday 5 August 2024.

The Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs was the guest of Father Charbel Al Khoury in an episode of the program “Don’t Be Afraid”, on Télé Lumière and Noursat, on Monday 5 August 2024. 

During the episode, which you can watch in the video, Dr. Abs highlighted the mission of the Middle East Council of Churches, the most prominent programs that it is implementing at various Ecumenical, Theological, humanitarian and relief levels, in addition to the activities that were organized and will be held on the occasion of the Fiftieth Year of Its Founding. 

MECC participating

The World Council of Churches (WCC) will hold a digital and pastoral solidarity visit to the Holy Land on 7-8 August – a visit that will serve as an opportunity to accompany member churches and ecumenical partners, listen to their voices and perspectives, amplify their calls, and remind the world of what is needed to bring about peace in the region. 

A Round Table Organized by the Middle East Council of Churches

Secretary General Dr. Michel Abs: people find themselves in a position where they disbelieve in their homeland and decide to leave this place, where there is economic oppression and social marginality

The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) held a roundtable entitled “Youth Emigration, A Challenge to Human Dignity,” on Thursday 1 August 2024, at the MECC General Secretariat Offices in Beirut. This symposium 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 round table included two sessions in which researchers and specialists ffirst sessionrom various fields and Middle Eastern countries spoke. The first session revolved around the title “Youth Emigration: Concepts, Causes and Consequences,” and was moderated by Dr. Chawki Attieh. The second session was entitled “Forms of Migration,” moderated by Dr. Laure Abi Khalil. 

The symposium began with an opening speech by Dr. Laure Abi Khalil. Attendees were specialists and interested people in the topic who participated at in the offices of the MECC General Secretariat or online via the “Zoom” platform. Noting that the symposium was broadcasted live on the MECC YouTube channel (first session - second session). 

Firstly, the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs delivered a speech entitled “Youth Emigration, Embarrassment Until  Departure!” in which he said, “Amidst circumstances of this kind, where it is very difficult to find - or establish - decent work, and where the available jobs, in terms of their content and income, put those who accept it in a state of Malthusian unemployment, people find themselves in a position where they disbelieve in their homeland and decide to leave this place, where there is economic oppression and social marginality. Noting that the disillusioned youth may abandon their values ​​and morals and may join the work that will lead them to criminal prosecution.” 

Monday 5 August 2024 - 8:30 pm Beirut Time

Watch with us the Secretary General of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) Dr. Michel Abs, in an episode of the “Don’t Be Afraid” program on Télé Lumiere and Noursat, with Father Charbel El Khoury, on Monday 5 August 2024, at 8:30 pm Beirut time and 17:30 GMT.

The episode will be centered around several Ecclesiastical, Ecumenical and humanitarian issues and topics, in addition to the work of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and its mission in light of the difficult circumstances that the region and the world are passing through.

The French Olympic show, which we will not go into evaluating on the artistic level here, sparked a massive wave of reactions that ranged between denunciation, condemnation, attacks and angry epithets at everyone who participated in the planning, preparation and implementation of this work, and the senior government leadership did not escape pointing the finger at it for being, in the end, the one who authorized this work.

For decades, the world has witnessed an attack on Christianity that has gone unanswered, not even a note from the relevant leaders, based on the values of freedom that some in the West boast, as well as the value of Christian tolerance, based primarily on love and on the life of Jesus and his commandments. Yes, we love our enemies, bless those who curse us, and do good to those who harm us, out of righteousness according to the commandments of the Master. Therefore, the Western media, film production companies, some of the press, some cartoon pedants, some parties, and some who call themselves intellectuals, went too far. They attacked the Christian message, which is the basis of preserving the freedoms they enjoy, and they insulted and destroyed it in various ways, without any moral or ethical motive. No one had any control over them.

It's the height of ingratitude!

To write an article or study, or to give a lecture, in which you analyze or criticize some of the teachings or sayings of religions, or to evaluate their impact on people in their behavior and dealing with each other, is a respectable matter and is circulated among specialists who respect the ideas of intellectual polemic. As for practicing ridicule and mockery of religion, any religion, this is something that exceeds the acceptable limits in civilized interaction between humans.

In light of conflicts and turmoil that the Middle East is witnessing, all walks of life are being influenced, as well as children are being affected the most. Therefore, the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), through its various programs, continues to accompany and support children in order to help them overcome their daily challenges.

For this reason, the MECC Diakonia and Social Service Department, Lebanon’s Office, held a series of sessions aiming to improve the wellbeing and mental health of children, who had to deal with traumatic experiences. By teaching them how to manage their emotions effectively, psychologists help children acquire emotional regulation skills.

This is done by applying a structured program which makes use of various mental health topics and recreational activities which teaches them how to identify different emotions, understand what triggers them, understand different perspectives, and develop empathy towards others.