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Middle East Council of Churches (Cyprus)
The Middle
East Council of Churches (MECC) is a fellowship of churches relating itself
to the mainstream of the modern ecumenical movement, which gave birth to the
World Council and other regional ecumenical councils throughout the world.
The MECC is also a meeting-place
for the indigenous churches of the region, a facilitator of their common
response to common needs. It encourages and supports relationships between its
member churches in an ecclesiastically sensitive manner, adhering to the
historical confessions of the united church, the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds, to
which all its members subscribe. Its family structure emphasizes consensus and
participation in community.
It is difficult to pinpoint when
the search for reconciliation between strands of the unraveled Christian church
began. For centuries, sensitive Christians have hoped and prayed for unity among
the various branches of Christianity. Early in the 20th century, there were
writings by Orthodox patriarchs which raised the issue of Christian unity. At
the same time, churches in the West were heavily engaged in the missionary
movement and sought to cooperate with each other through organizations such as
the International Missionary Council, one of the precursors of the World Council
of Churches.
In the Middle East, amicable
contacts between Protestant groups and the Oriental and Eastern Orthodox
churches of the region had been cultivated since the 1930s. However, decades of
exploitation, competition and tension had to be overcome, and much healing was
needed. Gradually, through informal efforts as well as through several
organizations, preparations were made for a fully ecumenical council in the
region. The MECC had its First General Assembly in 1974. However, at that time
Roman Catholic churches were not a part of the MECC. After much dialogue and
negotiation, they joined in 1990, making the council a fully inclusive body.
Over the years, the MECC has been
gifted with remarkable leaders. Some have served as Presidents and General
Secretaries; and many others have made profound contributions to the progress of
this ecumenical organization from within its structures or as friends
encouraging it from outside. One outstanding early leader, Anba Samuel, was
tragically assassinated along with President Sadat of Egypt in October 1981. An
ecumenical visionary, Mr. Gabriel Habib, gave distinguished leadership for a
remarkable period of seventeen years, from 1977 through 1994.
Today, the Middle East Council of
Churches plays a vital role in unifying the region's diverse Christian
communities and strengthening their life and witness under trying conditions. It
comprises all of the major Christian churches of the region: Oriental Orthodox,
Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, Protestant, and Roman Catholic.
The Department of Communications
attempts to meet the need for information about the people and events of the
Middle East by providing per current informational materials, especially for
people in the West. This includes MECC Perspectives, a journal about the
member churches of the MECC and their programs. The MECC also advocates for just
solutions to the problems of war, hunger, torture, national division, military
occupation, religious persecution, and economic deprivation.
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