Middle East Council of Churches "The MECC is 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. Larger and smaller families each have equal opportunity to
have their voices heard in its deliberations, and no one perspective is permitted to
eclipse any other. The decision-making process of the MECC is sensitive to the various
church traditions represented."
Catholicosate of Cilicia
- Department of Ecumenical Relations
"The Catholicosate has been a member of the WCC since 1962 and a founding
member of the MECC, and is actively involved in the ecumenical movement
globally and regionally. It has working relationships with various
ecumenical organizations. It participates in many bilateral and multilateral
ecumenical dialogues. The Catholicosate sent observers to the Vatican
Council II. The visits of the Catholicoi to Popes and joint declarations,
meetings and consultations with representatives of the Roman Catholic Church
have all contributed greatly to the development of cordial relations and
theological dialogue between the Armenian and the Roman Catholic Churches on
international, regional and local levels. The Catholicosate's relations with
the churches of the Middle East have always been cordial. As one of the
initiators of the ecumenical movement in the region, the Catholicosate took
an active part in the foundation of the MECC in 1974. The Catholicosate has
played a key role in promoting the theological dialogue between the two
families of the Orthodox tradition. It has played a significant role in
developing a more organized collaboration among the Oriental Orthodox
Churches, particularly following the meeting of the Heads of these Churches
in Addis Ababa, in 1965."
Tantur Ecumenical Institute for
Theological Studies "The campus of the Tantur Institute is situated on the main road
between Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Tantur welcomes scholars and students to pursue their
research and writing for longer or shorter periods, and offers programs of continuing
education and spiritual renewal for parish clergy, teachers and other church workers.
Tantur also offers a Laity Enrichment Program."
World Student Christian Federation - Palestine "WSCF-Palestine was established by a group of
a Palestinian Christian graduate students, in the beginning of the year 2000. WSCF-P
currently is part of World Student Christian Federation WSCF-Geneva. WSCF-P works
among Palestinian Christian youth and students, with the goals of building ecumenism at
the grassroots level, fostering leadership development among youth and students, and
defining the relationship between the Church and society. One of the main objectives of
WSCF-P is to build Student Christian Movements (SCM) throughout Palestine. Through the SCM
students can meet, share their hopes, and work together to grow spiritually, emotionally,
and intellectually. As well, WSCF-P will work to foster contacts with similar Christian
student movements in the Middle East and around the world."
