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07187
March 28, 2007
Middle East churches issue call to prayer on Maundy Thursday
Extremism, violence threaten Christian witness in region, leaders say
LOUISVILLE — Saying conditions in the Middle East are jeopardizing the viability of the Christian witness there, a group of the region’s Christian leaders have issued a call to prayer by fellow believers worldwide on Maundy Thursday, April 5.
“Although there is encouraging work going on in the ministry of these churches, we are very worried that the unstable political environment is fuelling extremism, endangering civil peace, and causing increasing emigration of indigenous Christians,” said the March 26 call to prayer by the Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches (FMEEC).
The FMEEC, which includes many partner churches of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), represents 16 Christian churches in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, the Sudan and Israel/Palestine.
The ongoing occupation, violence, and land confiscation in the Palestinian territories, and the worsening quagmire in Iraq, only add fuel to the fires of extremism, and threaten to turn political problems into religious wars,” the statement said. “The carnage in Lebanon, and the heightened tension with Iran, are viewed in the same manner.”
In addition to prayers for the continuing witness of Christian churches in the Middle East, the FMEEC asked that Christians worldwide learn more about conditions in the region and “stand against extremism in all forms, including our own Christian extremists who often undermine the work of local churches here.”
Evangelical (Protestant) Christian churches date back to the early 19th century in most parts of the region. “We must not allow the lights of Middle Eastern Christianity to abate, the FMEEC pleaded.
The call to prayer on Maundy Thursday was signed by FMEEC President Munib A. Younan, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Jordan and the Holy Land; Vice-president Habib Badr of the National Evangelical Church of Beirut; and General Secretary Rosangela Jarjour of the Episcopal Church in Cyprus and the Gulf.
March 26, 2007
A Call for Prayer to Partner Churches
All Over the World
On Maundy Thursday
From Middle Eastern Christians
Greetings to you during this blessed Lenten season!
In the spirit of Maundy Thursday, as Jesus gathered with his disciples to celebrate the Paschal Meal, your sisters and brothers in Christ in the Middle East are asking you and Christians world-wide to join them in prayer & supplications.
This call comes after a recent meeting of the Executive Committee of the Fellowship of Middle East Evangelical Churches (FMEEC), where Middle Eastern Evangelical representatives from Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, the Sudan, and the Holy Land gathered to discuss the concerns of the Evangelical Testimony in the Middle East. Although there is encouraging work going on in the ministry of these churches, we are very worried that the unstable political environment is fuelling extremism, endangering civil peace, and causing increasing emigration of indigenous Christians. The ongoing occupation, violence, and land confiscation in the Palestinian territories, and the worsening quagmire in Iraq, only add fuel to the fires of extremism, and threaten to turn political problems into religious wars. The carnage in Lebanon, and the heightened tension with Iran, are viewed in the same manner
For these reasons, we Christians in the Middle East ask you to join us in prayers for our troubled region, which is in dire need to keep alive a vital Christian witness of love, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation. We Christians have been here since the first Pentecost and Evangelicals since the early19th century. We must not allow the lights of Middle Eastern Christianity abate.
Please, pray for the Testimony of the Evangelical Churches in the Middle East, and stand with us in spirit and prayer. Learn about what is happening here. Stand against extremism in all forms, including our own Christian extremists who often undermine the work of local churches here.
God Bless you,
On behalf of FMEEC Executive Committee:
Bishop Munib A Younan, President
Rev. Habib Badr, Vice Presidnet
Mrs. Rosangela jarjour,
General Secretary
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