Thanksgiving Day
Helping Hand Society organized the celebration of Thanksgiving Day in our church on Friday, Nov. 17, 2017. "What a wonderful thing when you count your many blessings", Said Mrs Wadia Badr, "they are in everyday". The people participated also in giving thanks to God in short testimony of something they want to share from their personal life. Then, they sang few songs together and Rev. Badr said, "I think we should create a news station called: GNN. That is 'Good News Network', to talk only about the good things God gives us and happen with us everyday." Then the youth of our church played and sang few hymns and people praised the Lord with them.
Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin in Arabic
On Nov. 11, 2017 the Near East School of Theology (NEST) in Beirut celebrated its 85th anniversary by launching the first ARABIC version of "Institutes of the Christian Religion" by John Calvin. أسس الدين المسيحي. The book is one of the most important classical writings of Reformation in the 16th century. The Arabic translation is now an important work for the Arabic library and for the Evangelical Churches in the Middle East.
The work translated from English (McNeill edition) into Arabic by Rev. Adib Awad, Rev. Walid Harmoush and Rev. Dr. Victor Makari. Revised the Arabic language Dr. Souhel Sleiman. And the editor was Dr. George Sabra, president of NEST who considered the book as the first Evangelical systematic theology-book that emerged to help the church at that time to build its spirituality and piety. One can regard the work as summa theologia, but for Calvin it was summa pietatis (the whole sum of piety and whatever is necessary to know about the doctrine of salvation).
This translation work was supported from the beginning by Fondation pour l'aide au protestantisme réformé (FAP) in France and GZB in Holland. POSTER (IN ARABIC)
The 500th Jubilee of the Reformation in Lebanon
On the occasion of the 500th Jubilee of Reformation, tha National Evangelical Church of Beirut (NECB) hosted a joint worship service for all Evangelical churches in Lebanon on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2017, organized by "Reformation Sunday Committee". The head of the Supreme Council of the Evangelical Churches in Syria and Lebanon, Rev. Dr. Salim Sahyouni, mentioned that the service of this year is of dual importance. It comes on the 500th anniversary of the Reformation Movement, with its all positive and negative impacts, the challenges it faced during these long years, and the significant achievements on the ecumenical level.
Furthermore, it comes with two important events. The visit of Pope Francis to Lund (Sweden) in order to inaugurate the Year of the Jubilee in which a joint communiqué was issued with the President of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Bishop Munib Younan, and the meeting of Pope Francis with the Patriarch Kirill of Moscow in Cuba and their joint statement. Rev. Sahyouni stressed the uniqueness of the ecumenical developments that we are witnessing. He implored God to grant His church the trust to preserve the blessings of Reformation and its legacy.
After a short video entitled "History Witnesses", Rev. Nabil Mamarbashi delivered the opening prayer on behalf of Rev. Dr. Habib Badr the senior pastor of NECB. The meditation given by the Rev. Dr. Ghassan Khalaf was entitled "The Constant Jesus-Revolution", in which he presented the profound implications of the Protestant Movement and its achievements worldwide on theological, ethical, social, political and scientific levels.
Refreshments followed the event and Rev. Sahyouni was honored by the Committee.
See the PROGRAM HERE
The BROCHURE HERE
Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra Plays the Reformation
On Friday, Oct. 20, 2017 and on the occasion of the 500th Jubilee of the Reformation, the conductor Fouad Fakhouri form our church (NECB) directed the Lebanese Philharmonic Orchestra at St. Joseph Jesuit church in Monot, Beirut, in two symphonic pieces: Mendelssohn's "Reformation" symphony and Beethoven symphony No.5.
Rev. Habib Badr, head of the Celebration Committee of the Reformation, thanked Mr. Fakhouri who came from USA especially for this event, and Dr. Walid Musalam head of the Lebanese Conservatory. Also Rev. Badr welcomed the distinguished guests, the German Ambassador to Lebanon Mr. Martin Huth, the Ambassador of the European Union Christina Lassen, The Bishop of Hanover Ralf Meister and many local Evangelical pastors and multitude of people who came to celebrate this event.
Award to Rev. Klaus Schmidt
On the occasion of the last visit of Rev. Klaus Schmidt, the retiring Chairman of the Schneller Association in Germany (EVS) and Rev. Uwe Gräbe to our church, Rev. Badr decorated Rev. Schmidt the "Medals of Service" for his 55 years of continual ministry in Germany and Lebanon on behalf of EMS, EVS and the two Schneller Schools in Bekaa and Jordan.
The EVS also is hosting General Meeting at the Church of Nikodemus in Stuttgart Botnang on Sunday 22nd of October 2017. During this event, Rev. Schmidt will be awarded the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany for his many years of commitment to Schneller work. Rev. Habib Badr will give the sermon on that occasion. (The last 2 photos are added later and taken during the 22nd celebration).
We thank the Lord for Rev. Schmidt's faithful ministry and dedication.
