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A symposium titled "The Church and Development Issues - Building Bridges" was held at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo on Saturday, June 24, 2023. The symposium was organized by the College's Church and Society Center. Dr. Hani Hanna, Dean of the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, participated in the symposium. The meeting opened with a prayer from Rev. Eid Salah, Pastor of the Ain Shams Evangelical Church and researcher in Arab Christian heritage..

The symposium included two sessions in which Dr. Q. Sherif Salah, Executive Director of the Center, presented the Center’s mission and objectives. Dr. Q. Rady Atallah, President of the Evangelical Synod of the Nile, also presented a presentation in which he shed light on the role of the Evangelical Church in serving the community. Ms. Evelyn Boutros, Program Development Consultant at the Bishopric of Social and Ecumenical Services, participated on behalf of His Grace Bishop Julius, Bishop of Social and Public Services and Churches East of the Railway and Old Cairo. Her speech reviewed models of development programs implemented by the bishopric in cooperation with international and governmental institutions. She also presented the challenges facing development work in Egypt and proposed ways for ecumenical community work..

Dr. Magdy Latif El-Sindy, Dean of the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development, also participated in the symposium. In his speech, "How do we write a unified ecumenical community action charter?" he addressed the gaps currently existing in development work (between theory and practice, between goals, capabilities, and means, between words and deeds, between limited projects and national programs, and the gap between sectarian and ecumenical work). All of these gaps require bridges for joint action to be bridged. Dr. Magdy Latif then presented the principles of the charter's work, which are: respect for independence and doctrinal differences, the principle of the specificity of diversity, the principle of continuous communication, the principle of complementarity rather than competition, the principle of transparency and credibility, the principle of keenness on openness, clarity of purpose before commencing joint field work, the formulation of a framework for the partnership protocol, the distribution of roles and responsibilities to activate accountability, and the principle of managing the success of the partnership. He also outlined the steps for establishing the charter, which are: communication, convergence for understanding, cooperation to build progress and coordinate efforts, integration in organized work that is geographically and sectorally specific, etc. The various areas of cooperation could include: research and studies, conferences and seminars, joint celebrations, adopting common Christian positions on social/humanitarian issues, jointly designing pioneering development programs, and implementing joint community activities or projects. To address the challenges of ecumenical work, the Dean of the Institute concluded his speech by recommending the importance of providing a platform for initiating institutional ecumenical community work and establishing a database of church bodies working in the field of social and development services..

During the session, Ms. Margaret Saroufim, Head of the Development Sector at the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services, delivered a speech in which she explained that civil society is an effective partner in achieving sustainable development. She provided an example of the history of development work in Egypt, the role of the organization, and the support of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for training and capacity-building of human cadres through the economic and social axis and the health sector, as well as awareness-raising through participation in the initiatives launched by His Excellency. At the conclusion of the symposium, Dr. Hanaa Gad, Senior Researcher and Supervisor of the Research Unit at the Center for Church and Society, presented the center's future plans, calling for partnership and support. She explained that the center seeks, through its strategy, to form an entity to initiate joint ecumenical community work, in partnership with supporting organizations by holding get-to-know-you meetings and organizing workshops to work together; to implement integrated development programs, to fulfill the mission of the college and the center in serving the church and society, and to connect theology with life..

For more details and photos : Click Here

The Institute conducted a refresher training course at the Institute’s headquarters on “Strategic Thinking Skills for the Christian Leader” for a group of priests. (20) priests from the Central Alexandria Sector participated in the training program.

This course comes within the framework of the "Developing Management and Leadership Skills" program, which was launched in early 2021 and concluded in 2022. The program was supervised by Father Ibrahim Emil, the Patriarchate's representative in Alexandria. The program was designed and presented by a group of elite professors from the institute, including: Dr. Ashraf Farouk, Ms. Mona El-Manqabadi, and under the leadership of the dean of the institute, Prof. Dr. Magdy Latif.

On Sunday, May 7, 2023, corresponding to Baramoudah 29, 1739 A.M., the activities of the second intensive training course in church management and institutional development of the service ended. The course was presented in Seattle, USA, under the supervision of Father Anthony Baqi, the representative of the Papal Headquarters in Northern California..

The training is provided by a number of professors from the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development. (COPTICAD)The course is attended by two groups of priests, church council leaders, and servants (20 trainees). This is the second course offered outside Egypt in the United States of America, and is presented in both Arabic and English. It is an implementation of the recommendations of the Holy Synod's eighth seminar in November 2021..

An intensive training course in church management and institutional development for ministry began at the end of April 2023 in churches in the Northern California sector, the West Coast of the United States, and its affiliates, under the supervision of Father Anthony Baqi, the representative of the Papal Headquarters in Northern California.

The training is being delivered by a number of professors from the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development (COPTICAD), with the participation of two groups of priests, church council leaders, and ministers from the San Francisco area (30 trainees). The training continues at the papal headquarters in San Francisco and is being offered in both Arabic and English.

This course is the first of its kind in the dioceses abroad, and comes in implementation of the recommendations of the Holy Synod's eighth seminar in November 2021.

His Holiness Pope Tawadros II delivered an opening speech online, which can be viewed by clicking here. here

For more pictures: See the official page of the Coptic Orthodox Church Media Center

Under the patronage of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and under the supervision of His Grace the Great Bishop Bishop Hilarion, Bishop of the Red Sea Diocese, The activities of the basic training course in “Church Management and Development” for 50 priests and service secretaries of the Red Sea Diocese concluded during the period from March 15, 2023, corresponding to Baramhat 6, 1739 A.M., until March 19, 2023, corresponding to Baramhat 10, 1739 A.M.

The training course activities included 16 training sessions, and this course aimed to train the participants .I have the principles and methods of church management, wise management, and institutional work in church service. This is achieved through interactive training and workshops in which groups of trainees participate.

The training was conducted by a number of the institute’s employees with experience in various administrative fields, under the leadership of the Dean of the Institute, Dr. Magdy Latif Al-Sindi.. In the closing session, the trainees agreed on the topics of the practical programmes that they will implement upon returning to their churches to develop the service.. 

 It is worth noting that this is the eighth regional training course presented by the institute to the dioceses, as it was preceded by similar courses for the dioceses of Upper Egypt.  These courses come in response to the recommendations of the eighth seminar of the Holy Synod in November 2021.

Under the patronage of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, the basic training course in “Church Management and Development” began on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, corresponding to Baramhat 13, 1739 A.M. The course was presented to 25 new priests during the forty-day period following their ordination. The course was held at the Logos Center at the papal headquarters in the Monastery of Anba Bishoy in Wadi El Natrun. 

The training will be delivered by professors from the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development, from March 22 to 27, 2023. The training covers practical concepts and methods in church management and institutional work in the church, the pillars of wise management (good management or governance in the church), the principles of development from a Christian perspective, and the role of the priest in managing the church as an institutional work system.  

It is worth noting that this introductory training for priests in church administration is the seventh since it was established by His Holiness Pope Tawadros II. It was implemented with five groups of priests who were ordained by His Holiness the Pope since 2018. This training also implements one of the recommendations of the Holy Synod's eighth seminar on church administration and development, held in November 2021.

 For more details: Click Here

On Thursday, March 9, 2023, corresponding to Amshir 30, 1739 A.M., His Holiness Pope Tawadros II received representatives of the development partners in the Coptic Orthodox Church, in the presence of His Grace Bishop Julius, General Bishop of Old Cairo and the Bishopric of Social Services and Integrated Care, Father Bishoy Charles, Head of the Papal Office for Social Welfare, Father Raphael Tharwat, Deputy Bishop of Public Services, and officials of the bodies working in the field of community development in the Church, namely: the Bishopric of Public and Social Services, the Shepherd and Mother of Light Service, the Papal Office for Social Welfare, the Papal Office for Projects, the Anba Abraam Service at St. Mark’s Church in Cleopatra, the Anba Abraam Service in Canada, the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development, and the Coptic Orphans Service.  Coptic Orphans

The meeting included a presentation on the committee's activities and efforts over the past period, especially the database of development work in the dioceses. It also included a presentation on the experience of training and establishing a development office in one of the diocese. The Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development designed and implemented interactive training programs for 25 members of the development office (6 priests and 19 male and female servants) with the aim of building methodological, theoretical and practical capacities, while also providing technical support. His Holiness the Pope also led an open discussion on the future plan for the committee's work, especially in light of the Coptic Orthodox Church's accession to the National Alliance for Civil Development Work and its support for the state's efforts to meet the needs of the poorest and provide a decent life for all Egyptians in the coming period..

Quoted from: Official spokesman for the Coptic Orthodox Church

On Wednesday, February 15, 2023, corresponding to Amshir 8, 1739 AH, the regional training course activities began in ““Ecclesiastical Management” organized by the Coptic Institute for Ecclesiastical Management and Development  (COPTICAD) To the monastic community of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Al-Muharraq, Assiut, and to a number of priests in the Diocese of Manfalut, which is held under the patronage of His Grace Bishop Bigol, Bishop and Abbot of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary in Al-Muharraq, and His Grace Bishop Theophilus, Bishop of Manfalut and its dependencies..

  The course, which is scheduled to continue until next Sunday, February 19, 2023, will be attended by approximately 40 priests and monks from the Muharraq Monastery, the churches of the village of Rizqa al-Deir, affiliated with the monastery, and the Diocese of Manfalut. The training course will be held at the Holy Family Cultural Center at the Muharraq Monastery..  

His Grace Bishop Bigol, the head of the monastery, kindly opened the course, which aims to train participants on the principles and methods of church management, wise management, institutional work, and the development approach in church service, through interactive training and workshops in which groups of trainees participate..

The training is being conducted by a team from the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development, led by the Dean of the Institute, Dr. Magdy Latif Al-Sindi.. وIt is worth noting that this is the first training course offered by the institute to the monastic community of one of our thriving monasteries in 2023. It is also the sixth regional course offered by the institute since 2022 to the dioceses of northern Upper Egypt in Assiut, the Delta region in Ebiar in the Diocese of Tanta, and the dioceses of Upper Egypt.. وThese courses come in response to the recommendations of the eighth seminar of the Holy Synod, which was held in November 2021..

 To watch the speech of His Grace Bishop Bigol, Head of the Monastery of the Virgin Mary (Muharraq), and COC Channel’s coverage of the session’s activities: Click here

At the kind invitation of His Grace Bishop Bafnouti, Bishop of Samalut - Minya, Dr. Magdy Latif, Dean of the Coptic Institute for Church Management and Development, gave a speech on... Saturday, February 4, 2023 AD, corresponding to Tubah 28, 1739 A.M. A lecture on “The Method of Christ in Managing the Service.” This lecture comes as part of the monthly meeting of His Grace Bishop Bafnouti with his priestly sons in the diocese.

Dr. Magdy Latif spoke about:

• Christ's approach to managing the ministry.
• The disciples' approach to managing the early church.
• Jesus Christ's approach to leadership.

The lectures were well received by parents for the discussion they generated, as well as the valuable and useful information they provided to the service..

Quoted from The official page of the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of Samalut