In historic event, Michigan Legislature Declares October 18 as “American Middle East Christian Day.”

  • Written by:

For the first time in the history of Michigan and the United States, a bipartisan resolution recognizing and declaring October 18 every year as American Middle East Christian Day.
In addition, in the history of the Michigan Legislature, two Middle East Christian church leaders offered the Lord’s Prayer in the native language of Aramaic (Lord Jesus Christ’s language) and in English.

The Michigan House of Representatives hosted a luncheon and meeting with the American Middle East Christian delegation, church leadership, and members of the community at large. The delegation was invited to the House floor by Hon. State Representative Jim Runestad. They were introduced to the Legislature at large.

This is an historic event in the United States of America for the American Middle East Christians. Hopefully this will extend to the other states and Congress in Washington, D.C.

The American Middle East Christians Congress initiated this project with Hon. Jim Runestad and others.

Dr. Ramsay F. Dass, MD
President, American Middle East Christians Congress (AMECC)
AMECC is Organization in Special Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council since 2016
www.middleeastchristian.org / www.amecc.us
24601 Coolidge Highway
Oak Park, MI 48237
Office: (248) 546-9100

P.S. You may visit our re-edited and revised Fifth Edition of our book, The Middle East Christians: The Untold Story, at www.middleeastchristian.org or www.amecc.us

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Oct. 19, 2017

Legislators meet church leaders; declare October 18 as American Middle East Christian Day
Resolution naming October 18 as American Middle East Christian Day in Michigan passes in State House

The House of Representatives approved a bipartisan resolution offered by state Reps. Jim Runestad and Klint Kesto declaring October 18 as American Middle East Christian Day in the state of Michigan on Wednesday.
The resolution was prepared in coordination with the American Middle East Christian Congress which hosted a luncheon and presentation for members of the Legislature at the Capitol.
“On Sept. 11, 2001 the American Middle East Christians Congress was created at the request of many church and community leaders with the goal of protecting and educating community members and promoting and understanding of our origin, culture, and societal and economic impact in the United States,” said Dr. Ramsay Dass, president of the American Middle East Christian Congress.
The event brought together church leaders of communities in Michigan including Arab Christians, Armenians, Assyrians, Chaldeans, Coptics, Maronites, Phoenicians and Syriacs with their state representatives and senators.
“There are over six million Middle East Christians across the United States with half of a million living here in Michigan,” stated Rep. Runestad, who hosted the event with Rep. Kesto.
The American Middle East Christian Congress and Rep. Runestad also invited the Very Reverend Father Mina Essak, of the Coptic Church in Troy and Very Reverend Father Edward Hanna, retired reverend of Saints Peters and Paul Syriac Orthodox Church, to give the invocation at the commencement of House session. The prayer offered was quoted from The Lord’s Prayer in both English and Aramaic. This is a New Testament text and was originally spoken and written in Aramaic, the predominant language of the time and region.

###