Student Spotlight Feature

“By plane, not by whale” – The Rev. Jonah Salim

by Emily Enders Odom
Associate, Mission Communications
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

The Rev. Jonah Salim, the first Iraqi pastor to transfer into the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), is the newest member of the Presbytery of Lake Huron. Photo courtesy of the First Presbyterian Church, Bay City, Mich.

Bay City, Mich., February 2009 – Just like his Biblical namesake, the Rev. Jonah Salim was called to preach, to teach, and — not incidentally — to travel.

Born in Nineveh in 1975 – the same city to which the Biblical prophet was delivered by whale — and raised in extreme poverty in war-torn northern Iraq, Salim never gave up on his dream to become educated. “It has been my vision for a long time,” he said.

After completing his college degree in business administration in Iraq, Salim received a full scholarship to study at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Cairo, Egypt. (See a related article by the Presbyterian News Service.)  Now living and working here as the first Iraqi pastor to have a transfer of record to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Salim’s educational vision has once again been allowed to flourish thanks to a generous grant through the PC(USA)’s Financial Aid for Studies Office.

Strongly called to further study yet finding himself lacking the financial resources to pursue a doctoral degree, Salim had initially approached the Presbytery of Lake Huron for help. Able to assist him with only a small grant, his presbytery liaison recommended that he seek financial aid through the Continuing Education Grant program of the General Assembly Mission Council , which primarily serves pastors of small PC(USA) congregations in the first three years of a D.Min. program.

“I had found the perfect course of study that related to my peacemaking ministry, ‘Building Beloved Community’ at McCormick Seminary, but could not afford the tuition,” Salim said. “The Lord was truly working through our PC(USA) national offices to produce this miracle for me. I believe that when the Lord calls you to do something, He opens doors.”

Salim found a faithful advisor in Laura Bryan, associate for Financial Aid for Studies, who not only helped him with the questions required to complete and process his application, but was also able to locate additional financial resources for which he qualified as a new immigrant.

“Because Jonah is newly here in the U.S., we were able to supplement his Continuing Education award with a grant from a restricted fund for new immigrants, which supports student grant recipients across a variety of our financial programs,” Bryan said. “We actually have a second Continuing Education student this year at McCormick, who is also being sponsored by new immigrant funding.”

In fact, Salim described McCormick as being especially hospitable to new immigrants and international students because of its unique history. He sees this as being an integral component in shaping his future as a minister and educator.

“In every class as I get to know new ministers, their problems, challenges, and joys, it helps me to realize how I can transform my own ministry and learn new ways to solve problems in my life,” said Salim. “When you add to that the presence of so many different ethnicities at McCormick, it allows us as ministers to teach our churches about other people. In every church there are people who have not been exposed to these ethnicities.”

Salim, who has spoken extensively across the country on topics such as Iraq’s rich Christian heritage, interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims, and the problem of terrorism, says that God has called him to teach. “Education helps us not only to educate ourselves but others,” he said. “When we get educated, it reflects positively on the church as we educate others. I see and am inspired by the reactions of people when I teach and I speak.”

In his role as missionary in peacemaking at the First Presbyterian Church of Bay City, he has ample opportunity to fulfill his call to teach, provide pastoral care, preaching and lead worship, all while regularly making the six-hour drive to Chicago toward his long-term goal of attaining his degree and teaching at the seminary level.

“This Jonah came to the U.S. by plane, not by whale,” Salim said. “God called me here to teach and to link people with the whole world.”

Financial Aid for Studies is supported entirely by endowments and repayment of student loans. There are approximately 320 named gifts supporting grants, scholarships and loans. Gifts to the Extra Commitment Opportunity for Continuing Education may be made on-line.

The Continuing Education grant application is available now. Grants for D.Min. students are renewable in the first three years of the program.