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The Connectional Church
Jesus prayed for his followers, “that they may all be one … so that the world may believe” (John 17:21). If we, Middle Eastern Christians in the United States, are to be effective witnesses for Jesus Christ, then we have to be “one.” Unfortunately, the present reality of Middle Eastern Christians in United States is not that of unity, but fragmentation. We tend to huddle in disconnected and isolated small congregations scattered throughout the country. The result is subdued witness.
According to the Arab American Institute, about 75 percent of Middle Eastern immigrants in the United States are Christians. Yet, in the larger American society most people assume that Christians are a minority, not only in the Middle East, but also a minority among Middle Eastern Americans.
There may be several reasons for this prevailing false perception. Undoubtedly, however, one of the factors is the disconnectedness of Middle Eastern churches throughout the country, which in turn leads to inability to affect change, to proclaim the message of the Gospel, to be witnesses for Christ. The faith of Middle Eastern Christians has become a privately-held belief, rather than a proclamation (in word and deed) that is relevant to all aspects of human life and society.
The Church in God’s design is connectional — one body, with all parts joined together and working together in harmony. We cannot be the Church of Jesus Christ if we cling onto a mindset that is provincial, parochial or insular. We will not be effective witnesses if we narrowly focus on our own situation or our local settings.
It is my deep conviction that as Christian Middle Eastern immigrants throughout the United States, we need to become more intentional about fostering communion among our congregations, and take the initiative to participate in the life of the larger one body of Christ. The purpose of the stories on this page is to connect Middle Eastern Presbyterians throughout the United States and to proclaim the witness of these faithful communities of believers.
—Amgad Beblawi
Summer 2007
Learn what congregations across the United States are doing
Middle Eastern Presbyterians and Lutherans met in Los Angeles on July 14, 2007. Recognizing their many commonalities and mutual mission, both groups affirmed the need to partner in ministry. As a result, a joint conference for young adults is being planned for July 2008. Middle Eastern young adults (ages 18 to 25) from both denominations will be joining together for worship and Christian education, as well as cultural celebrations.
The Arabic Evangelical Church in Temple City, Calif., closed escrow and celebrated their successful bid in July to purchase a piece of land in Monrovia, Calif. After having to move three times in the past 12 years, the congregation felt the need to have their own facilities. The church is currently raising funds to build a new house of worship.
The Arabic Evangelical Church in Temple City also held its third annual children’s retreat. Children from three nearby Middle Eastern congregations participated in the retreat, which had attendance of 95 children and 35 leaders.
A group of 20 Middle Eastern Lutherans visited the Presbyterian Center in Louisville, Ky., last June. The group represented three Arabic-language congregations that belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The ELCA and the PC(USA) are in full communion, and the two denominations collaborate together in mission and ministry.
Mideast Evangelical Church in Jersey City, N.J., has called the Rev. Ezzat Shaker to be their new pastor. The Rev. Shaker was pastor at Madinet Nasr Evangelical Church in Cairo, Egypt, and will begin his ministry at Mideast Evangelical Church in the Fall of 2007. Elder Joseph Faragalla served the New Jersey congregation for the past four years as interim lay pastor. The church held a farewell celebration in his honor in August.
From August 13-15, 2007, three Arabic churches and two Hispanic churches — Mideast Evangelical Church PC(USA), Jersey City, N.J.; Boston Arabic Baptist Church; Arabic Methodist Church; Nueva Esperanza Presbyterian Church, Presbyterian Church (Hispanic); and Iglesia Presbyterian Methodist Church (Hispanic) — joined together for outreach and evangelism activities in Jersey City, N.J.. The five churches (which represented three denominations) were also joined by a few young adults from two Southern California PC(USA) congregations — Arabic Church of Temple City and Mideast Evangelical Church — to participate in the Jersey City outreach.
The Arabic Fellowship in South Jersey has joined First Presbyterian Church in Moorestown, N.J. Arabic-language worship services will be on Sundays, and their visiting pastor, the Rev. Moris Yousef, has been appointed as missionary in residence at First Presbyterian Church. The fellowship serves south New Jersey and Philadelphia area.
The Christian Arabic Church in Richmond, Va., planned a leadership training seminar for Sunday school teachers during the month of August. The Rev. Abdelmeseh Tadros, director of Christian Education in the Synod of the Nile, Egypt, was invited to conduct the training. The Richmond congregation invited other Arabic churches to send their Sunday school teachers to participate in the training event.
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