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Sierra Mission Partnership
California
The members of St. John’s Assyrian Church celebrate their new pastor, the Rev. Photo by Edward Eissebake.
Being a refugee and its outcomes — which may include loss of home, identity, family, career, and ancestral roots, along with the failures and challenges of life in a new country — cause spiritual crises for many. The spiritual needs of refugees are often threatened and unmet. These include safety and security, trust, happiness, healthy judgment, values, hope, faith, self-respect, and purpose of life. An environment of suffering, culture shock, and victimization may leave people feeling like failures and rob them of their ability to make long-term decisions in their new lives. The fulfillment of their spiritual needs, however, leads to restoration of a sense of purpose for their lives and results in the tendency to care about and to help others.
Many refugees in the Middle East are struggling to survive in impoverished urban areas in Amman, Damascus, Beirut, and Cairo. Some are not allowed to work legally in these places so they have no way to provide for their families. Sometimes the pressures lead to domestic violence. Moreover, few children may have access to schooling. An estimated 100,000 Assyrian Iraqis (also known as Chaldeans and Syriacs) now live in Jordan. The U.S. pledged to resettle up to 12,000 Iraqi refugees in 2008.
St. John’s Assyrian Presbyterian Church in Turlock, under the leadership of the Rev. Edward Eissebake, is committed to welcoming, praying for, assisting, and doing mission among refugees from the Middle East. When they arrive, their needs often are overwhelming. Yet God has called the congregation to this mission and with God’s help these Presbyterians seek to be faithful in their response.
Stockton Presbytery’s 22 churches serve 3,836 Presbyterians.
Presbytery Staff
Elder Mary Pribyl, stated clerk
Sierra Mission Partnership Staff
The Rev. Jerry Hurst, interim associate for congregational support
The Rev. Jay P. Olson, associate for mission support
The Rev. Jeri Viera Dahlke, director of educational ministries
Elder Pat Strand, administrative associate
Francis P. McHugh, full-charge bookkeeper
Barbara Rohrs, administrative assistant
PC(USA) General Assembly Staff
Dianna Ott, GAMC
Anthony Paladino, BOP
Debbie Paris, GAMC
Merciful God, help the church to truly welcome Assyrian newcomers into our communities as our brothers and sisters. Grant the churches what they need to provide for their neighbors’ spiritual and material well-being so that together they might fulfill the mission to which you have called them. Amen.
Ps. 42, 146 Ps. 102, 133
1 Kings 16:23–34
Phil. 1:12–30; Mark 16:1–8 (9–20)
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