An update on the Presbyterian churches in Iraq

As it is being well established, the bad security situation in Iraq is getting worse.  For the last two years if not more this affected the whole life of the Iraqis in general, which led to huge emigration to the neighboring countries, and even inside Iraq, mostly toward the self-ruled Kurdish area.  Christians, as part of the Iraqi population, also are being affected in many ways. Presbyterians, who are the minority of the Christian population, may be more affected; some have lost jobs, some left the country, some moved to the north (the Kurdish areas).

Baghdad
 
The Arabic-speaking church in Baghdad is trying very hard to stay open and maintain its ministry to the congregations and to the community through their medical clinic.

They have been changing the time of the Sunday and other services according to the security situation and the curfews that the government is imposing from time to time. They have changed the service from late afternoon to the early morning or early afternoon. Their curfew is 8:00 p.m. to 6: 00 a.m., and this changes from time to time. Youth groups and children's activities also have been minimized and moved to different times.

The clinic has also cut short its hours of services.

The senior pastor Ekram Mouhani is on leave with the approval of the church session. Since he is an Egyptian it was advised that it would be better if he left.  The Rev. Estawri Haroutian, the assistant, is now serving as the pastor with the help of the session and a group of volunteers who are helping to lead children's, youth and women's ministries.  It is a difficult ministry setting, but the people are committed and challenged to continue.

The Assyrian-speaking church, being located in a very unsafe area in Baghdad, has closed their building and moved to worship with the Arabic-speaking church and has merged their activities almost totally. They have been using the facilities of the Arabic-speaking church, where it is supposedly safer.

Their pastor also left Baghdad with his family — he also was threatened. Thirty percent of the total population of the two congregations have left, going either to outside Iraq or to the Kurdish areas.

The South

In the south the Church of Basra has tried to maintain its presence and ministry under the leadership of the session, with Dr. Zuhier Fathalla as the chair. With the licensed preacher (not ordained) Hani Mouner, a young, active and committed person, serving as the worship leader and caregiver to the small congregation of less then 30 families, the church has been able to continue running a nursery for the children of the church and the community.

The security situation NOW is better than in Baghdad and the Arabic-speaking north, mainly Mousel and Karkouk. Last October this was not the case. The church nursery was hit by bombs thrown at it by men.

The North

Karkouk. With Pastor Haitheam Jezrawi the church has done well, though the security was not better till recently when the talk started about making the city under the self-ruled areas of the Kurds. The church is maintaining its present ministry to its congregations. Everywhere members of the congregations have moved inside or outside Iraq. At present the total number of families is about 45.

Mousel. As most of you who have being following the news of the Presbyterian churches in Iraq are aware, in late November Elder Mounzer Al Saka, the head of the church session and the representative of the evangelical community in Mousel, was kidnapped, and in less than two weeks was killed by a radical Muslim group. Dr. Mazin Al Saka, his son, and the rest of the family was threatened and other members of the church also were asked not to hold any meetings or render any service through the clinic to the community. The church was closed and several families left Mousel to go to the safer areas of the self-ruled Kurdish governorates. At present the church is considered officially closed. The congregation is scattered in and outside Iraq.

I hope this update is helpful as Presbyterian congregations in the PC(USA) gather and pray for the Christians of Iraq and the Middle East.

Information provided by The Rev. Nuhad Tomeh
PC(USA) regional liaison for Iraq