Middle East and Europe

The Middle East is a region that has been of prayerful concern for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) for more than a century and a half. Over the years, educators, theological teachers, medical teams, rural health workers, agricultural experts, engineers and other specialists have been sent as missionaries by the Presbyterian Church to Syria, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Palestine, Israel, Iran, Iraq, other Gulf States and Afghanistan. In the 1800s Presbyterians are credited with the establishment of distinguished educational and health institutions in the region.

Today our church’s mission commitment is carried out through partnership with churches, church institutions, ecumenical bodies, Christian development agencies and health care programs, seeking to make known the love and compassion of Jesus Christ, and with nongovernmental organizations committed to promoting justice, peace, interfaith understanding and cooperation, stewardship of the environment, human and civil rights, religious liberty and the improvement of the quality of life.

The churches in each part of Europe face their own special challenges, especially in an ever-changing political reality, which include the war in Ukraine, a new race to armaments and the rise of extreme right-wing nationalism.

In central and eastern Europe, we work with churches, seminaries, and diaconal ministries of all kinds. Many of our partners have welcomed and worked with Ukrainian refugees fleeing the invasion and the war. We have worked with other European partners in addressing this crisis. Other partners work with refugees from Africa and West Asia, especially those traveling on the Balkan route. Some promote justice for LGBTQIA+ people. We often engage and visit our historical reformed partners in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland and we support their efforts together with other PC(USA) ministries, such as Presbyterian Disaster Assistance.

Check back here for partner country pages in early 2026. For more information on mission networks, Global Ecumenical Liaisons, and upcoming events, see below.