Zo Presbyterian Church is chartered in the PC(USA)
A community in exile finds a new home
DECATUR, Georgia — The sanctuary at North Decatur Presbyterian Church resonated with the rhythmic pulse of traditional Zo music and voices lifted in harmonious prayer on the afternoon of Oct. 12 as an indigenous community from Myanmar’s western mountains claimed its place in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).
The Service of Constitution, conducted in multiple languages and punctuated by spirited hymns, marked a historic milestone: the chartering of the first Zo Presbyterian Church in the PC(USA). For two hours, the congregation celebrated not just the birth of a new church but also the fulfillment of a journey that began thousands of miles away and was nurtured by the hospitality of Presbyterian communities across metro Atlanta.
The Zo people, an indigenous ethnic group who fled persecution in Myanmar, have worshiped at North Decatur Presbyterian for the past two years. Before that, Memorial Drive Presbyterian and Decatur Presbyterian Church welcomed them to worship in their spaces, providing temporary homes as the community grew and discerned its call to become a chartered congregation.
The service showcased the vibrant worship style of the Zo community, with congregants dressed in traditional attire leading spirited hymns accompanied by drums and guitars. The Rev. Andy James, the stated clerk of the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta, conducted the installation of the Rev. Sarah Lane as pastor of the new congregation.
Lane is the daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Lianchinkhup Taithul, who founded the Zo Presbyterian Church before suffering a fatal car accident. Upon her father's death, Lane felt called to attend seminary, seek ordination and lead the community, becoming the first Zo woman ordained in the Presbyterian Church.
“The roots of this church reach back to Myanmar’s mountains, but its branches already stretch throughout Atlanta and are growing toward Baltimore, toward Indianapolis and toward the world,” Lane said. “Where others saw displacement, God saw dispersal — seed scattered to grow new life in unexpected soil.”
The chartering represents the culmination of years of faithful work that began with a single visit to a presbytery office. The Rev. Dr. Lindsay Armstrong, executive director of the presbytery’s New Church Development Commission, recalled that pivotal moment. “When Rev. Dr. Lianchinkhup walked into my office years ago, he carried more than a dream — he carried a people’s hope,” Armstrong said. “Today, that hope has been realized.”
Armstrong emphasized the significance of the milestone, describing it as both historic and deeply personal. “The first Zo congregation in the PC(USA) is not an ending but a beginning,” she said. “It is the Spirit saying again, ‘See, I am doing a new thing — do you not perceive it?’”
The Zo people fled Myanmar amid political persecution and civil conflict, with many settling in the United States over the past decade. The community has maintained strong ties to its cultural and religious heritage while building new lives in American cities.
For North Decatur Presbyterian, serving as host church to the Zo congregation has provided a glimpse into the early days of church planting. The Rev. Mary Anona Stoops, pastor at North Decatur Presbyterian, was preparing for her own congregation's 70th anniversary celebration when the Zo church was chartered.
“Celebrating the chartering of Zo Presbyterian Church was a profound joy and gift,” Stoops said. “It is like seeing our own story come alive again, reminding me of what it takes to begin a new church: perseverance, vision, and deep faith.”
The service included the presentation of a charter certificate, the examination of the congregation’s officers and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Congregants from across the presbytery attended to witness the historic occasion.
Armstrong described the chartering as an act of opening doors rather than closing them.
“To charter is not to finish something — it is to throw open the doors of possibility,” she said. “Zo Presbyterian Church stands as both home and horizon.”
According to Armstrong, the new congregation represents a growing trend in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), as immigrant and ethnic communities increasingly shape the denomination’s future. The PC(USA) has prioritized new church development in recent years, with particular focus on multicultural and multilingual congregations.
“This moment is historic, but it’s also profoundly personal,” Armstrong said. “The Zo people are teaching us what it means to be the Church — courageous, communal and compelled by love.”
The Zo Presbyterian Church will continue to worship at North Decatur Presbyterian while developing its ministry and exploring future possibilities for growth. Lane indicated the congregation already has connections to Zo communities in other cities, suggesting potential for expansion of Zo Presbyterian ministry beyond Atlanta.
“The story of Zo Presbyterian Church is a story of resurrection,” Armstrong said. “Out of displacement has come belonging; out of loss, new life.”
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