Outreach in Syria and Lebanon
by Rev. Tim McCalmont
Over the past ten years, I have been involved in the leadership of the Syria Lebanon Partnership Network (SLPN) working with the churches and pastors of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL). In addition to our trips to the region and relief support efforts through our partnerships, we have also met annually as a network in various places to assess our work and to set new goals for the coming year.
This year our gathering took place September 16-19 in Atlanta, Georgia where we took advantage of the Carter Center and their international resources. We had conversations over ZOOM with our partners, both here in the US and those in the Middle East and shared in worship and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper together as well.
During our internet conversations we heard from Amir Bitar, the Executive Director of the Compassion Protestant Society (CPS), the diaconal arm of NESSL, about the effectiveness of their work in providing hands-on, practical relief to the many displaced people and refugees who are still impacted by the violence and injustices happening in both countries. This work has taken on a new urgency since the Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023, stirring more fighting that now threatens Lebanon and many of our churches throughout the country. CPS focuses on three essential areas: humanitarian aid, development, and peace-building, a ministry that serves all people regardless of faith or ethnic background.
CPS has also taken over the management of the Synod’s four educational centers for children. These centers serve elementary age children in the Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon and are hoping to expand their offerings to include services for mothers and Lebanese children.
We were able to link together over Zoom several covenant prayer partners who have built relationships through email communication, learning about each other, their ministries and committing to pray for each other on a regular basis. Jonas Hayes from Grace First Presbyterian in PLR has been working in such a partnership with Georg Mroud of the Al Rabiya Church in Lebanon for the past year. Jonas has even visited the Al Rabiya congregation and preached in one of their worship services. Others of our pastors from Southern California are in such partnerships including Steve Wright and John McKeague.
Also joining us was Dr. Martin Accad, the new president of the Near East School of Theology (NEST), among the premiere theological schools in all of the Middle East, based in Beirut. They have been one of our partners over these years as well. Many of you remember Dr. Kenneth Bailey, noted professor/author who taught at NEST. The school includes Presbyterians, Lutherans, Armenians, and Anglicans and has produced alumni who have taken up roles in pastoring and instructing all of our churches in the NESSL. Since our gathering, NEST has moved into “emergency mode” as it looks for ways to provide for the many displaced people in and around Beirut.
We had with us Elmarie Parker, our Mission Co-worker in the region, whom many of you remember from her visits to Los Ranchos churches and presbytery meetings. Elmarie has been serving in her role for the past eleven years.
During our time in Atlanta, we had lengthy discussions with representatives from the Carter Center around the topic of removing economic sanctions from the Western countries that are deeply impacting the health of the people and churches in both Syria and Lebanon. Our network has been involved in these efforts for several years, as has the Carter Center. Our conversations involved how we might join together in efforts with more of an emphasis on education to make more of an impact in Washington and in the Middle East.
The highlight for many of us was taking time in prayer together for each of the NESSL churches and their pastors by name. With a map to help us locate each church, we prayed for their needs and for the leading of the Holy Spirit in this difficult time.
I would ask you to join me and the entire SLPN network in praying for our brothers and sisters in this historic region. I have appreciated representing Los Ranchos in this work and look forward to speaking with any of you who would like to learn more and help us to stir interest throughout our presbytery.
And read more about the presbytery’s partnership with SLPN here