New fellowship formed to meet needs of Middle Eastern Christians

A new fellowship started in Presbytery de Cristo and the Synod of the Southwest of the Presbyterian Church (USA) now enables Middle Eastern Presbyterians and other Arab-speaking Christians in the area to worship in their own language and culture.

Headed by the Rev. Georges Bitar, a pastor in Lebanon for 20-plus years, the Tucson, Ariz.-based fellowship is a joint effort of the Presbyterian Church U.S.A.’s Office of Middle Eastern Ministries in the USA, the synod and presbytery.

“We learned that there are enough Arab-speaking people there to start a fellowship,” said Amgad Beblawi, the PC(USA)’s associate for Middle Eastern Ministries in the USA. The synod and presbytery “both were very interested and eager to reach out to the populations there, and they were willing to put in some resources.” [Read more]