A story from our Pacifica Synod
Wandering around El Cajon, Calif., you will be amazed that the common language is not English or Spanish but Arabic. The city’s immigrants and refugees are Muslim, Orthodox Catholic and even Lutheran. With such a rich cultural community, it seemed only natural to plant a new church to meet the need for Christian faith formation, so Bethlehem Arabic Lutheran Church was born this year.
El Cajon has a population of just over 100,000 and seemed a natural location to start an Arabic church, with over 30% refugees and immigrants, and numerous Arab families from Syria, Palestine, Iraq and various other Middle Eastern countries. Many residents come from a history of trauma, fleeing war and persecution, coming from refugee camps, seeking a new opportunity but often living below the poverty line. Bethlehem Arabic seeks to welcome and serve all Arabic-speaking people — regardless of nationality or denomination — with the love of Christ. That is where Bethlehem Arabic is vital: for offering support and encouragement while building resources and systems that strive for justice and belonging.
This church is happening through a deep trust in God. Its pastor, the Rev. Adham Alaraj, comes from Bethlehem — that’s right, the Bethlehem where Christ was born. A Palestinian Christian who started attending prayer houses, he was nudged by leaders to attend Bethlehem Bible College and intern in Dubai, and eventually was drawn to the United States. While in Chicago, he connected with other Palestinian pastors, especially the Rev. Khadar El-Yateem, ELCA executive director for Service and Justice, who was eager to start and support a second Arabic-speaking Lutheran church. Pastor Adham seemed to have found his way to Chicago through the Spirit and was called to serve in this new ministry.