The Situation

The Presbyterian Church of Aleppo, Syria, pastored by the Rev Ibrahim Nseir, was organized in 1853. During its history, this little flock witnessed to Christ through its schools and diaconal ministries. In 2012, the sanctuary of the church was destroyed by radical Islamist groups in two consecutive explosions.

After Aleppo was liberated and relative peace returned, a new sanctuary was constructed in another part of the city. But the church’s original site is in the historic center of the Old City and the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon resolved to revive its presence and ministry on the destroyed land with a new vision: the Aleppo Christian Center.

The Center will be a place for theological training in the Arabic language, ecumenical conferences, and religious dialogue. With both smaller meeting rooms and a large assembly hall, along with modest bedrooms on another floor for extended stays, the Center seeks to be a sign of resurrecting to a new life and ministry in Aleppo and beyond. Christians in Syria will be empowered to stay in their homeland and to continue being the hands and feet of Christ.

The Opportunity

From the Rev Joseph Kassab, General Secretary of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL):

The Syrian war destroyed much of the infrastructure of the state and society. The violence between the different parties killed hundreds of thousands of people from all backgrounds. Many Islamist militias, like ISIS and the Nusra Front, threatened to turn Syria into a religious caliphate. This threat made the Christian community very vulnerable.

Aleppo, where the NESSL has a lively congregation, experienced a big share of the destruction and damage. Our church building in the old city of Aleppo was destroyed in 2012 by two consecutive explosions. With the support of partners, NESSL moved worship activities to a new steel-structure sanctuary built on a plot of land previously owned by NESSL in the safer Christian sector of Aleppo.

After Aleppo was liberated from all Islamist fighters, and relative peace prevailed, Christians started to renovate and rebuild their churches in the old city of Aleppo. However, our building needed more than renovation since it was completely destroyed. Rebuilding became a must to preserve our presence in the area. It was in this context that the vision for the Aleppo Christian Center was formed.

Christian spirituality is not defined by the fact that Christians experience persecution, but, rather, the way in which they endure it and choose to respond to it. This is the story of this first Presbyterian church organized in Syria in 1853 in Aleppo. This congregation received Christians fleeing what is now Turkey during the Ottoman massacres in 1915. Since then, the witness of this church has never faded.

We believe that the Aleppo Christian Center will help strengthen the witness of the Church in Syria: training our Presbyterian leaders in the telling of the Good News, reconciling people of all faiths to find common ground for peaceful dialogue while encouraging Christians from all “families” to work together for the healing of the nation.

The Need

The Underground Floor will comprise parking, kitchen, generator room, and other utility rooms.

The Main Floor, where the entrance is located, will house an office, dining room, chapel, large conference hall, and four meeting rooms which could be used for classes. There is also an open-air terrace on this floor.

The first floor will accommodate 32 people for extended stays: 13 double rooms, 2 singles, and a small suite for 4.

$265,000 is still needed to complete the main floor construction and an additional $498,000 for the first floor.

An Invitation

Our Presbyterian family in Syria has persevered through almost nine years of war. Throughout it all, they continued to worship joyfully, serve faithfully, and witness boldly. They have modeled for us, the Church which Paul wrote about in Romans 5: We rejoice in our suffering because suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; character, hope; and hope does not disappoint us….

Your gifts for the Aleppo Christian Center will both encourage them and help equip them for the ministries to which Christ has called them, even in such a difficult place.