wfn.org | Palestinian pastor is third moderator candidate

[PCUSA NEWS <PCUSA.NEWS@ecunet.org>]

Note #7063 from PCUSA NEWS to PRESBYNEWS:

25-February-2002
02074

Palestinian pastor is third moderator candidate

Greater Atlanta Presbytery endorses the Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel

by Jerry L. Van Marter

LOUISVILLE - Greater Atlanta Presbytery has made the Rev. Fahed Abu-Akel, mission pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, the third candidate for moderator of the upcoming 214th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).

With the presbytery's unanimous vote, Abu-Akel, a U.S. citizen born in Kuffer Yassif, Galilee, Israel, joins the Rev. Laird Stuart of San Francisco Presbytery and the Rev. Jerry Tankersley of Los Ranchos Presbytery as announced candidates for the Assembly's top elected office. The election will take place on June 15 in Columbus, OH.

The son of Christian Palestinian-Arab parents, Abu-Akel has devoted his life and work to a ministry of hospitality. He founded and is executive director of the Atlanta Ministry with International Students, an ecumenical organization of Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists and Episcopalians that provides hospitality in Atlanta to more than 5,000 college students from more than 140 countries. 

He also is director of the National Christmas International House Program, which provides homes during the holidays for more than 250 international students in 32 cities nationwide.

Abu-Akel graduated from Southeastern College in Lakeland, FL, and Columbia Theological Seminary and has a D.Min. from McCormick Theological Seminary. He was ordained by Greater Atlanta Presbytery. During his 20-year affiliation with First Church, he has led the congregation to involvement in mission partnerships in many countries around the world.

At the denominational level, Abu-Akel was a commissioner to the 1986 General Assembly and helped found the PC(USA)'s Middle Eastern Caucus. He also served for three years on the  Initiative Team on Racism and Racial Violence that produced Facing Racism: A Vision of the Beloved Community, a document approved by the 1999 General Assembly.)

Abu-Akel also has been active in interfaith relations, teaching world religion at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, which includes the PC(USA)'s Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary. He has served on a variety of local, regional and national boards addressing interfaith relations, including the Interfaith Advisory Task Force of the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
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