A new Seventh-day Adventist Church has been opened in the city of Mosul, 400 kilometers (250 miles) north of Baghdad. The dedication service, witnessed by 100 members and visitors from neighboring towns, took place Nov. 1. The opening of the new church is being regarded as a “bold move,” considering the continued lawlessness in the area, coupled with a degree of ambiguity about what the future holds for all religious minorities in Iraq, according to local church leaders in Iraq.

About 40 members from the Baghdad Church made the five-hour journey by bus to Mosul so they could share the joy of the small group of Adventists there. According to Muneer Abdel Masih, an elder in the Baghdad Church, the members were somewhat concerned about one stretch of the journey.

“The area between Samara and Tikrit, the birthplace of [former Iraqi leader] Saddam Hussein, concerned us because it is still a volatile region. But we prayed for safe passage before leaving Baghdad and [we] thank God our journey was smooth and uneventful,” Masih said

Hannah Katrib, one of the Baghdad church members who made the long trip, said, “We had a special service in which we felt the presence of the Lord through songs of praise led by the youth, which was followed by a report detailing the history of the church in Mosul. At the close of the sermon [there was] a solemn prayer of dedication by Ghanem Fargo [former secretary-treasurer of the church], and then a wonderful potluck lunch.”

Mosul is considered the cradle of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Iraq. The first church in that country was established in March of 1923 after missionary W.K. Ising baptized seven people. In 1931 a church school was opened.

Later, most of the membership moved to Baghdad following civil conflict in the area. Recently church leaders decided to buy and convert a new house, with improved facilities, in a more modern part of Mosul. The building also incorporates a modest residence for the pastor. The church is located a few hundred meters from the wall of the ancient city of Nineveh, close to the palace of the Assyrian king, Ashur Panipal. According to Muslim tradition, the tomb of Nabi Younes, the biblical prophet Jonah, is about two kilometers away.

Iraqi Adventist church leaders want to open more churches in the area as opportunities arise. Basim Fargo, current secretary-treasurer of the church there, said, “In the spirit of opening new churches in Iraq we were motivated to go up north to the city of Unhuq to visit a property where we could establish a new church plant in the city.”

The Seventh-day Adventist Church has been present in Iraq for 80 years. Some 400 people worship weekly in four congregations in the country.