The Leaf-Chronicle

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6. CLARKSVILLE,Tenn.CLARKSVILLE,Tenn.CLARKSVILLE,Tenn.CLARKSVILLE,Tenn. — What started out asa leisurely Saturday
afternoon at BethelCumberland Presbyterian Church in Sango for
PastorStewart Salyerendedwith an opportunity to demonstratethe
ecumenical spirit that Christian denominationsspeak of so often.For
Salyer,though,thiswouldnot besomethingto talk about.Itwould be
somethingthat could bedone.
A youngman withhiswifeand child spotted Salyer in thechurch
parkinglot and pulled in to speak with him.Theman,Matthew
Japheth,inquired about thepossibility of holdingChristianworship
services at Bethel oncea month on a Saturday morning.
From that conversation cameseveral moreconversations,including
Saylertalkingwith thechurch Session members.Sharingachurch
facility with anothercongregation isdoneall thetimeacrossAmerica,
even when thecongregationsarefrom differingtraditions.But this
wasgoingto bedifferent.
CopticChristiansCopticChristiansCopticChristiansCopticChristians
On Saturday,July5,St.Mary CopticOrthodox Churchheld itsfirst
monthly worship serviceat Bethel.CopticChristiansareamongthe
earliest Christiansto form afterthedeath of JesusChrist.
Thefaith tradition tracesitsrootsto theyearsbetween 42 and 62A.D.
It wastheApostleSt.Mark who founded CopticChristianity after
goingto Egypt followingthedeath of Christ.Copticmeans"Egypt."The

7. namehassurvived and isno different thanusingthewordsAmerican
ChristiansorFrenchChristians.
Copts,asthey arereferred to,arenot part of Roman Catholicism.They
split from Romein 325A.D.,longbeforethesplit that created the
Greek orEastern Orthodox Church in 1054.Thetradition precedes the
foundingof Islam in632.
'FatherJohn''FatherJohn''FatherJohn''FatherJohn'
TheRev.YouhannaGhebraniousserves aspastorof St.Mary Coptic
Orthodox Church,which isbased in Nashville.Therearesix Coptic
congregationsin Nashville.Adel Salama serves astheClarksville
contact.
Ghebranious,affectionately called FatherJohn,explained,"Thereare
between 12,000 and 15,000 CopticChristiansin Nashville.The
greatest numberofCoptsarein Egypt,whereweare 10 percent of the
total population of 85 million.Wearea distinct minority,andwe
continueto besubjected toviolent persecution anddiscrimination.
"Wehave11 familiesin ourcongregation that addup to 55 members.
Havinga monthly worship servicein Clarksvilleis somethingwehave
talked about forsometime.Becauseof PastorStewart andhis
congregation,wenow havea homeherewherewecan worship."
Copticworship andtraditionsCopticworship andtraditionsCopticworship andtraditionsCopticworship andtraditions
To a casual observer,a CopticChristianworship serviceissimilarto an
Eastern Orthodox service.Thepriest wearsvestments,thereisincense

8. used and Holy Communion iscentral totheservice. Egyptian isthe
languageused.All but onememberof thecongregation areEgyptian.
Theothermemberisfrom Eritrea.
FatherJohn wantsto educatepeopleto Coptictraditions."Weare
followersof JesusChrist.HeisourLord and Saviorand providesus
with everythingweneed.Ourstyleofworship reflectsourcultureand
traditions,"hestated.
"Coptsaretheforgotten part of theChristian story.Yet ourfounder
wasoneof theoriginal 12 apostles.Monastictraditionsbegan inEgypt
with St.Anthony and,from there,spread throughout theMiddleEast
and into Europe."
PersecutionPersecutionPersecutionPersecution
Amongchurch leadersand media representatives,it isgenerally
agreed that today theCopticChristiansarethemost persecuted
Christianson earth.
"In Egypt,weareblamed foreverything.TheMuslim Brotherhood
blamestheCoptsfortheoverthrow of former-President Morsi.We
havelived in harmony with ArabsandMuslimsforcenturies,but the
jihadistshateus,even morethan theyhateotherChristians.TheISIS
terroristsarethesameway."
Activepersecutionsaretakingplacein Egypt,Syria,Iraq andTurkey.At
least 40 Copticchurcheswereburned followingthefall of President
Morsi in 2013.

9. "Abdel el-Sissi,thenew Egyptian president,istolerant ofusand has
assured ushewill stop thekillingsand theburningof ourchurches,"
said FatherJohn."Wearea peopleof peaceandwish to livein
harmony with peopleeverywhere."
Livingin harmonyLivingin harmonyLivingin harmonyLivingin harmony
"Wearevery grateful to thepeopleof Bethel and to PastorStewart for
lettingusworship here.I hopesomeBethel memberswill attend one
of ourservicesand experienceourfaithwith us.Wewant to teach
othersand also learn from others."
ForSalyer'spart,"Thisisa great opportunity for ourcongregation.We
already shareourChristian faith,and by workingtogether,wewill
learn to shareourculturesand customs."
To learn moreabout CopticChristians,visit thewebsiteof theDiocese
of theSouthern U.S.at www.suscopts.org.
Tim Parrish
Freelancewriter
news@theleafchronicle.com