Elspeth Kernebone
1 April 2024
Nearly 85 people attended the launch of a new Farsi and Turkish-focussed ministry at St Paul’s Cathedral, coinciding with the Persian new year.
The ministry will seek to reach students from Iran and Turkey living in the city centre, as well as ministering to travellers and others from non-English speaking backgrounds.
Ministry co-leader the Reverend Pedram Shirmast said the team hoped to help anyone who came to St Paul’s feel accepted and welcomed among the Christian family at the diocese’s mother church, whatever language or culture they came from.
Read more: New service at St Paul’s to reach young people ‘calling out’ for belonging
“I would love to prepare this opportunity for people to come and engage or shape a Farsi or Turkish or multicultural group there. The vision is [that] it doesn’t matter what language or background, we are all welcome to worship God in that language,” Mr Shirmast said.
“It’s a huge need for ministry, and we are just at the peak. I hope to see more people and more fruits in the future, all growing in the Lord’s love and knowledge.”
Mr Shirmast said the outreach was open to anyone from a non-English speaking background, but primarily focusing on Farsi and Turkish speaking people. Farsi is the modern Persian language, spoken in Iran.
Mr Shirmast and his wife the Reverend Leili Shirmast will share leadership of the outreach, as assistant curates at St Paul’s Cathedral, in addition to their roles as assistant curates at Deep Creek Anglican.
Mr Shirmast said he noticed that even during the busyness of study and work, many of the students from Iran and Turkey found time to rest in God and receive ministry at the cathedral.
The ministry will run as a weekly Eucharist service on a Saturday, in Farsi and English. Mr and Mrs Shirmast will be at the cathedral all day each Saturday, to speak to visitors. They also hope to start small groups, and engage with Christianity Explored and Alpha courses.
Dean of Melbourne Andreas Loewe said they hoped to engage the many Farsi and Turkish speakers coming to the cathedral, a large group among visitors.
He said the Farsi ministry was designed to be another avenue into the Kingdom of God, for people to know there was a place they could come to encounter Jesus and be built up.
He said of the people attending the new year celebrations, one third to a half were Christian, and the others were Muslim background or seekers.
Dr Loewe said he had found that Farsi speakers at St Paul’s wanted nurturing in their own language.
He said St Paul’s hoped to focus on how it could use its beautiful space to be missional, particularly through training and sending.
“You start by coming in as a tourist, and you may end up leaving the cathedral as an ordained priest,” he said.
St Paul’s ministry to Farsi and Turkish speakers launched on 16 March, with a celebration of the Persian new year Nowruz.
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