A historic church has reached a milestone as a center of worship and support for Assyrian immigrants who created a thriving community in Turlock. The Assyrian Evangelical Church marked its th anniversary with a celebration Saturday attended by dignitaries and community members.
The church for decades has been a place of worship for Assyrians who fled persecution in the Middle East and also has been a center helping new arrivals gain a foothold in their adopted country. The church was a place to go to find friends and family.
The church originated in the s when a small group of Assyrians gathered for services in the home of Rev. David Joseph, according to a Turlock Journal clipping. Isaac Adams is credited with establishing the Assyrian colony after indigenous Christians were massacred in the Middle East. The settlers first landed in Canada and a small group moved with Adams to Chicago. About a dozen families moved to new ground in Turlock, growing melons, grapes and fruit trees, said Yadegar, who gathered historical information for the anniversary.
In time, the Assyrian immigrants became storekeepers and entered other vocations and professions. A small chapel was built in at the corner of Cahill and Rose streets. The property was later sold to the school district and is part of the Crane School campus today. The current Assyrian Evangelical Church building on Monroe Avenue came about from a two-year construction project starting in , which largely used donated materials and labor.
The church building, dedicated in September , had a large basement area for Sunday School classes, a social hall and kitchen. The auditorium on the main level had seating for Birthday parties and weddings were held at the church.
