Church: First Presbyterian Church of Shakopee
My pastor, Pastor Yoakiem, is one of the kindest and most compassionate people I know. He pastors a small multi-ethnic and multi-cultural church with a great deal of understanding, patience, and faithfulness. His sermons never fail to inspire, teach, and make us grow. He’s also a hospice chaplain, sitting with families during a difficult time in their lives. He was raised Coptic Orthodox in Egypt and converted as a young man because the Protestant community encouraged his questions, curiosity, and desire to grow in his faith. He’s spent the past 15 years speaking, dreaming, teaching and caring for people from various cultures. He has a big heart for immigrants and for all Christians who are minorities in their community. I always get faithful, compassionate, and God-centered, people-loving advice from him. When I left the Orthodox church for Protestant Christianity, he was very supportive, having made the that journey himself, and helped me see the blessings and humor in my journey while also acknowledging my pain.