Answering the Call and Finding Help When It Mattered Most

The Rev. Carlos Aoun, Pastoral Resident at Wellesley Congregational Village Church, Wellesley, Massachusetts, speaks about his transition to ministry. He also shares how a Pension Boards’ emergency grant helped his wife leave an escalating situation in Lebanon and reunite with him in the United States. 

Inspired to Serve by Faith and Creativity 

I joined the UCC during COVID in 2020, after I had just finished my seminary studies. I was invited by the Conference Minister to join the UCC in the hopes I’d become an ordained pastor, so I joined Old South Church and went through the Member in Discernment process and was ordained in 2024. I was called by the Wellesley Village Church to be the Pastoral Resident. 

When you leave college, there’s a certain rebellion toward everything that has been established. We look for different alternatives that might be new and esoteric. I did that, but then, after having rejected everything in my faith, I started reading the Bible again with a newly critical eye. I’m a listener of classical music and a lover of Bach. I used to listen to his cantatas and read the translations, feeling moved by his love for Christ.  

One of the most meaningful parts of my ministry has been the opening up of possibilities that is available in the States, which I can’t find in other places. Creativity can be entertained and grown in a way that is encouraged. These things are very important for us as a church to be in line with the progress of time and human thinking. One of my challenges is always trying to find new ways of addressing the “knowns” in a creative way that appeal to people and bring them back to Christ. 

Discovering the United Church of Christ

I came here from Lebanon to visit a friend during the COVID confinement. I had no idea there was something called the United Church of Christ—it doesn’t exist in my country. When I came here, I connected with the interim Conference Minister. We met over Zoom, and she introduced the church to me. She asked if I’d like to join because she saw me as a future minister. I thought to myself, “That’s the Holy Spirit,” because God has this sense of humor of doing things we don’t plan. So we decided to follow the call and see where it led. And here I am now, a pastor in the UCC. 

Reuniting Amid Conflict through an Emergency Grant 

I was called by the church in 2024. Having our visas processed to enter the States took a long time. I had to go through different security checks at the embassy level, so the visa dragged. The situation between Lebanon and Israel was escalating at the time, but it was still peaceful in the area where we lived. By the time I arrived in the States, my wife hadn’t gotten a visa. The embassy said, “You get the visa, and we’ll see for your wife. She cannot get it now—we’re still processing and checking.” The situation had escalated to a point where it was becoming dangerous. When my wife finally got the visa, it was a powder keg in Lebanon. All international flights to Lebanon were cancelled. However, there were still the local airlines functioning under the bombs. 

So we found ourselves in a situation where we needed to get my wife out. Since there was only one airline, the ticket prices soared and there was no availability at all. Our choices were either she remained in Lebanon with no outlook for the outcome of the war, or we try to snatch her out. At the time, there was one flight to Athens with one seat left in business class. That’s why I approached UCBMA for an emergency grant and asked for help. My salary couldn’t cover everything. I was just settling into the States, and I needed every penny.  

Maintaining Faith Amidst Fear 

When my wife was in Lebanon, I wouldn’t sleep because we had a seven-hour time difference. I’d wait until 3:00 a.m. to be able to call her. My children, who are based in Europe, were also very worried about her. It caused a lot of anxiety, and this bubbling tension finally cooled down when my wife got out. Thankfully, she’s with us now. It was a long route, but she’s here. She had to go from Beirut to Athens and then through Berlin to the States. I’m so glad she was able to get on that flight. After that, I was able to focus more on my ministry and my work, and I thank God for that. 

Every Sunday, my congregation would come and ask about my wife and where she was. While I was dealing with all the emotions around my wife and around my children being worried, I was also answering my call and adjusting to this whole new life. There were a few things I did to keep myself balanced. I’m a yogi, so I have my daily yoga practice at home. I’m very strongly connected to the word of God—I do my daily readings and prayers. This kept me feeling centered and knowing that the One who brought me here would not leave me.  

Because of Ministry and Emergency Grants 

Ministry is sharing the joy that bubbles up in one’s being when they meet God, being able to transmit it to others. When you light a candle and there are many unlit candles around you, you use your own to spread light to the other candles. I think this is the way to the Kingdom of God, and the Kingdom of Love. I call God “Love” because this is what God is called in 1 John 4:8 and John 4:16. Ministry for me is spreading love through embodying it and speaking about it. 

If I could say something to those applying for emergency grants, I would say knock and [the door] shall be opened. Ask and you shall be given. I didn’t know about the emergency grant at first—when I learned about it and applied, the Pension Boards was there for me and didn’t let me down. They put things in motion and helped. I learned about the grants through my senior pastor, who was also very anxious about my wife. Seeing what state I was in, they looked around and told me to apply for this grant because it might help me. And it did help me. 

This trust was well-placed, because the Pension Boards appeared out of nowhere and came to the rescue. I think this is God’s work. I had no idea the Pension Boards existed. We were scratching our heads, wondering what to do. And then for me, God stepped in and said, “Hey, I’m here to help. Don’t worry.” So, my trust was placed in the One we should trust.