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From Finland to Elmhurst: A Pastor Finds His Feet
Matthew J. Lucio
Assistant to the President
for Communication
Pastor Aki T. Pirskanen moved from his native Finland to the United States a few months ago to pastor the Elmhurst Seventh-day Adventist Church. I caught up with him to hear about the challenges of settling into a new country, the surprises he's encountered along the way, and his hopes for his new congregation.
His answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.
ML: How are you and your family adjusting to life in America?
AP: We are adjusting little by little, and every week America feels a more like home. In the beginning, almost everything was new at the same time: housing, school, driving, shopping, with so many places to shop, paperwork, definitely more than I was used to in Finland, and simply learning how things work here.
One of the biggest steps was finally moving into our own home. We spent quite a long time living in two different hotels before that, so unpacking our few suitcases and realizing, “This is actually our home now,” felt like an important milestone. Having a permanent address also made many practical things much easier.
I also just received my Illinois driver's license, even though I have already been driving for more than 30 years. That was quite a process! First I needed a Social Security number, then a bank account, then a bank statement, and finally a permanent address. In other words, I had to prove to the Secretary of State's office that I am really me and that I really live in the United States!
ML: Who or what has helped you feel at home?
AP: The people have made the greatest difference. We have experienced so much kindness, practical help, encouragement, meals, furniture, transportation, advice, and prayer.
To mention just a few examples, one church member came to help us install curtain rods. Another brought us a bookshelf. Someone else brought kitchen supplies, and another person offered us a table. And when we discovered that we apparently had one extra, uninvited resident in the house, a church member even came over with mouse traps to help us catch the mouse. The good news is that we caught it the very next night, so the problem was solved quickly.
Some pastors have invited us into their homes for meals so that we could get to know one another better, and they also offered practical advice. These may seem like small things, but when you arrive in a new country with very little, they mean a great deal.
Sometimes a person feels at home not because they know the place, but because they know they are welcomed there. That is how Elmhurst church members has made us feel.
ML: Tell me about something that feels familiar about serving here and something that has required a big adjustment.
AP: People are people wherever you go. They have joys, questions, struggles, families, hopes, and a need for God. That part of ministry feels very familiar.
One of the biggest adjustments for me has been moving from a ministry where I was constantly on the go to serving just one church. In Finland, I often had responsibility for two churches, and at times even four, while also serving as the Health Ministries Director. There was always somewhere to go, something to organize, or another responsibility waiting. Now, suddenly, I have just one church. That has been a major change for me, but I have to say that I really like it.
Another big adjustment has been learning the culture behind the words. I speak English, but understanding how people communicate, make decisions, organize church life, and even use humor is another level of learning. Sometimes the words are familiar, but the culture behind them is different. I am still very much a student of American culture, and I think that is part of the adventure.
ML: Have you had any funny misunderstandings or unexpected discoveries?
AP: One of my first small culture shocks happened when I opened a bottle of water and the cap came completely off in my hand. In Finland, bottle caps are now attached to the bottle, so they stay hanging there after you open them. Sometimes they even seem determined to touch your nose while you are drinking! Here the cap simply came off, and for a moment I thought, “Oh, this is different.”
Recycling has also been an adjustment. In Finland, we are used to separating and recycling almost everything, so learning that many things can simply go into the regular trash here has felt surprisingly strange to us.
I am also discovering that Americans have an impressive number of abbreviations for almost everything. Sometimes I understand every English word in a sentence, but then I still get lost because I have no idea what all the abbreviations stand for. At this point, I am beginning to think that becoming fully American may not require citizenship. It may simply mean reaching the point where someone can say, “Go to the DMV with your SSN before VBS and check with the IRS,” and you understand the whole sentence without asking any questions.
One unexpected and very positive discovery has been how openly I can sometimes talk about the Bible here. We went mattress shopping, and somehow our conversations in two different mattress stores turned into Bible discussions. I found myself studying and discussing Scripture right there in the store. That was a wonderful experience. I cannot remember that ever happening to me in a mattress store in Finland!
ML: What are your hopes for the Elmhurst congregation?
AP: My deepest hope is that Elmhurst will be a church where people genuinely meet Jesus and experience a real spiritual home. I hope we can continue growing closer to God and to one another, while becoming more intentional about connecting with the people around us.
I would love to see every member understand that ministry is not only something the pastor does. God has given each person a unique way to serve and make a difference. If we seek God together and allow Him to lead us, I believe He can do much more through this congregation than any of us could do alone.
I also hope that we can take both our health ministry and our overall outreach to another level. The Adventist health message has so much to offer, not simply as information about healthy living, but as a practical way of caring for people and opening doors for relationships. I would love to see Elmhurst become even more visible in the community as a church that cares for the whole person, physically, socially, and spiritually.
We are very thankful to be here, and we are excited to see what God will do in this new chapter.
Please send any news items of what God is doing around the Illinois Conference to communication@ilcsda.org.
