Pastor Aki T. Pirskanen to Join Elmhurst Seventh-day Adventist Church
- Illinois Conference Communications
- Jun 24
- 2 min read
Matthew Lucio
ILC Assistant to the President for Communication
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 24, 2025
Pastor Aki T. Pirskanen to Join Elmhurst Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Illinois Conference is pleased to announce that Pastor Aki T. Pirskanen has accepted the call to serve as the new pastor of the Elmhurst Seventh-day Adventist Church. He will be joined by his wife, Säde, and their children.
“I am truly looking forward to joining the Elmhurst church family,” Pastor Pirskanen shared. “It's a privilege to serve in a place where God is already at work, and I’m excited to grow together in faith, mission, and community. I believe that following Jesus means caring for the whole person—body, mind, and spirit—as reflected in His ministry (Matthew 9:35), and I pray that together we can reflect His love in practical, life-giving ways.”
Pastor Pirskanen brings 18 years of pastoral experience from his native Finland. In addition to pastoral ministry, he is deeply passionate about physical and mental well-being and has served as the Health Ministries Director for the Finland Union for 7 years.
His ministry is also marked by rich international experience. He earned his undergraduate degree in theology from Asia-Pacific International University in Thailand and holds three master’s degrees: a Master of Public Health from AIIAS (Philippines), a Master’s in Solution-Focused Therapy (UK), and a Master’s in Christian Ministry (USA). He is currently pursuing a doctorate at Andrews University.
The Illinois Conference welcomes the Pirskanen family to our Conference family. Due to the extended visa process, we anticipate their arrival in approximately 6–8 months. Please keep this pastoral family in your prayers as they prepare for this new chapter in ministry.
Please send any news items of what God is doing around the Illinois Conference to communication@ilcsda.org.
