Like many gateway cities across America, my city of Lynn, MA has an abundance of immigrant churches, but they often remain under the radar, and their impact is hidden. As you read the book of Revelation, you see God’s vision for humanity – that all the nations would come together in one place to worship Him (Revelation 7:9). Immigrant churches in the United States are fulfilling this vision, and bringing faith, community and blessing to our cities! The hidden story of the immigrant church must be told to the benefit and advocacy of the immigrant church itself and also for the understanding and appreciation of the wider community.

I would like to tell this story through documentary photography and first-person narratives of immigrant pastors and leaders. My project involves networking with immigrant churches and pastors in my city, research through literature review and field interviews, and the undertaking of a documentary photography project. This project would culminate in a photography exhibit initiated and displayed by the immigrant church itself, but also offered in area museums and galleries. The goal is to celebrate, better connect, and empower the immigrant church in my city and area.