Covenant News

Visitation Hours on Tuesday for Pastor Peter Talia

CHICAGO, IL (January 7, 2002) - Visitation will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Tuesday at Drake and Son Funeral Home for 66-year-old Peter Talia, longtime pastor of the Assyrian Evangelical Covenant Church who died Saturday.

Central Conference Supt. Herbert M. Freedholm will officiate during a brief service at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home, 5303 North Western Avenue in Chicago. A service also will be conducted at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Immanuel Covenant Church, where the Assyrian Covenant congregation holds its weekly worship services.

Talia was born December 6, 1935, in Beirut, Lebanon. He received his undergraduate degree in the Middle East. He earned a Master of Arts in Christian Education from Bob Jones University and a Master of Divinity from Covenant Seminary, a Presbyterian seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. He also earned a Master of Theology from Concordia Seminary, a Lutheran seminary in St. Louis, as well as a Doctorate in Theology from Concordia.

Talia began serving the Assyrian Evangelical Covenant Church in August 1978 after coming from the Presbyterian Church. He became an ordained Covenant minister in 1981 and served at the church 22 years. He did translation work for films like The Jesus Film and recently had been working on a translation of the Bible, according to Kirsten Nelson, director of leadership development for the Central Conference.

He is described by a friend as the kind of pastor who was as comfortable discussing theology as he was cheering for friends at a church softball game. Last year's Central Conference Annual Meeting honored Talia upon the occasion of his retirement.

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