The primary motives why we Ethiopian immigrants congregate in the Church here in the US are to worship God in accordance with the Orthodox Tradition, maintain our own cultural heritage, and transfer it to our children. The Orthodox Church, which has a 2000 years history in Ethiopia, has been acting not only as a center of worship but also principally as a heart of cultural legacy. Parents commonly appear to be zealous to their Christian culture and insist children to retain their native tradition. Children, on the contrary, seem to be reluctant to come to the Church and participate in Sunday school programs. They just rush to adopt what they observe in their surroundings without paying attention to the guidance of the elderly. This causes family conflict and identity crisis among the youth.

Therefore, the Church in Diaspora has the responsibility to narrow the acculturation gap between immigrant parents and their children. It educates the Ethiopic language, church music, and Christian Ethics to the American borne children, helps them be empowered and oriented to their native culture, and provides counseling to resolve family conflicts associated with acculturation discrepancies.

As part of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Debre Selam St. Michael has  been maintaining the aforementioned cultural, social and educational programs that are beneficial to the immigrants and their children.  

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