The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and Other States (ELCROS) includes the Lutheran churches in Russia. The Central States Synod has had a companion relationship with the following eight congregations in the Far East of Russia:
St. Paul, Vladivostok
St. Paul began over 100 years ago by Germans that were either deported to Vladivostok or went there for economic opportunity. The current building was completed in 1907. Stalin closed it in 1935, and the communists used it as a military museum. After the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1988, St. Paul was restarted in 1992 and the building was given back to the congregation in 1997. The building is currently being restored.
The congregation is served by Pastor Manfred Brockman who serves as Dean of the eight congregations in the Far East of Russia. Pr. Brockman has made several visits to the Central States Synod.
St. Paul currently has about 200 members. A variety of ministry is being done through the congregation which includes: music ministry, children’s ministry, youth ministry, prison outreach, web site development, and hosting a German cultural center where people come to learn the German language.
Each Christmas and Easter St. Paul presents a concert of music by Bach that is open to the general public. In the summer they have a one-week summer camp for children.
St. Marie’s, Ussurijsk
This congregation is about 60 miles from Vladivostok and owns their own flat where they hold worship services. They work with a girl’s orphanage helping the youth get training to become beauticians, drivers, and computer programmers. They teach the younger girls how to crochet, knit and sew. They sponsor a camp and learning opportunities for the youth during the summer.
Gloria Dei in Wichita, Kansas, began a relationship with St. Marie’s in 2005, and they help St. Marie’s sponsor learning opportunities for the girls at the orphanage.
St. Luke’s Arsenyev
St. Luke’s began in 1999 and is located a little over 200 miles from Vladivostok. The congregation consists of quite a few young people that are well educated and many are studying English. They bought a house (in need of repairs) that they use as a worship center. They do a lot of community service ministry, such as helping older people especially those that are ill, having sports teams, helping with forestry, and offering bible study. They have a puppet ministry and each year present the Christmas story and a concert. A German pastor had served them, but he has returned to Germany.
St. Katharines’ Komsomoksk
St. Katharines’ began in 1999 with five women. Today there are around 100 that range in age from infants to retired people. They work closely with a children’s home. They collect clothing for the children and visit the home on a regular basis to teach Bible lessons, give art lessons, and have holiday parties. They have a very active women’s group that does Bible study and participates in the World Day of Prayer each year. They have an active youth group that does Bible study and community service projects.
Atonement in Overland Park, Kansas, began a relationship with St. Katharine’s in 2003 and sent two individuals to Komsomolsk in the summer of 2004. Olga Kokhan visited the US during the summer of 2006 and Atonement hopes to send two individuals to Komsomolsk during the summer of 2007. With the help of Atonement St. Katharine’s recently purchased a flat where they can meet for worship, study and ministry activities.
St. Johns Khabarovsk
St Johns is a vibrant congregation that is about ten years old and has 60+ members. They have a good music ministry, which attracts young people. They do have a preacher, and they have use of a classroom in the German Cultural Center for two and half hours each Sunday.
St. Matthew’s Chita
St. Matthew’s was started in January of 2000 and is located 1500 miles west of Vladivostok a trip that takes two days and three nights by train. They do not have a preacher or regular place to hold worship.
St. Mark’s Magadan
Magadan, about 1,800 miles north of Vladivostok, was founded by Stalin in 1935 as the headquarters for the Gulags in that area. St. Mark’s started in 2000.
Holy Cross in Overland Park, Kansas, began a relationship with St. Mark’s in 2001. Three individuals from Holy Cross traveled to Magadan in 2002, and Alla Vysokova visited the US in 2004. Two individuals from Holy Cross visited St. Mark’s in 2005, and Alla and Elena Romaneva visited Holy Cross in 2006. With the help of Holy Cross St. mark’s was able to purchase a flat in 2004 where they celebrate worship, conduct Bible study, do social ministry in the area of drug and alcohol abuse, and offer housekeeping and handicraft classes.
In the Spring of 2007, a delegation visiting Russia, met the newly elected Bishop of ELCROS, Bishop Kruse who indicated that they would attempt to have a census in 2008 to determine how many other home church congregations might be in the vast regions of Eastern Russia.
We anxiously await the news!
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