Update on our Russian Congregations

This is taken from Pastor Manfred Brockmann's Annual Report for 2008:

St. Lukes, Arsenyev - as mentioned it is on the way up under A. Lapochenko. We have the great joy that a noble American woman made it possible to make a capital restoration of it's church house. They have a good partnership with Trinity Lutheran Church in Great Bend (Pastor Jim Strasen). They have a good second preacher, who is taking the seminary courses of Nowosaratovka. They have a good musician. They also have their own collections, but little, and depend still on your financial help. But they have good spiritual leaders.

St. John's, Khabarovsk - does not have an American partner Congregation. We have sent one of the women to Nowosaratovka Seminary for courses. They have a glorious tradion in performing the women's international prayer day and also their famous Culture Days. I am hoping to send Pastor Demitriy Schweitz as Pastor there.

St. Mark's, Magadan - they will be visited in August by their partner congregation Holy Cross of Overland Park. Andris Osols is attending courses in Novosaratovka.

The Congregation in Sokol is 35 km from Magadan, it is a new one, their leader and preacher is Jelena Romanyova, she also is attending Novosaratovka for courses.

St. Matthew's, Chita - is far away, financially supported by a congregation in San Clemente, CA.

The congregation in Blagoveshchensk is very little, but so faithful and does not have an American partner congregation.

St Mary's, Ussurisysk - they have the partner congregation of Gloria Dei in Wichita, Kansas. They have a very good work with an orphanage, which is nobly supported by Gloria Dei congregation. They have two serious spiritual leaders, Alexey Kramer, the President of St. Mary's is directly responsible for this sucessful joint mission. Their Preacher Oleg Lapis is a strong and serious leader and a good musician.

St. Paul's, Vladivostok - of course if the most lively of all. We have the Dean and two preachers (one an intern). We hold children's services, seminars, famous concerts. We have obtained a second organ. We have received 3 church bells from a sponsor in Germany and we are now going to restore the west facade of our church building. St Paul's is well know as a center of spiritual, cultural and social life of the town.

Financial needs report continued

As to people, In a country, where people are used more to take than to give, where they, because of being exhausted and feeble, rather give up and leave their place than to stand and to withstand, where they are more waiting and hiding themselves than to confess openly and free their opinion, our church needs an "order" of ordained pastors, who stand firmly, work steadily and don't leave us.

Up to now I am the only one ordained pastor in these 9 congregations. But it seems that we have new persons of hope: Alexander Lapochenko, preacher of St. Luke's Arsenyev and Pastor Dmitirj Schweitz, who I should like to send to St. John's Khabarowsk and to St. Catherin's Komosomols.