A Facebook Message from Pastor Ivanov

[Note: This is a facebook message to me from the Rev. Vlad Ivanov, and it is cross-posted here from The Renaissance - +HW]

Vladislav Ivanov August 15 at 1:23pm

Hi Larry!

This is a short story about our community in Chelyabinsk.

Community of the Holy Spirit is very young. In our congregation of 10 people. We serve the liturgy at the center of aid to the blind people in a small room which we rent for a few hours a week. Every Sunday after worship we study the Small Catechism, or hold Bible hour. Once a month we have an Evening Prayer with Holy Communion. When one of our parishioners come with their grandchildren, my wife holds classes for children.

My daughter is always happy when there is occupation, she quickly tired of the fact that she needs to sit or stand still all the liturgy:) She was two years.

Last year we ended with two-year Bible school, which we helped to organize the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novosibirsk. Once a month we go to Beloreck. This we do with Father Sergei, a priest from Yekaterinburg. City Beloreck located 400 km from Chelyabinsk. There lives, our parishioner and her daughter. Perhaps there will soon also be missionary community. This fall, we want to hold it once a month Bible hour for all who are interested in Lutheran Church and the Christian faith. Every year our community participate in the city exhibition devoted to the birthday of Chelyabinsk. This year we will also take part in it. For us this is a good opportunity to tell others peoplesabout the saving faith and our church.

In missionary work, we use the book of Lutheran Heritage Foundation and the magazine "Good News". I have some interesting photos of life in our community. I can put these photos in an album of our parish. My family sends greetings to you all!

Vlad