Peace to you dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Saint Paul called Saint Luke, a “beloved physician,” but this name was more than just about healing. Saint Luke announced to the whole world that the Kingdom of God is coming. How close is it, this Kingdom? Just take a closer look at the altar. Alone, of …
SELC Newsletter #285 – Feast of Saint Luke, Evangelist Read More »
Peace to you dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In the village of Oravka in the Chany district (280 miles from Novosibirsk), a symbolic stone of the future Lutheran church was consecrated. In 1894, the first settlers from Estonia arrived into this place on the shore of a lake. That time it was wilderness, and …
As it is customary in many countries, some people move from their native regions to warmer places. So it is in Russia: those who are tired of living in our cold frozen Siberia, they move to live closer to Black Sea, to Sochi area or to Krasnodar region. Many of our parishioners from different Siberian …
Peace to you dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Recently, our Bishop Vsevolod visited the parish of Saint Luke in Yurga (Kemerovo region) to celebrate the feast of Saint James the apostle. Deacon Ruslan Zinnurov assisted him during the liturgy. May we bring to your attention a part of the Bishop’s sermon. It is for …
SELC Newsletter #282 – The Feast of St. James the Apostle Read More »
God has blessed the Save the Seminary Campaign remarkably. Contributions have now surpassed the $1.2 million mark, including more than $808,000 in cash gifts and $ 420,000 in gifts that will result from donor estates. Much has been accomplished in the past 18-20 months, and we continue to seek new donors among Lutheran churches—and other sources—as we identify them.
Our Bishop Vsevolod conducted the commemorating prayer service at the Estonian cemetery in Estono-Semionovka (about 70 miles from Novosibirsk). Once there was a village here, but then all the inhabitants left, and now there is only a cemetery on which stands a monument to the Estonians who suffered during the years of the political repressions …
SELC Newsletter #281 – Prayer Service at Estonian Cemetery Read More »
Peace to you, dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, In Christianity, salvation is not given to us abstractly; it is given to us through the word and the sacraments of the Church. There is no salvation outside the Church, because only in there are the baptismal font and the altar and the priests who are …
Peace to you dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Now, when coronavirus infection is already gradually weakening in some countries, but still growing in Russia, we would like to invite you to pray with us using the prayer that we read at this time: Oh Lord Jesus Christ, You went throughout every town and village (Luke …
Peace to you dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ! Christ is risen! Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:4 This text is read on the third Sunday of Easter, and …
Note: This essay is republished here with the kind permission of Father Alexey, who includes this brief explanation for the sake of context: It is important to note that I do not blame any pastors and laypeople in the US who are stuck at the moment and have little choice, that is, I don’t want …
The Covid-19 Pandemic and the Digitization of the Church Read More »
