Gusev
On
October 31 and November 1 the Gusev congregation of the Kaliningrad
deanery celebrated 20 years since their church was re-dedicated.
“These
were special days for us,” said Pastor Elena Kurmyshova, “we
traveled throughout the oblast, we remembered the path we have been
on and also had new meetings and made new acquaintances.”
The
Gusev congregation has a unique history. The settlement was
established in the 1730s under the King Friedrich Wilhelm I of East
Prussia. He extended the offer to his fellow Lutherans living in
Salzburg and under pressure from local Catholic leadership to convert
to instead emigrate and form a new settlement. 16 thousand of them
agreed, and Gumbinnen (as it was then known) became their new home.
The church building that they dedicated in 1840 stands to this day,
though it has had a difficult history. It lost its bell town during
World War II, and during Soviet times it was used as a warehouse. In
the 1990s the full reconstruction of the church began, and it was
re-dedicated for the congregation's use on October 31, 1995.
Former
pastors of the congregation, including ELC Archbishop Dietrich Brauer
and (from Germany) pastors Hayer Osterwald and Gerald Koch took part
in the special worship services that took place on these days. “This
celebration gave us new hope for strengthening partnerships, for
developing relationships through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God
willing, that which took place over these days will be bear fruit in
time,” summarized Pastor Elena Kurmyshova.
No comments:
Post a Comment