"We spent 5 days in the church
and, I'll tell you what, it's nothing like what you'd imagine."
Of course if your 15 years old and you say that you spent almost a
week in the church, you'll get a mixed reaction. Is it really
possible that a teenager can have a good time there? For that long?
Experience shows that the answer is "yes!"
In Omsk there is a lot of work done
with teenagers and youth from the ELCUSFE. Yet the staff were a bit
shaken (in a good way!) at the seemingly limitless energy of the more
than 20 participants that came to the Christ Church Center from
various cities and villages to take part in the annual “Upgrade”
youth conference. Guest teachers came from the Libenzell Mission -
Jenni Jochim and Pierre Dispensieri - led Bible lessons while old
friends of the Omsk congregation from the Hanover Church - Michael
Vogt and Cornelia Dassler - led games and for the first time in the
history of our church led a Youth Synod Assembly. Vladimir Vinogradov
(Dean of Western Siberia), Anastasia Razinkova (coordinator of
children and youth ministry in Eastern Siberia), Stas Mikula (Pastor,
Omsk oblast) and Evgeny Maul (preacher, Omsk oblast) helped create a
good atmosphere and made sure that everyone was busy and well fed.
There was great feedback from this
conference. Everyone wants MORE! And praise God for that. Because it
is thanks to Him that such events happen, that we receive experience,
knowledge and motivation; praise God that we all felt like part of
one big family.
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