Church Building Anniversary

Saratov

On May 1st in St. Mary's church in Saratov there was a celebratory worship service dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the beginning of the building process. The building is still not built yet, but it does function and every Sunday welcomes all for prayer.

  As part of his episcopal visit to the the Saratov deanery the worship service was attended by Archbishop Dietrich Brauer together with his wife Tatyana Petrenko. Friends from other cities also came to the Saratov congregation – the Schtelwag family from Germany and Pastor Donald Richman from America.

   In his sermon Archbishop Brauer wished everyone a happy Easter (it was Eastern Orthodox Easter that day) and underlined the importance of every person understanding the purpose of Christ's Resurrection; it is difficult to see sometimes behind all the traditional treats during the Easter feast. The family also took a tour around the building site; they were happy with the way various parts of the building are slowly but surely being finished in a way that will help the congregation as it develops; they wished the congregation well in their efforts in the difficult task of building construction.

   After worship the youth of the congregation prepared a surprise for everyone – they made special hot dogs for the occasion with rolls prepared by one of the congregation's members, Frank Baker, the latest in a long line of bakers in his family.

  Everyone had a chance for important fellowship at the tea time after church – they could visit with the spiritual head of our church, ask him questions, take pictures with him, or they could have personal discussions with the pastors-pastoral care givers from other cities and ask guests about different countries and the life of Christian congregations abroad.

  Then, together with the locals, everyone went to the newly restored church in Zorkino in the Marx region of the Saratov oblast, where worship was also held.

  Alexander Geryugin