Moscow
From September 22-24 in the Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Moscow a youth conference was held on the theme “Reformation: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow,” dedicated to the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. More than 60 people took part from Lutheran congregations in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia and Slovakia.
The main goal of the conference was to study the history of the Reformation together, to discuss the historical and theological nuances of the broad process. However the conference was not just a series of seminars, discussions and meetings – everything that is associated with the word “conference.” Instead young people created a comfortable, warm, you could even say home-like atmosphere in fellowship with one another.
The first day of the conference was dedicated to studying the past, the history of the Reformation itself. After prayer, the conference began its work. The question of the basis of Christian life was discussed – what is the foundation that a person builds his life on? Why is the question of a person’s relationship to God still relevant? Using skits young Christians took a creative approach to remembering those historical people who walked the path of Reformation, the path of a relationship with God. All the events of this day were mixed with energetic games that were in one way or another tied with questions of faith, Reformation and the service of God and one's neighbor. After supper there was a small excursion to the tourist sites near to the cathedral. Participants walked along the quiet, curvy streets and alleys of the Kitai-Gorod neighborhood and after supper even went on a Lutheran quest in the center of Moscow. The first day ended with a Taize prayer.
During the second day contemporary questions were raised - in particular how the Reformation as a spiritual transformation touches each of us. Participants shared with one another their visions of this issue, after which a skit prepared by the Lutheran congregation in Smolensk was performed in the chapel next to the cathedral. The name of the skit was “Martin Luther” and was dedicated to family values in the life of a Christian. Those in attendance noted the actors skills, in particular the person who played Martin Luther, whose character was portrayed very subtly and movingly. The second day ended with a prayer service led by the youth leader of the Moscow congregation, Vladislav Telegin and the preacher of the French-speaking congregation in Moscow, Mamy Rakotonitama, originally from Madagascar.
During the third and final day of the conference participants together with congregational members from the cathedral took part in Sunday worship during which the hymn of the conference (“God called us from various peoples”) was sung. Also during the second half of the day on Sunday there was an ecumenical youth worship service during with a number of participants took part together with representatives of other Protestant movements in Moscow.
During these days of work the participants also had the opportunity to spend their free time in an interesting way – some explored the city, others worked on crafts, others still played either board or sports-based games. The conference came to a close with a picnic in the yard of the cathedral.
All the participants could feel the spirit of true Christian unity, learn how congregations live in various parts of our country and neighboring countries, sharing with one another personal experience and cooperative work in various spheres of church life – from children’s ministry to to pastoral ministry. They expressed their desire to maintain their connections with one another and to work together on cooperative projects in the future. And there was even a note of melancholy which participants felt in the last hours of the conference, but this could not destroy the joy that filled their heart and the thankfulness to the Lord they felt from the recognition of very simple and clear fact – we are the present and future of the church. We have seen each other face to face; we are together with one another and with Christ.
Natalia Shetsel, Vladimir Kazantsev
The main goal of the conference was to study the history of the Reformation together, to discuss the historical and theological nuances of the broad process. However the conference was not just a series of seminars, discussions and meetings – everything that is associated with the word “conference.” Instead young people created a comfortable, warm, you could even say home-like atmosphere in fellowship with one another.
The first day of the conference was dedicated to studying the past, the history of the Reformation itself. After prayer, the conference began its work. The question of the basis of Christian life was discussed – what is the foundation that a person builds his life on? Why is the question of a person’s relationship to God still relevant? Using skits young Christians took a creative approach to remembering those historical people who walked the path of Reformation, the path of a relationship with God. All the events of this day were mixed with energetic games that were in one way or another tied with questions of faith, Reformation and the service of God and one's neighbor. After supper there was a small excursion to the tourist sites near to the cathedral. Participants walked along the quiet, curvy streets and alleys of the Kitai-Gorod neighborhood and after supper even went on a Lutheran quest in the center of Moscow. The first day ended with a Taize prayer.
During the second day contemporary questions were raised - in particular how the Reformation as a spiritual transformation touches each of us. Participants shared with one another their visions of this issue, after which a skit prepared by the Lutheran congregation in Smolensk was performed in the chapel next to the cathedral. The name of the skit was “Martin Luther” and was dedicated to family values in the life of a Christian. Those in attendance noted the actors skills, in particular the person who played Martin Luther, whose character was portrayed very subtly and movingly. The second day ended with a prayer service led by the youth leader of the Moscow congregation, Vladislav Telegin and the preacher of the French-speaking congregation in Moscow, Mamy Rakotonitama, originally from Madagascar.
During the third and final day of the conference participants together with congregational members from the cathedral took part in Sunday worship during which the hymn of the conference (“God called us from various peoples”) was sung. Also during the second half of the day on Sunday there was an ecumenical youth worship service during with a number of participants took part together with representatives of other Protestant movements in Moscow.
During these days of work the participants also had the opportunity to spend their free time in an interesting way – some explored the city, others worked on crafts, others still played either board or sports-based games. The conference came to a close with a picnic in the yard of the cathedral.
All the participants could feel the spirit of true Christian unity, learn how congregations live in various parts of our country and neighboring countries, sharing with one another personal experience and cooperative work in various spheres of church life – from children’s ministry to to pastoral ministry. They expressed their desire to maintain their connections with one another and to work together on cooperative projects in the future. And there was even a note of melancholy which participants felt in the last hours of the conference, but this could not destroy the joy that filled their heart and the thankfulness to the Lord they felt from the recognition of very simple and clear fact – we are the present and future of the church. We have seen each other face to face; we are together with one another and with Christ.
Natalia Shetsel, Vladimir Kazantsev
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