Pastor's Wedding in St. Paul's Church

Vladivostok

On January 21, the last Sunday after Epiphany, the wedding of Pastor Alexander Lapochenko (from St. Luke's Lutheran in Arseniev) and his wife, Oksana, took place in St. Paul's church in Vladivostok.
This event was a great joy for the whole Far East Deanery. Many gathered in the church that day to congratulate the couple.
Alexander Lapochenko has led St. Luke's congregation already almost 10 years; that's where he met his future wife. Oksana has two children and they together with Alexander's mother will form a three-generation family.
For their wedding verse Alexander and Oksana chose 1 Cor 7.3. “The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband.” We, too, wish this new family God's blessing! May it also become a blessing for the whole congregation.
Manfred Brokmann

Women's Ministry in Vladivostok

Sometimes it seems that the church is too interested in the question of what is appropriate for women to do in the church and what is not appropriate (e.g., the type of clothing that is worn, wearing a scarf or not, whether or not women can preach in the church). Even in the Lutheran church where we officially recognize the equality of men and women to serve at the altar and where wearing a scarf is not required, all the same people discuss and make judgements that, sometimes, even go so far as to humiliate a woman – a sister in Christ.
  Women are freely offered all sorts of work – from washing floors to working with kids in Sunday school, from preparing snacks to taking care of the homebound. This work is familiar to every woman and women do it well. But can any woman listen to a brother or sister who is weighed down with sin and bring them comfort, praying together with them and saying “The Lord loves you. He takes on your sin, you are forgiven through the blood of Christ. He died for you?” If there is such a woman in a congregation, this is a gift from the Lord! It's not very helpful at that moment to hurriedly quote Paul's Letter to the Corinthians where he speaks about scarfs and haircuts (the latter not only for women, by the way).
Women are happy to lovingly prepare feasts, to take care of children and to help the sick. But if God gave her the gift to preach the Good News and to teachs, it is not good to “close” her mouth and say that you are forbidden to do that. Why do we trust women to raise our children in faith, but we don't allow them to speak from the pulpit? It seems that it is a larger responsibility to work with children, who are vulnerable and sincerely trust the adults that work with them.
  These and other questions interested me and I wanted to speak about them with my sisters in order to support them, to raise their self-esteem and their importance – in fact, sometimes their indispensability in the congregation. I suggested that they lead “women's ministry meetings” and on Sunday after worship the women of St. Paul's Lutheran gathered for fellowship in our comfortable ship cabin (that is what we call the balcony in the kirche). It wasn't very difficult to find a theme for our meeting: “Church (Lutheran) holidays.”
  The women were interested in hearing about the church calendar, about the holidays of the church year, about the decorating of the church during those times as well as food and other traditions. There weren't many of us, but they listened attentively to what I had to say and added their own contributions, especially when we spoke about traditions and special foods.
We closed our meeting by drinking tea together; instead of traditional cookies, we ate a snack from the German-Russian tradition – krebel. Those who knew the recipe shared with those who wanted to know how to make them themselves. 
  The time went spent together went by quickly, and as we parted we agreed to “get together more frequently.” We do, after all, have lots of things to think about and discuss!
I am thankful to God  that he has given me the courage to work with women and strengthens me in this ministry! I am thankful to my sisters who came to the meeting and gave me support!
Nina Dmitrieva

Three Anniversaries - German Culture Days in Vladivostok

Our 21st German Cultural Days have a special meaning this year when we celebrate three anniversaries: the 25th anniversary of the rebirth of the Lutheran Church in the Russian Far East; the 20th anniversary of the return of St. Paul's church in Vladivostok, and the 500th anniversary of the Reformation.
We invited many friends from Russia and abroad to attend. We will be especially happy to see the delegates from the Central States Synod of the ELCA, which has been our partner for 25 years. We also are anticipating our newly-elected bishop, Alexander Scheiermann to come from Omsk and our Archbishop Dietrich Brauer from Moscow; the latter had part of his internship with us when he was still a student.
In the 25 years since the rebirth of the Lutheran church in the Far East and the 20 years of restoration of our beautiful St. Paul's Church in Vladivostok we can only be thanks to God. Despite many people leaving us and emigrating west – this was the theme of our Culture Days last year – we can only with wonder and thankfulness affirm how many blessings we have been given over these years! And here we remember the promises given by God to Abraham: “And you will be a blessing" (Genesis 12.2). This is our blessing as well.
The main event – the “Day of Three Anniversaries” will be October 1 in St. Paul Church! And of course we again visit the universities of Vladivostok; there are again meetings with students in the Goethe hall at the regional library. We again will offer folk dancing. And again we will have the “German Vladivostok” tour. The Honorary Consul of Germany Y.I. Kotyk will host a reception on the “Day of German Unity.” We will celebrate worship on October 1 as Harvest Day.
And as always we will have much music, since music is our pride. We will also have the traditional “Evening of Polish Music,” and there will be a concert of Manfred Brockmann's compositions.
Once again organist Jamin Raschfrom Hamburg will be with us with three organ concerts in our church. And we will conclude our Culture Days with the works of our great J.S.Bach.
I thank all of our sponsors.
Manfred Brockmann, Pastor of St. Paul Church in Vladivostok, Dean of the Russian Far East, retired Honorary Consul of Germany
September 2017

Manfred Brockman's 80th Birthday

Vladivostok
There was a large celebration on this day at St. Paul’s Church with 70 people in attendance. It made Manfred happy that all of the congregations of the deanery sent birthday wishes. It was very moving for Manfred that several people from the outlying congregations came quite a distance to be there in person. Manfred’s daughter and two of her children came all the way from Germany.

Manfred would like to share some of the greetings that he received.

1) Harmut Lobomierski of Hamburg, Germany and who has been the chairman of the “Friends of Vladivostok” group wrote the following:
We are sending you greetings from far away Eimsbuettel, although we are emotionally close. We wish you the happiest birthday as you celebrate this milestone birthday. You can now look back on a successful, blessed and prosperous life that is going be one that leaves a deep legacy. Your life is an adventure lead by God. You have completed an amazing accomplishment that will live on beyond yourself. You have been granted a life that is far reaching, self-determined and fulfilling and one that extends far into the richness and realm of spiritual life and passes it on. We also wish you the grace to experience the later years of your life in good fashion.
Best wishes from your friends Harmut and Helga

2) From the Bishop of the Orthodox Church in Vladivostok and Metropolitan of Primorye, Veniyamin
Dear Reverend,
I wish to extend my most hearty birthday wishes to you and also to send greetings on your anniversary! In the course of many years we have come to know you as a highly educated and wise leader, who through due diligence in Primorye and the Far East, has brought about the rebirth of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the German tradition. Your fervent service has consisted of hard work in supporting the diaspora as well as constantly stressing the value of Christianity in society. I hope that there will be continued success among those whom you have given a positive experience through your pastoral leadership so that they will continue to validate the interconfessional dialog we have had and will continue it. This will lead to peace and understanding between people. From the depth of my heart, I wish good health, inexhaustible energy and fruitful work as you continue your responsible position as dean and spiritual leader of the Lutherans of the Far East.

3) From Charles Maas, Bishop emeritus of the Central States Synod, with which the Deanery has had a 25 years partnership. He is a part of the beginning of my “career” in Russia. He along with Professor Gerhard Krodel of Gettysburg Seminary elected me in May 1992 in Omsk to his “Russian Commission." He wrote to me in German.
Dear Manfred,
Happy 80th birthday!
You should continue to love your life; counting by tens your seventies are behind you now,
Before you think about it, after ten years you will be past your eighties With good health it would please us that after another ten years you would reach your nineties. And if you should reach 100 that would be fantastic and you would be free of counting by tens. You are still young! I wish you good luck and many more sets of ten years..
Best wishes and God’s Blessings
Charlie, Bishop Emeritus 

4.) From the headquarters of Church Administration for the ELCUSFE in  Omsk
Dear Manfred,
I greet you with the words from today’s watchword from the Book of Judges 5:31: But may they who love you be like the sun, when it rises in its strength.”
This passage describes precisely and convincingly your service to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Urals, Siberia and the Far East. The Deanery of the Far East is the eastern most region of our church and here the “the sun rises in all its strength.” You have given this region 25 years of your life, your servanthood and your heart.
In these years, you were the light to many who were searching for the source of life. Through the Taize liturgy which you often have quoted, people sing: We are starting on a journey in order to find the fountain that will satisfy our thirst for light.” You have become such a light for many through your preaching and pastoral conversations, your instruction and your good words.
In like manner you have become a light for many through your yearly seminars that you facilitated for the Far East Deanery, where the faithful from all the congregations of your region could learn something new, be strengthened in their faith, find answers to their questions and to simply meet with their brothers and sisters in this immeasurable region.
Another important aspect of your light is your musical ministry. Without exaggerating, one can say that you are the person who has made the greatest contribution to furthering the education concerning Lutheran music in Russia on the threshold of 20th to the 21st century. It is through the collection of hymns from the congregations of the Far East, the organ concerts, your work not only with the hymnals of the Evangelical Lutheran Church but by also contributing a large number of your own hymns.
And a person can not forget to mention your service which was honored with a medal. This was for the preparation, organization and execution of the German Cultural Days in your region. Not only did this serve to lead to the furthering of culture and the strengthening of friendly relations between Russia and Germany but these events without a doubt also contributed to the wellbeing of the church. These events served the church by bringing new members to the church and brought people to the light of the truth, and lead them to the light of the Lord.
On this day my wish for you is that your light continue to shine on, that you continue to explain to people, enlighten people and show them the right path. May the Lord bless you in all your endeavors, that he strengthens your faith and protects all of your ways.
Tatjana Muramzewa and all the colleagues from the Church Administration office in Omsk

5.) From the Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany Ruediger Freiherr von Fritsch September 1, 2017
Dear Pastor Brockmann!
The most important and biggest Anniversary for you has gotten lost in the hurly-burly of summer events and absences, even though you and I talked about it in our last conversation.. I ask for your forgiveness from the bottom of my heart.
So from the bottom of my heart I send you my belated good wishes for your 80th birthday. I wish you the best well-being, satisfaction and God’s richest blessings for the very important work that you do. For many years you have dedicated yourself with all of the strength your personality to the well-being of the St. Paul’s congregation in Vladivostok and also to all of the members of the far flung congregations. You have been very successful and you have reached so many people with your good example, not only in the churchly realm but also in the realm of German-Russian relationships You rightly have been honored for your service by the President of the Federal Republic of Germany with the Federal Order of Merit.
We cannot be successful with everything we try and not everything we do has longevity. But as a man of the cloth, you know that everything we do does not add up in the end. What counts is that every person feels called by name, that we have done good to the least of these, and that every neighbor feels the nearness of God. All of these have been a rich river that has flowed from you.
I wish for you a good continuing path and I look forward to meeting you again. With 
Based on the material at:  http://luthvostok.com/?a=page&id=356

Photo: Official persons (L to R: the consul of US, the consul of Japan, our pastor Lapotschenko, Propst Brockmann, honorary consul of Canada, honorary consul of Germany)

About the Apocalypse and Tolerance

Khabarovsk (Russia)
  Pastor Markus Lesinski came to St. John's congregation on March 13th, one year after his previous visit,  and remained until March 21st.  He lead nightly Bible studies, and this time the congregation was focused on St. John's Revelation. Markus was able to give deep and inspiring answers to the myriad of questions tied with this mysterious and sometimes confusing Biblical book. 
  On March 18th Pastor Lesinski gave a public lecture: “Tolerance. Its Definition, Basis and Effect on Common Life.” More than 100 people gathered in the Far East Scientific Library to learn more about this important theme. “The process of learning tolerance that the Christian churches went through might serve as an example in our contemporary world. It led to such an understanding of the human person which is based on the equal worth of every person regardless of skin color and nationality, age and sex, economic situation and political convictions. This is also the reason while tolerance cannot be indifferent to a a lack of tolerance. It is possible to be tolerant of those who refused to accept that every person is God' creation.” The theses of the paper were very interesting and there were many questions and much discussion afterwards. 
  Pastor Lesinski also led the Sunday worship service before Holy Week. And Easter itself was celebrated a week later with worship led by the congregation's elder and respected preacher, Alexander Okkel. Alexander Hermanovich has led the congregation's worship for the 14 years that have gone by since they last had a permanent pastor; every week he prepares his own sermon and prayers for the Khabarovsk congregation.
  Tatyana Musevich

22nd Summer Seminar in the Far East Deanery - The Church as a Special Community in the World

Adapted from materials on the site of the Deanery of the Far East: luthvostok.com

This was a very special seminar. There were participants from each of our 9 congregations. There were 36 persons in attendance including 4 lecturers (Pastor Bradn Buerkle from St. Petersburg, Pastor Alexander Lapotschenko from Arsenyev, Preacher Nina Dimitrijewa and Pastor Manfred Brockmann from Vladivostok) and 8 guests who paid their own way. We were at the same beautiful place where we have held our Deanery seminars for many years. 

The main theme for this seminar was The Church. The seminar had four large units.

1) Bradn Buerkle showed us by walking us through the Bible in an impressive way that the people of God have always been a special community in this world.

2) Pastor Lapotschenko  showed us in a very interesting way how the church developed over the centuries. He named his unit “The Tree of the Church” and that was a very fitting title. He said there is one root, Jesus Christ, from this root a tree has grown with many different branches.

3) But there are so many problems and conflicts in the church. This was the topic for Pastor Bradn Buerkle’s unit entitled, “Conflicts--How To Live with Them and Overcome Them” This topic was understandably of interest to our participants, because who doesn’t have lots of problems in their lives!

4) Another relevant unit came from Dean Brockmann, who told about his trip that just happened in June. This was a trip to visit our American partner churches in the Central States Synod. He also talked about the brotherhood and unity of the Christian Church that transcends cultural and international borders. These many partnerships with churches of our deanery with churches in America must be revitalized anew. Dean Brockmann put the words of the new Bishop of the Central States Synod on the blackboard: “Our society is so loud, that it is becoming harder and harder to hear the quiet voice of God. ” It was necessary to announce this statement because some people were making such a racket with their radios and laptops and this was happening at a place of solitude, without any television or radio.

There was further focus during the seminar on the following:

--The unity of “Paul and Christ. Who is close to Jesus Christ?” Dean Brockmann worked with us on this topic. Paul never saw the historical Jesus but in spite of that he became his greatest Apostle. He saw the risen Christ. And that is still possible today. This was made clear to us based on the essay by Alexander Menh, “Encounters with the Risen Christ.” After all, whoever is baptized, lives in Christ (Romans 6:3; Galatians 3:27) and Christ lives in them, (Galatians 2:20). The greatest task and passion for the Christian in this life is to know Christ more and more.

--This was followed by a unit taught by our Nina Dmitrijewa. She spoke to us about the theme for the World Day of Prayer for 2016. She conducted a Bible study using Mark 9:37 and about the themes of “Faith, Love and Hope.”

---Music had a special meaning for us. We had some very talented people and among them was Tatyana Filobok from St. John’s Church in Chabaroffsk. She led our group singing and the group was accompanied by Nadjeschda on the violin and Manfred Brockmann on the viola. Everyone really got involved and Bradn Buerkle commented afterwards: “That was the highlight of our seminar.” 

There was of course a large Council Meeting of the Deanery, in which all of the congregations had their say.

Our biggest problems are -the St. Mark’s congregation in Magadan, which still hasn’t been able to find renters for the rooms in their congregational building and --the St. Matthew’s Church in Tschita, which is in desperate need of a pastor and also needs a congregational building. There are some unbelievable people serving this congregation! --Some very happy news was reported from St. Luke’s in Arsenyev. Their faithful partner congregation, Trinity Lutheran in Great Bend gave them some very generous help. St. Luke’s is not going to hire a firm for the addition to their church building. Instead they are going to do all the work themselves. The entire congregation is joining together to do this. That is because the right people got the money!

We then had an evaluation of the seminar. There were a variety of responses. - Oleg said, “I recovered quite well. (Why wouldn’t you).-- Ludmilla P. said “Especially good units by Bradn Buerkle, Nina Dmitrijewa and Manfred Brockmann , and she also said “The next time we will need to choose our participants more carefully.” ( Yes!). Tatyana Filobok said, ”Thank you to everyone, but special thanks to Manfred Brockmann for organizing these seminars. (This recognition was well received by him.), but also to quiet, faithful Edik, even though he couldn’t prevent three bus mishaps. We are all such different people.” --Olga Linker said (photo) “Everything was so good. We would like to see something like this again, with the children present.”-- Ekatarina Weitz.said, “Thanks. Everything was so nice especially the sea. We were so happy.” --Nina Dmitrieva said, “Thank you all so much that you all listened to me when I spoke. I would like to communicate, what I know” -- Svetlana Mik said, “I haven’t been here for two years. It is so good for me to get together with my brothers and sisters from far away.”

“The Spiritual Thread” - Khabarovsk

Khabarovsk
  Spring began in the congregation of St. John with a happy event – Pastor Markus Lesinski's visit from March 2 to March 8. Seven days of fellowship breathed new life into the congregation and brought new ideas. During evening lessons the topics of discussion were the Bible and the Koran, Christians and Muslims, Lutherans and Orthodox and where these spiritual paths might intersect in the present or in the future. Pastor Lesinski gave detailed answers to the congregation's questions; he spoke at length about theological questions and about current international affairs. The idea of ecumenism carried through many of these discussions. That was no accident, since  Pastor Lesinski has been a member of the planning team for the EKD Kirkentag for many years. He is always open for discussion with representatives of other confessions from all over the world, for example, his work with Egyptian Copts or singing in an Orthodox choir or taking part in Roman Catholic liturgy in India. It's no surprise, then, that Pastor Lesinksi had contact not only with the congregation, but also with two universities and a school while visiting Khabarovsk. He even received an invitation to give a lecture about Lutherans to the students of the local Orthodox theological seminary; they had a good discussion afterwards. Later a teacher at the seminary invited members of the Lutheran congregation to visit St. Innocent of Irkutsk Church to see its unique frescoes.
  Pastor Lesinski also continued to work with Stas Mel as the latter prepared for baptism; Markus began the classes on his previous visit to Khabarovsk in 2014, and this time they were brought to completion. Stas's baptism was one of the highlights of worship that the congregation celebrated together on the 8th of March.
  For 12 years the spiritual threat that tied the congregation and Pastor Lesinski has held strong; despite his active work in congregations tens of thousands of kilometers away, he continues to remember his former congregation in Russia; he supports them with advice, through material he sends for youth ministry or for use at worship. He always remembers to send cards and letters for special holidays and birthdays...  While the congregation is now small in numbers, both its members and its former pastor are confident that one day the seed of the word that has fallen into the ground will bear fruit and bring a plentiful harvest.

On the Path of Revelation

Khabarovsk, Russia
  Revelations are everywhere. The slogan of the Days of German-Russian culture this year - “On the Path of Revelation” - suggested that we look at the world around us from the point of view of a researcher.  When you see the world with a clear and inquisitive gaze every day is like a journey, full of surprising revelations. The festival invited people on a journey during which each person could become an investigator and make his own discoveries – through movies, exhibitions, lectures, meetings and, of course, in conversation.
  The days of German-Russian culture in Khabarovsk, which were held on October 3-11, took place already for the 17th time. The main organizer of the festival was St. John's Lutheran congregation; they, together with many co-organizers, continue to initiate and to develop creative dialog between the community and artists from Germany and Russia. They invite people to find revelation in  meetings with art, with one another, with other points of view - meetings which widen horizons and open up new paths.
  The festival of new German cinema, organized by the Goethe Institute of Novosibirsk, acquainted people with the best German films of the last couple of years. The movie theater “Sovkino” hosted the opening of the festive, “Measuring the World” (director Detlev Buk), based on the novel by Daniel Kelman. It told about the life of the famous German researchers, Alexander von Humbult and Karl Friedrich Gauss, in an exciting and intriguing way.
  The theme of journeys and revelations was taken up at the exhibition - “Alexander von Humbult – a  man of the universe” in the Grodenkov History Museum. September 14 would have been the 245th birthday of this leading German scientist. His American and Russia-Siberian expeditions were an example for other scientists-explorers. Thanks to Humbult contacts between scientists throughout Europe were made more active. He believed that in the “scientific republic where the peoples of Europe should be in mutual exchange, bringing hope for further fruitful cooperation of all European countries.”
  The center of academic events for the Days of German culture was the Far East State Research Library. Among the interactive lectures given there was one by the congregation's former pastor, Markus Lesinski. His lecture was entitled “I am not like you. Something of you is in me, and also in you there is a piece of me. Globalization and Mobility as a path to trans-culturalism.” Pastor Lesinksi, after ministry in Khabarovsk and Germany and projects in Egypt and Ethiopia, is now working in New Delhi; Markus not only led a lectures, but also actively worked in the team of organizers – gave interviews with the press, participated in the opening of the exhibition, met with university students and representatives of the Khabarovsk Russian Orthodox Seminary. During the seminar he led Bible studies, worship and celebrated Harvest Festival together with the congregation. This was Pastor Lesinksi's second visit to the Far East this year. We are thankful to Dean Manfred Brockman for inviting him as a lecturer to the summer seminar of the deanery in the Bay of Vityaz.
  This year's German-Russian days came to a close with a youth “happening” by the “Forum Theater.” This is already the 10th year that this theater has invited people to come to new revelations about their ideas, their talents, themselves and the world around them.
  This event helped us think about the next, 18th, Days of German-Russian culture in Khabarovsk. The festival remains popular in the city and the region and shows that St. John Lutheran church is a congregations which is alive, creative and open to conversation and dialog.