Omsk
The 20th anniversary celebrations of the Christ Church Center in Omsk from May 30 to June 1, 2014 included three different events – an organ concert at the city orchestra hall; the opening celebrations at the Center (the presentation of a new exhibit on the history of Lutherans in Omsk, a choir concert, greeting and speeches), and a worship service. 20 years doesn't seem like much time, but how eventful these years have been! It was 20 years ago that the Omsk congregation, which gathered in a small prayer house in Soviet times, moved into the big, beautiful Center. After the fall of the USSR and the establishment of new church/state relationships, believers had the chance to freely confess their faith and to open the doors of their buildings to new converts. In May of 1992 in Omsk the synod assembly established the Diocese of the Urals, Siberia and Far East and Dean Nikolai Schneider was elected Superintendent. He was the one who had the idea of building a church center in Omsk, and this idea was supported by the Hannover Church and German government. The building was dedicated on August 31st, 1994 and it became the center for Lutherans in the Urals, Siberia and Far East. In the 1990s and 2000s there were few buildings of such high quality built in Omsk. With its humble interior, the building embodies the spirit of Siberian Lutheranism; the altar painting invites everyone to concentrate on the essence of the Christian faith; everything there points to what is most important – Jesus Christ.
The 20th anniversary celebrations of the Christ Church Center in Omsk from May 30 to June 1, 2014 included three different events – an organ concert at the city orchestra hall; the opening celebrations at the Center (the presentation of a new exhibit on the history of Lutherans in Omsk, a choir concert, greeting and speeches), and a worship service. 20 years doesn't seem like much time, but how eventful these years have been! It was 20 years ago that the Omsk congregation, which gathered in a small prayer house in Soviet times, moved into the big, beautiful Center. After the fall of the USSR and the establishment of new church/state relationships, believers had the chance to freely confess their faith and to open the doors of their buildings to new converts. In May of 1992 in Omsk the synod assembly established the Diocese of the Urals, Siberia and Far East and Dean Nikolai Schneider was elected Superintendent. He was the one who had the idea of building a church center in Omsk, and this idea was supported by the Hannover Church and German government. The building was dedicated on August 31st, 1994 and it became the center for Lutherans in the Urals, Siberia and Far East. In the 1990s and 2000s there were few buildings of such high quality built in Omsk. With its humble interior, the building embodies the spirit of Siberian Lutheranism; the altar painting invites everyone to concentrate on the essence of the Christian faith; everything there points to what is most important – Jesus Christ.
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