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.”
In the family and at work,
with friends and among strangers, almost in every situation in life
we run into conflicts. They also are part of are lives as believers,
and they disturb peace and harmony in our families and in our
congregations. Some Christians look at conflicts pragmatically,
others are disappointed, others still close their eyes to the facts
because they have the illusion that conflicts and Christian humility
are incompatible.
