Strengthen the Foundation and Repair the Walls: The Current Situation of Moscow Church

 

The theme of the church’s ministry this year (2024) is “Strengthen the Foundation and Repair the Walls.” Starting from March, the church’s ten articles of faith were repeatedly reviewed in the Friday evening services in order to strengthen the believers’ understanding and confidence in the church’s basic beliefs. Before each church service, all believers recited the Ten Articles of Faith once. The third round of study was completed at the end of October.

The two-month interpretation training course started on January 28, 2024. It was held twice a week for two hours each time. Participants prayed earnestly before and after the course. The sisters who served as speakers carefully selected the sermons used for interpretation practice. The three students also took the classes seriously and studied hard. On March 30th, interpretation for Sabbath services resumed after more than eight years.

A brother who came to Moscow to study vocal music five years ago actively preached the gospel to his classmates. More than a dozen college students, who were directly or indirectly led by him, came to attend Sabbath services and youth fellowships. Two of them were baptized this summer. This gave a big boost to the church’s evangelism and youth ministry. Moscow Church baptized four people this year, including two college students whom Moscow Church entrusted to the church in China to baptize them when they returned home for their summer break.

Earlier this year, a church worker from China, who was visiting relatives in Russia, assisted the Moscow Church with a two-day youth spiritual convocation, a two-day New Year spiritual convocation, and a one-day ministers training. Deacon Zephaniah from the UK was once again able to obtain a visa and came to Russia to assist with the ministry from August 16 to September 2, 2024. During this period, he helped with a five-day student spiritual convocation and a one-day religious teacher training. On August 31st, we held a baptism, foot washing, and Holy Communion. Two people were baptized, and 29 people partook of the bread and the cup. 

On July 7, 2024, the European Coordination Center held a meeting to approve Moscow Church’s application to join the European Coordination Center (hereinafter referred to as ECC). On July 22nd, the chair of the ECC and a preacher held an online meeting with the chair of Moscow Church. Starting from 2025, Moscow Church will perform its duties in accordance with the regulations of the ECC, and the ministry plan will be coordinated and arranged by the ECC. On September 9th, Moscow Church received the Chinese version of the regulations that the ECC had recently translated. It is hoped that after joining the ECC, the various holy works of Moscow Church will be more standardized and complete. 

Thanks to the Lord’s protection and care, the believers of Moscow Church are all safe despite the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Thank and praise the Lord Jesus!