ORDINATION AT THE LIVING STONES CHURCH
On January 19, the Living Stones Church in Rancho Cordova had a deacon ordination service for four men. The church service had a dignified feel to it: the encouragement of the head pastor, A. Krasnov, as well as an inspiring word of encouragement by PCSBA’s President, I. Mileyev. There were also many songs and words of exhortation to the future deacons, and a call to the entire church to serve one another. More details…(in Russian only).
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DECEMBER NEWS FROM THE EDUCATION MINISTRY
The Education Ministry is one of the most active ministries in the Association. In his article, the leader of the ministry, A. Pronin, shares about their efforts in various churches during the month of December. Read more about it here (in Russian only).
 Group of students under the “Bachelor of Church Ministry” program at the Second Slavic Church in Sacramento. Taught by Ivan Leschuk.
LEADERS’ RETREAT
On January 16-18, the Good News Church in Tacoma, WA, had an annual leaders’ retreat at one of the most beautiful regions of Washington – Cedar Springs Christian Retreat Center. Over the course of three days, while experiencing a warm family atmosphere, the retreat participants were able to share about their concerns, give their testimonies, and share their experiences of God’s blessings in their ministries. Close to one hundred people came to this retreat. More details… (in Russian only).
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STREET EVANGELISM
On December 1, the Spring Church in Moraga, Bay Area, did street evangelism at the center of Walnut Creek. This was an amazing and joyful event which allowed the Christians to share about God’s love with people around them. They passed out hot chocolate and snacks to the locals, creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere on such a cold winter day. In addition to these treats, they also sang Christmas songs, and created a festive mood on the streets of the city. More details…(in Russian only).
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WOMEN’S CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST AT GRACE FAMILY CHURCH
Grace Family Church announced that they were dedicating the whole month of December to Christmas. That is why on December 7 they had a special women’s Christmas breakfast, which became a memorable event for the entire church. The sanctuary was decorated with a Christmas theme, which created an atmosphere of warmth and joy. Everything pointed to creating a festive mood! More details…(in Russian only).
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SPECIAL PERFORMANCE FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN
The Spring of Life Church in Mukilteo, WA, has been doing special Christmas plays for years now. However, they were not received well by children with special needs since some of them are scared of loud sounds, others are irritated by the blinking lights, while others are unable to be in one spot for even a short period of time without moving around. This was especially true for children with autism. That is why this year, the special needs children’s ministry, along with the Sunday school team and Christmas drama team, decided to come up with a program that would be the most comfortable for children with special needs. More details…(in Russian only).
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THERE IS HELP AND HOPE!
Perhaps the majority of Slavic churches have families who have children or adults with special needs. The Lord has placed a very special and heavy burden on them, which the majority of the people are bearing alone. They are trying to hide their concerns, suffering, and often, even hiding their special relatives from being seen by others. Very few of them know that they can receive some outside help, and that those who are close to them can actually be integrated into society to be able to enjoy life along with healthy people. Read a testimony of Ksenya Sibrinin, a mother of children with autism, who also leads a ministry to children with special needs at the Spring of Life Church in Mukilteo, WA. The article is in Russian only.
HE LAID HOLD OF ME
On December 7, Rockland Baptist Church had a special women’s Christmas party. About 70 women came together to kick off the Christmas season, and to enjoy the time of fellowship together. The central theme of the evening was a seminar by Olesya Dobychin, “He Laid Hold of Me,” and was based on Philippians 3:12. More details…(in Russian only).
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LIVE IN HOPE
On January 18, First Slavic Baptist Church in Sacramento hosted an evening of arts dedicated to the 50 years of Sergey Sulima’s service to God as a composer. The “Live by Hope” meeting in Sacramento was made possible by the support of the PCSBA Literature Department, and the comprehensive assistance of First Slavic Evangelical Baptist Church of Sacramento, Family Harmony Ministry, and media personnel from Grace Avenue Bible Church. More details about the evening and Sergey Sulima…(in Russian only).
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TOGETHER WE ARE UNITED
For the second year in a row, the Integrity Women’s Ministry is hosting women’s meetings in the Sacramento Region. We have an opportunity to serve newly-arrived women, some of whom have never been to church, do not have any friends, and need fellowship. On December 27, the Lord gave an opportunity for women to meet together at Bryte Church to experience the festive environment and to celebrate the birth of the Savior. Over 100 women came to this event. More details…(in Russian only).
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BEYOND ALL COMPREHENSION
The Moms in Prayer Ministry held a meeting before Christmas to hear Tatyana V. Senin talk about “The Authority of God as the King of kings and Lord of lords,” based on Paul Tripp’s War of Words book. The women took turns as they read a lot of Scripture passages, trying to have a deeper understanding of the truth. Every Bible text they read, and every heading they wrote down, were like sips of life-giving water that brought clarity and confidence in God, knowing that He controls everything in His will. He even uses the sinful decisions of people to redeem those who love Him, and to allow God’s eternal plan to play out. More details…(in Russian only).
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CHRISTMAS FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN
December was the busiest month for the Special Needs Children Ministry Department and was full of meetings with the children and their families. That should not be a surprise, however, because Christmas is a favorite time for all children, including those with special needs. Many people took an active part in visiting others, welcoming, and preparing Christmas presents for children with special needs. More details…(in Russian only).
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YOU ARE HERE FOR A PURPOSE
Our hearts continue to rejoice that the Lord is providing opportunities to visit those people who committed thoughtless actions, for which they later ended up behind bars. Of course, no one is immune to this, and even believers end up there. We often hear from them that they are not there in vain, and that the Lord has preserved them from more serious crimes. After ending up in prison, many of them begin to think of Him, and turn to the Word of God. More details…(in Russian only).
 During one of the visits…
CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS IN HONOLULU
The Slavic Church of Honolulu had a very busy holiday season with numerous services that included worship, a youth play, a musical, caroling, and a sermon on the true meaning of Christmas. Almost all the church families were involved in various activities. More details…(in Russian only).
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WE RECEIVED CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR’S GREETINGS!
We received greetings from partnering unions and individual pastors and would like to share this expression of Christian love with you.
Unions and Missions |
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