Salem Mission Work Update: Siberia

Based on ongoing committed gifts from Salem members, we now support a sister parish, Holy Spirit Lutheran Church in Chelyabinsk, Siberia, with $250 per month for their ongoing missionary work in Russia, where Lutheranism was all but destroyed and Christianity severely suppressed under the heel of Communism.

If you are unfamiliar with the story of Russian Lutheranism, its survival and revival, here is a must-see short online video.

Our brethren in Russia are both gracious and grateful.  The bishop of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Most Rev. Vselodod Lytkin, has been very appreciative of Salem for our support of his flock that is small in numbers but the largest Lutheran church in the world in terms of geography.  The work of the SELC is nothing short of miraculous in bringing the Gospel to what was once the land of the Gulag and concentration camps.  Their stories are compelling, and you can read them in their own words in the outstanding and inspiring newsletters of the U.S.-based Siberian Lutheran Mission Society.

Holy Spirit Lutheran Church is located in Chelyabinsk, an industrial center of some one million people.  The fledgling congregation is led by Pastor Vladislav Ivanov ("Father Vlad"), who is married to Svetlana.  The Ivanovs have a daughter Sophia, and another child on the way.  Pastor Ivanov is one of the earliest graduates of Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novisibirsk (note: the LTS website may be down temporarily at this time) - a seminary that began with great help from Concordia Theological Seminary - Fort Wayne.  Holy Spirit Lutheran Church also has a deacon, Victor Shtraube, who is, like Pastor Ivanov, a Ukranian.  He is getting his work permits so that he can assist in the ministry of the Word in Russia.  Pastor Ivanov also has a close working relationship to Pastor Sergey Glushkov in the city of Ekaterinburg.  They often make missionary trips and pastoral visitations together.

Bishop Lytkin, Pastor Ivanov, Deacon Shtraube, and Pastor Glushkov are all on facebook (as are several other Russian Lutheran clergy and laypeople) - and several Salem members communicate with them on a regular basis.  Some gifts from our parish and our parishioners are in transit to Chelyabinsk.  You can see pictures of the congregation here.  Holy Spirit rents a civic hall for worship services and Bible classes.  They are a young congregation with great missionary zeal for the Word of God and the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you would like to commit to send a gift every month - no matter how large or small - please contact Pastor Beane.  We would like to be able to increase our support of our sister church.  And please do keep them in your prayers!