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December 9, 2000
Dear Friends,
The cyclical return of the season of Advent last Sunday reminds
us that our lives are bound and destined for an eternal and unrepeatable
future with Jesus Christ. The repetitive cycles of life and death
in this world are outweighed by the undercurrent of the coming
Messiah whose presence here and now as well as in history and
in the future steadily draw us, and this often in spite of ourselves,
toward a dazzling, eternal day of glory. As the United States
of America waits for the resolution of November’s presidential
election, we look to the Lord who is Governor and Judge of the
universe to order all things according to his unchangeable and
good purposes.
Our family has been on "furlough," as it was once called
by missionaries. Though still widely used, the word "furlough"
has fallen into disfavor among many missionaries. It has fallen
into disfavor because it sounds too much like "vacation,"
and most missionaries would agree that when they come home, they
are not much "on vacation," but have come home to continue
their work. That’s why the concept has undergone a number
of name changes. Some call it "Home Assignment." A few
people, who, it seems to me have never been missionaries, have
referred to it as "sabbatical." One missionary whom
we met at our PC(USA) sharing conference gave the most telling
description about this part of our work when he referred to it
as "itineration."
Our denomination calls it "interpretation assignment."
This period of living in the United States is assigned for several
purposes. The purposes are: (1) to interpret to congregations
what God is doing in Russia and how we are seeking to work with
him (2) to study to become better prepared for our work upon our
return to Russia (3) to reconnect with family and friends, to
rest and find refreshment.
Interpretation
Since July I have had the privilege of visiting almost fifty
Presbyterian congregations spread out between Rhode Island, California,
Texas and Florida. This has been a great thrill. By serving as
a missionary in Russia, I, and members of my family who were sometimes
with me, have had the opportunity to see places in the United
States we have never seen before. It has also been a challenge
for my family and me. The physical and emotional stress of frequent
travel has given me an appreciation of the challenges faced by
those who must constantly travel in their work and by the families
whom they leave behind.
Along with the delight of seeing the incredible beauty of America,
it has been a great joy to reconnect with Presbyterians at worship,
to experience both the traditions as well as the variety of innovation,
particularly in music, in our congregations. I have felt a strong
sense of confirmation working in the role of a missionary in Russia
over the past three years, but visiting, preaching, and speaking
in our American churches has reaffirmed the roots of my identity
as a pastor. I regret that it was not possible for me to visit
all the congregations that invited me. I am keeping a short list
of those congregations that invited me, but which I could not
visit, and will contact them first on future visits to the U.S.
Study
I have had the privilege of study in a number of contexts. In
August I took a course with Bobby Clinton and Shelley Trebesch
at the School of World Missions of Fuller Theological Seminary
in Pasadena, California. I participated in two excellent seminars
at the Overseas Ministries Study Center in New Haven, Connecticut.
In addition to this, through my contact with these institutions,
and by attending conferences, I have had the opportunity to meet
and network with many people who have provided me with insights,
books, and resources that will greatly assist me in my work in
the future.
The period of interpretation assignment has also allowed me to
move forward on writing a proposal for a Ph.D. dissertation on
the contemporary history of missions of the Russian Orthodox Church.
I will be writing this dissertation under Dr. Jan Jongeneel of
the University of Utrecht, Holland, and Dr. Anne-Marie Kool of
the Protestant Institute for Mission Study in Budapest, Hungary.
These institutions allow a flexible schedule for the research
and writing of a Ph.D. dissertation so that I will not be required
to interrupt my work in a significant way in the near future.
I am taking the beginning steps in this work trusting in God,
and sensing that I do it with his approval. I know that it is
a big challenge, even with a flexible schedule, and I do ask for
your prayers,
Connecting with Family and Friends, Rest and Refreshment
Our family has been living with my parents in Branford, Connecticut,
near New Haven. We have visited with Laurie’s parents on
two occasions, and before we return to Russia in January, we will
have visited with each one of our brothers and sisters and their
families. It is a joy to be reunited with family and to see our
children with their grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins. During
this period we have been reunited with many friends, particularly
friends in Richmond, Virginia, where we lived for eight years
before moving to Russia. We have also made new friends and we
have visited churches around the country.
Between the many trips I have made I have sought and found solitude
and refreshment walking in the state woods of my home state of
Connecticut. My children accompanied me on several of these walks,
scaling the rocky protrusions of the coast, crawling through narrow
cave-like openings formed by centuries of deep frost and spring
thaw, navigating the blazed trails by the painted spots on trees.
Such walks have reconnected me with God’s goodness as I experienced
in the natural world of my childhood. But I have also found refreshment
and inspiration lately from an unexpected source. In the course
of the fall, I read Murray’s biography of Jonathan Edwards,
the great New England pastor and theologian who was born in East
Windsor, Connecticut, in 1702 and spent most of his life ministering
in Massachusetts. Not long ago I made a sort of one-day "pilgrimage"
with Jim Phillips of OMSC to several places associated with Edward’s
life. All of this has reconnected me with the spiritual roots
of my faith as an American Reformed Christian.
In addition to this, our family has had the opportunity to travel
to a many beautiful places in the United States. We are grateful
for the great kindness and generosity shown to us by many who
have opened their homes to us and helped us in countless ways.
Looking Forward
During this entire period we have kept in close contact with
our Russian friends and partners, particularly through the Narnia
Center in Moscow. Alexei and Julia have kept us up-to-date on
the news of the many sister churches, the work of the biblical
training schools and on the progress in publishing new books.
Many of you who are involved in sister church relationships have
heard news from them either directly or through me, and know that
the work continues. Through our contacts with Presbyterian churches
in the U.S. we anticipate a number of new churches to join with
us in our work in Russia and to enter into new sister church relationships.
With prayers for God’s grace this coming year,
Donald Marsden
The 2001 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 91
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