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A letter from Gary Payton in Russia
and the U.S. |
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October 2002
The Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy:
Serving the International Community for 40 Years
Voices of the world filled the room following worship. The
accents of Africa, India, the USA, and, of course, Russia, spilled
out over tea and cookies and against the backdrop of children
playing tag. From points around the globe, we had gathered again
to worship God on a Sunday in Moscow.
For 40 years, the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy has been an interdenominational,
English-speaking Christian congregation serving the international
community. Established by the National Council of Churches of
Christ of the USA during of the darkest days of the Cold War,
the Chaplaincy first ministered to Protestants of the US Embassy.
Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, the ministry expanded
greatly to meet the changing spiritual and social needs of the
congregation and their Russian neighbors.
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MPC's multinational congregation sings praises to the Lord. |
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Today, Pastor John Calhoun of the
United Methodist Church serves the membership of approximately 275
persons from 24 nations representing almost 20 different Christian
traditions. Support for this critical ministry is provided by five
Protestant denominations: the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Reformed Church in America,
the United Methodist Church, and the American Baptist Church. |
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The Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy
has no permanent facility. In fact, over the last decade they have
held worship services in a series of rented halls around the city.
In the fall of 2002, worship moved to St. Andrew's Anglican Church
only blocks from the Kremlin and Red Square. Now, this historic
church is filled each Sunday morning with Anglican worship and Sunday
School and each Sunday afternoon with the interdenominational worship
of MPC.
Because of the decades long engagement of the PC(U.S.A.) with
MPC, I look forward to meeting with John and his wife, Noel, each
time I am in Moscow. In these visits, we discern how Presbyterians
can improve our support to the worshipping community and to MPC's
vital social ministry programs.
The history of an era can be seen in their aged faces: veterans
who defended the Motherland from the onslaught of the Nazis,
office workers who toiled in the vast central bureaucracies
of the Soviet state, educators who taught the nation which pioneered
space, harnessed nuclear power, and constructed the mighty military
arsenal of the Cold War. Now, they are old. Now, they are on
a pension. And, now, all too often, they are hungry.
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Everyday, Monday through Friday,
the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy serves over 600 midday meals to
those in need: the elderly, the handicapped, single mothers and
their children. Through three soup kitchens in the sprawling city,
volunteers assist in providing a simple meal served with dignity
and respect. Soup, meat, salad, bread and tea help stretch a meager
income.What strikes me most when I visit one of the soup kitchens
is the manner of serving the meals. In Christian love, volunteers
take the orders from the clients who have come to eat "restaurant-style."
The meal is brought and served along with a little chat and a great
deal of kindness. Those who gather often share news and stories
of family around the table. In times of economic hardship and social
distress, maintaining one's dignity is a step in maintaining self-respect.
The message of the staff and volunteers is simple. You are my brother
or sister in Christ, and I care for you. |
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In Christian love, MPC's soup kitchen provides meals "restaurant
style."
Noel and John Calhoun display workstations in the Parish Center.
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I remember all too well the anger that welled up in me when
I read the email from John last July. At the conclusion of MPC's
young adult fellowship picnic, skinheads attacked several of
the African student and refugee members of the congregation
as they departed Troparevsky Park en route to their homes. Germaine,
a Cameroonian student, was hospitalized with head injuries.
Three other young men from the fellowship were injured less
severely by the punches and kicks from the racists. In an all
too typical manner, the slow police response focused not on
the attackers, but on document checks and questions of the MPC
victims and witnesses, "Where are you from? Are you in
Moscow legally? Where is the church registered?'' Racism is
an ever present aspect of life in Russia. In a recent survey
of racist violence, 66% of the African respondents reported
they had been physically attacked while living in Moscow. Programs
of the Moscow Protestant Chaplaincy represent major steps in
ministering to the needs of the student and refugee population
of the congregation.
John and Noel described the recently completed Parish Center
as a "sanctuary"-a place of refuge or protection. With
volunteer labor and donations from Moscow area business, an urban
basement was transformed in early 2002 to serve a host of congregational
needs. Daily uses include prayer meetings, vespers, Bible study
in Amharic, computer classes, English language classes and Internet
classes. In safety, students and refugees can worship, work, and
prepare for their futures. Using the resources of the Center,
many are able to complete the paperwork required by Western European
or North American countries for their resettlement from Moscow.
As members of the PC(USA), we should know that contributions to
the One Great Hour of Sharing enabled the Presbyterian Disaster
Assistance program to provide grants of $5,000 in 2001 and 2002
aiding in the successful startup of MPC's Parish Center.
On Saturday, October 19, 2002, the members of the Moscow Protestant
Chaplaincy gathered for worship and an international potluck dinner
to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the congregation and its
mission of outreach and caring. For 40 years, the Presbyterian
Church (U.S.A.) has provided a portion of the spiritual, staffing,
and financial support for MPC. It is a ministry with a rich tradition
which continues to serve as part of the Body of Church in the
Russian Federation.
To learn more about MPC, see the webpage at www.moscowprotestantchaplaincy.org
To provide financial gifts to enable MPC's ministry, you may
contribute to the Extra Commitment Opportunity, "Moscow Protestant
Chaplaincy, Soup Kitchen, ECO #047943."
As the Chaplaincy enters its fifth decade of service to the Lord,
may we remember in our prayers the staff, the congregation, and
all whom they serve in Moscow.
In Christ,
Gary
The 2002 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 172
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