December 1, 2007
Dear Friends in Christ,
I truly love this season of Advent, this season of waiting, of watching, and of anticipation. As my own spiritual journey continues, Advent allows me to prepare my heart anew to receive the gift of Christ Jesus on Christmas Day.
But even as I wait and watch in this season, I reflect upon the joys of the calendar year now ending and the many ways I’ve been privileged to be a part of the ministry and mission of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Poland.
It has been a good year. January gave me the chance to travel with the Rev. Jon Chapman, our area coordinator for Europe, introducing him to Russia and Belarus for the first time. Our meetings with every PC(USA) mission colleague in Russia and with Baptist, Orthodox, and Lutheran church leaders deepened Jon’s awareness and enhanced his ability to serve, as our partners continue to renew their churches and their ministries.
February took me to Ukraine traveling with my friend and colleague, Burkhard Paetzold, as we strengthened connections with the Reformed Church in Carpath-Ukraine. From Roma ministry to self-development projects to planning for the 2008 Presbyterian Women Global Exchange visit to Eastern Europe, our time in Ukraine was about strengthening our church partnership.
I jokingly comment that one visit to Russia or Ukraine or Belarus gives me six months of follow-up work. My early 2007 visit was no exception! The most noteworthy actions included the release of an additional $5,000 from Presbyterian Disaster Assistance for continuing relief for victims and families of the Beslan terrorist attack, working with Jon Chapman to initiate a National Council of Churches forum on our churches’ response to racism and xenophobia in Russia, and finding ways to extend our PC(USA) ministry with Roma not only in Russian and Ukraine but across Central Europe.
June gave my family the time for a long-planned vacation in Alaska. While the camping and hiking amidst the splendor of God’s creation renewed my soul, it was delving into the history of Russian America that stimulated my mind. There is nothing like a visit to Sitka, the formerly known as Novo Archangelsk and capital of the Russian colony of Alaska until 1867, to heightened one’s awareness of our shared history across the centuries.
Summer and fall have been a blur of travel, sermons, and mission interpretation across parts of the United States. It has been a joy to visit 17 PC(USA) congregations in the Presbyteries of the Yukon, the Inland Northwest, the Missouri River Valley, and Glacier. Each invitation gave me the opportunity to lift up how the Lord has called individuals and congregations to “come alongside” our brothers and sisters in Christ in these former communist states. Responses were overwhelmingly enthusiastic, particularly to Mission Challenge ’07, when I was one of 48 missionaries to visit 144 presbyteries in October. Our Presbyterian zeal for mission (local, national, and international) is a strong connecting bond across our broad denomination.
And, just last month our third annual Russian Mission Network meeting was hosted by First Presbyterian Church, Nashville, Tennessee. Almost 40 folks from California to Georgia and Washington to the Carolinas gathered to share the news of their Presbyterian mission partnerships in Russia and Belarus. The overwhelming highlight of this year’s network meeting was the presence of and presentations by Pastor Victor Ignatenkov and his wife, Nadya, of the Smolensk Baptist Church. Slava Bogy! Preparations are already underway for us to gather again in October 2008 in Columbus, Georgia.
Indeed, Advent has been a time to anticipate anew the gift of the birth of Christ Jesus. It has also been a time to reflect on the many gifts I have received in ministry across the past year. The year ahead holds great promise as well. In February, I will travel with the Rev. Jerry Van Marter of the Presbyterian News Service to Russia. He will meet with mission colleagues and partners in three major cities. Look for Jerry’s articles in February offering his unique perspective on our mission engagement with Baptist, Orthodox, and Lutheran partners. From Russia, I’ll head for Poland to continue conversations with leaders in the Evangelical Reformed Church of Poland. It is our shared prayer that we will soon have our first PC(USA) missionaries serving alongside in Poland. Every other day of the coming year will be filled with communications with mission colleagues, with partners in the region, and with the many pieces of our Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) engaged in mission there.
As our celebration of Advent and Christmas continues, I ask for your prayers for our brothers and sisters in Christ in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Poland. I ask for your prayers for all who are called by God to minister alongside these faithful Christians, especially those appointed by our General Assembly.
And in this season of giving, I humbly ask for your support. As I move into my tenth year of this call, my travel and food expenses for my ministry in the four countries comes totally from your gifts. I receive no support from our national church to undertake my partnership visits. It all comes from you.
If you or your congregation can support my ministry, the addresses are listed below. Write “Regional Liaison for Russia/ECO #051663” both on the subject line of the check and on your cover letter or note.
Contributions from individuals may be sent to:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Individual Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643700
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3700
Contributions from congregations may be sent to:
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
Church Remittance Processing
P.O. Box 643678
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3678
Thank you for your prayers and for your steadfast support.
May the Lord grant you the anticipation of Advent and the joy of Christmas birth.
Yours in Christ,
Gary
The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p.187
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