October 2, 2006

Dear Friends and Family,

On this World Communion Sunday, we greet you in the name of Jesus, who binds us together in one family!

This letter is the second part of a two-part letter. You may want to read part one before going on.

As Bob Ellis and I were winding up his visit with a debriefing session in Margarita Nelyubova’s office, a group of five from White Memorial Presbyterian Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, were landing at the airport. My colleague, Laurie Marsden, and her son Jeremiah met them at the airport, took them to their hotel, and then gave them a brief tour of central Moscow. By 6:00 p.m., I was able to meet up with them to discuss the logistics of the next several days. Bob Ellis left early the following morning, and I began to focus my attention on church twinning.

As our ministry broadens, the need to switch gears becomes necessary. It involves not only a change from HIV/AIDS issues to church twinning, but also a change from an Orthodox to a Baptist context, though as I stand in the midst of each I feel the same warmth of Christian fellowship. I feel like a member of the family. The challenge I face is that the two churches do not appreciate one another. There is formal dialogue and there are growing numbers of healthy informal connections, but for the most part, there is a great deal of misunderstanding and distrust. I often feel caught in the middle. Sometimes, as I listen to them talk about one another, I feel called to speak up and correct misunderstandings, but sometimes I must just be silent. Being amid one group while looking ahead to being with the other group can be a bit daunting, but the reality is amazingly smooth, for they are all family to me. I hope and pray that they will learn to appreciate one another more fully.

bags full of homemade hats, scarves, and outfits. When the orphanage directors hear that the items are handmade especially for their children, the items take on a special value. The Smolensk church makes a point of telling the children that the items are made for them by loving hands in America. Last year, the group brought homemade bead kits for the children in the orphanages. Each packet held a variety of beads. When one child came up and asked for a cross like the one another child had, it started the wheels spinning.

White Memorial is planning a special youth visit this summer to connect with the youth of Smolensk Baptist Church. We are still working on the details of that visit and are excited about the possibilities. The two churches have also had a long connection in the area of camp ministry. The Smolensk church has an exciting sports ministry that offers some great opportunities for engagement. Given that it is Russia, we try to stay very flexible and remain open to the Lord’s plan. We will continue to discuss and plan over the coming months.

Another group is coming in October, but I will have only a few days with them before handing them off to Al and their partner church. A team from Wellshire Presbyterian Church in Denver is coming to visit Golgotha Baptist Church in Moscow and will be putting on a family seminar for members of the church. We are excited about the possibilities for fellowship and engagement. I will be heading back to the United States for the Russia Network Conference at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Charleston, South Carolina. I will be speaking on the work against HIV/AIDS and also leading a small group discussion on twinning. If any of you would be interested in attending, you would be most welcome. It is open to all churches engaged in ministry in Russia, interested in engagement, or just interested in hearing about the work. Please let me know if you would like information.

May the peace and blessings of our Lord be with each of you.

With love in Christ,

Ellen

The 2006 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 188