News from our Russia Ministries

Children’s Hospice – Fr. Alexander Tkachenko

Thanks to the engagement of a new employee in September - Olga S. – there have been some changes in the work of the Children’s Hospice social and psychological care service. Previously, Olga headed a children's center of the Ethnographic Museum, where she created and implemented many innovative programs. Now she uses her valuable experience at Children’s Hospice and arranges so-called “thematic weeks”, which are beloved by our patients. As a result, in September a “Week of water” took place in the Hospice, which included a lot of various and fun activities.

St. John of Kronstadt –

Dr. Sergei Medvedev

In October the heating season in Koltushi began at last, and we are able to have classes in the Cultural Center with heat! All classes from the last academic year have started their activities. Two lectures on Bible History for adults have also been presented. We finished the repair of the heating system at last, but till now have not finished the repair of electric system. My volunteers appear and disappear, appear and disappear etc.

The most interesting event was a bus trip along the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland (where Peterhof is located). We visited an old historic fort with its super guns which had a big role in the time of the blockade of Leningrad. The coast at this place is very steep and rugged, and this was interesting for us too.

In early October we took a group of our adult parishioners to the Pskov-Pecherski Monastery for an overnight visit.  We attended a worship service and toured the Cathedral.  This is a very interesting place with long caves of the XV century. The monks used them as their cemetery.

St. Andrew’s Biblical Institute – Dr. Alexei Bodrov

Teachers at St. Andrew's are trying to promote the revival of the ancient Orthodox tradition of deep Bible study. Working in close co-operation with the leading foreign Christian publishers and Bible Society in Russia, whose revival had been actively supported by Fr. Alexander Men', the College faculty members have access to modern literature on Biblical studies. This special attention to Biblical studies distinguishes St. Andrew's from other Orthodox teaching institutions.  They sponsored several Conferences this year and the next will be in early November in Lviv, Ukraine on Academic Theology in a Post-Secular Age.

Hosanna Community – Bishop Seraphim

In Semkhoz ,the village outside Moscow where Fr Alexander Men, the leader of Christian renewal in Russia and the one who inspired our work, lived and died, we have continued to develop our retreat center step by step--modernizing the dining and kitchen areas previously and this year beginning what we will continue in 2012 the development of the large basement into a lounge area to complement the second floor meeting hall with an area for relaxed conversations, snacks, a television etc. The center is used not only for our own retreats but for those of Christian friends like Scripture Union, Jean Vanier's Faith and Life and so on. We also continue to have special retreats for children, couples, etc

Narnia Center – Alexey Markevich

This fall after Narnia staff visited,  the leader of a charitable Christian organization in Vladivostok wrote to Narnia, “We were able to distribute 158 books with the help of benefactors. The number of books was enough so each orphanage was able to have many different books.  I gave the books to children who said they love to read and who promised to exchange the books with friends and try to read everything that they have received.  Thank you so much for making it possible for the children to have such wonderful books.”