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The Work of the SLMS

The Siberian Lutheran Mission Society  is working to help support our Siberian Lutheran brethren. We raise funds to support the Pastoral Office in the Siberian Lutheran congregations. We also gather funds to purchase Communion kits, Altar ware, Bibles, VBS materials, and so forth.

Your offerings help support the Mission effort of the Lutheran church in Siberia. None of the national church bodies are engaged in this work. It is the efforts of congregations that are helping to support the mission of our fellow Lutherans in Russia.

We are also engaged in Mercy work in Siberia. People need the Word of God. They also have physical needs and cares. Your offerings help the Pastors care for their flocks in body and soul.  Your prayers and financial gifts are vital to the mission in Siberia.     No financial gifts sent to the SLMS general budget are used for overhead -- 100% of your donations go directly to the mission.

How to Support the Siberian Lutheran Mission

Your gift helps provide pastors and deacons for those who are poor, pays rent for church facilities, covers transportation to villages near and far, purchases much needed supplies, and much more. One-time gifts are always appreciated. Your ongoing gifts help provide for the church so that your brethren do not fall into worry.   Checks may be made out to to Siberian Lutheran Mission Society and send it to:

Siberian Lutheran Mission Society
c/o Ascension Lutheran Church
8811 St. Joe Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46835

We also have electronic options for donating available on our SLMS  website

100%

One hundred percent of all financial donations go directly to the field to support the work of your Siberian Lutheran brothers and sisters. No funds are used for administration or overhead of the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society.  The Siberian Lutheran Mission Society is a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS). 

 Siberian Lutheran Mission Society Newsletters 

April 2025 Newsletter

March 2025 Newsletter

Christmas 2024 and Advent Calendar

 September 2024 Newsletter

Easter 2024 Newsletter

Christmas 2023 

September 2023 Newsletter

Newsletter Article for November 2022:
 
Restoration of the Lutheran Church in Russia Is Moving Forward

Even in this time of world conflict, the Lutheran seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia, is still working to prepare future pastors to carry the Gospel to the Russian people and those in surrounding countries, including Ukraine. Although other confessional Lutheran seminaries have been operating in the area, the Novosibirsk seminary is one of just two remaining among those founded within the past 25 years.
 
Your gift to the Save the Seminary Campaign matters – not only for today, but also eternally – as pastors graduating from the seminary carry the Gospel to people starved of God’s Word and Sacrament for 70 repressive years. Will you help save the seminary with a gift of support today?
 
Please make your contribution at: savetheseminary.org, or use this QR Code.
 

2022 Summer Camp in Siberia

Dear Friend of SLMS;
In spite of the war between Russia and Ukraine, the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC) continues to conduct mission activity in both countries.  In Siberia, Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin writes about the Church Camp in Efremkino, in south central Siberia.

"In the beginning of July, the Christian family camp 'Pilgrims' was held in the village of Efremkino (Khakassia Region in south central Siberia).  This year, participants came from Abakan, Tuim, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg. Most of the people who gathered are members of our parishes, but there were also those who are still un-churched, who wanted to learn more about Christ, about faith, about the Church. Some of them have already visited our Christian camps before, others have arrived for the first time.

"During the eight days of the camp, we made a pilgrimage to the Heavenly Kingdom together, passing through the countries of Greed, Pride, Anger, and Envy. At each stage, we faced different temptations and difficulties. Completing the journey through another country, we studied a passage from the Scripture that speaks about this vice. Together we pondered why it is so difficult for us to overcome sin; how deeply it is ingrained in us. We also said that, without Christ, without the Church, without her Sacraments, we are powerless and will not be able to overcome sin on our own.

"And we didn't just talk about it. On Sunday, the priests conducted Divine Liturgy right in the camp, where the Gospel was preached for us, and the Lord granted us to partake of His Body and Blood.

"Every day we went hiking, which were not easy walks. We walked about 6 miles (10 km), and with teenagers in a two-day hike even 12 miles (20 km) every day. Moreover, we walked through the mountains, where we were constantly going up and down. It was a serious test especially for the poorly prepared participants. And so, we learned to overcome ourselves, to endure, to support a friend and help him or her.

"As always, our Christian camp has become a bright event for everyone. There is magnificent scenery that never gets boring. All the time overcoming yourself, reading and reflecting on God's Word --- conversations about everything — about school, about work, about books, about God about faith, about the Church. We learn to understand each other better, parents — children, and children — parents. We delve into the Scriptures and learn to trust God. We understand ourselves better — where our weaknesses are, and where we can share with others, where we can help and serve.

"We pray for the un-churched people who were in our camp. They heard the Law and the Gospel; they asked very good and deep questions about faith and the Church. We want it not to end with talking, but that they would come to where Christ saves, that is, to His Church. [This camp was made possible because of donations from the Parish of Saint John in Wheaton, Illinois.]

"We are very grateful to everyone who helps our Church even in these troubled times. Thank you for your prayers and your support for the missionary ministry and Christian camps for children. Whatever time we live, the Church continues to serve her parishioners and proclaim the Gospel to all who are near and who are far."

Donations to support ongoing mission activity in Siberia may be sent to:
 

Siberian Lutheran Mission Society
c/o Ascension Lutheran Church
8811 St. Joe Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46835

We also have an online option for donating, available on our SLMS  website.
For support of pastoral care within the congregations and ongoing mission activity in the region, designate the donation to go for "General Fund."

Thank you for your support of Siberian Lutheran missions through the SLMS!

Pax,
Dan

Rev. Daniel S. Johnson
Chairman, Siberian Lutheran Mission Society (SLMS)

August 2022 Newsletter

Distance learning has become a way of life for seminary students who live far from the Lutheran seminary in Novosibirsk. As this article explains, that’s especially important to Ukrainians caught in the conflict between Ukraine and Russia.   In late June, Alexander Gerzhyk, a lay minister in Odessa, sent this message to Rev. Daniel Johnson, chairman of the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society. Please pray for the well-being of Alexander, his wife, and their infant daughter. Here is his letter.   Hello Father Daniel,   I want to start the story about distance education at the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC) seminary with the fact that, unfortunately, our church in Ukraine cannot yet open a separate structure for teaching ministers. Therefore, we were very pleased to find out that the SELC seminary in Novosibirsk decided to open a distance education program.   Classes were held twice a week for three hours. After the discussion, seminary professors have been very responsive to our Ukrainian group and changed the start time of online classes so that we could take part in lectures after the working day.   Lectures began in 2020, and this is the second year of classes. It was very important for us that teachers communicate with students in the same language, from the experience of holding seminars in Odessa we realized that translation takes too much time and is impossible for a long educational program. Therefore, distance education at the Novosibirsk seminary was, and still is, the only opportunity for the ministers of our church to have a systematic education in theology.   The training itself takes place with the help of a ZOOM® meeting. Those students who are present online can ask questions and participate in the discussion of the topic. Also, those who missed the lecture could watch it in the recording. I really like this way of organizing the learning process. It is optimal for me and for many ministers of our church.   Studying in Novosibirsk would be very difficult for us from Ukraine to implement. Since 2014, relations between the countries have been tense and the distance between Siberia and Ukraine is significant. Choosing this ZOOM® class program was also a huge plus in 2021 due to the COVID pandemic; it allowed us to continue our studies without any problems. After the start of the active phase of the war in February, we did not stop our online training. We made this decision because it was important for us not to stop what we had been doing for two years. Classes in the seminary also helped us mentally cope with everything that was going on outside our window. Listening to the lectures helped take my mind off the news, which was disturbing, especially in March and April.   I hope that in September 2022 our classes will continue. Much has changed in our lives, but when there is something stable, it helps to concentrate and move on. Especially when it is the study of theology. Therefore, many thanks to all the teachers from the SELC seminary, and especially to the rector, Reverend Alexei Streltsov, who have been and are with us all this time.   Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott! [A strong tower is our God!] During its convention in June, the Rocky Mountain District decided that the Siberian Lutheran seminary’s Save the Seminary Campaign would be the focus for support for the next three years.   The Rocky Mountain District selects a new international mission every three years. In choosing the Save the Seminary Campaign, the district’s church representatives recognized that the restoration of the Lutheran Church in Russia goes on through the work of the seminary in Novosibirsk, even in these difficult times of world conflict. In fact, it is one of just two confessional Lutheran seminaries still fully operating in Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan, of the 11 that were founded in the area in the 1990s. The seminary continues to provide training for future pastors of the Siberian Lutheran Church and regular catechetical instruction for others in their parishes. Pastors and parishioners in the Rocky Mountain District will be hearing more about the Save the Seminary Campaign as the district’s mission focus continues. For more information, you can access the Rocky Mountain District’s website at rm.lcms.org/siberian-lutheran-seminary or the Save the Seminary website at savetheseminary.org. At their June conference in Fort Wayne, the Indiana District of the Lutheran Women’s Mission League (LWML) approved a $10,000 grant for part of the renovation of a student family apartment.   This project involves updating and renovating one apartment for a seminary student and his family. After more than 20 years of use, with no funds available for any but the most critical of repairs, the student apartments that the seminary provides for resident students with families need significant renovation. This grant will provide about one-half the funds needed to refurbish one apartment. The campaign team is currently working to find additional donors interested in supporting this project.   Becoming a full-time seminarian in Russia often means great personal sacrifices. Most seminarians come from distant parts of the country or surrounding areas like Ukraine and Kazakhstan, so relocating to Novosibirsk also means finding new employment for both them and their spouses. Since its founding, the seminary has provided living accommodations for these students.   Please contact Gerry Wiley, Chairman of the Save the Seminary Campaign team (909 419-1327), if you, your church, or ministry organization would like to help complete the funding necessary for the student apartment renovation project. In June, Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov, rector of the seminary in Novosibirsk, and his wife Elena concluded a six-week visit to LCMS churches in the United States. During their time in the U.S., the Streltsov’s visited parishes in California, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Indiana, Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida.   The Streltsovs were warmly greeted at every church, where Dr. Streltsov was able to update church members on the seminary’s current operations. As expected, congregants had many questions about the well-being of the seminary and its students, in light of the international conflict involving Russia and Ukraine.   Novosibirsk is far from the battle lines, but the war’s impact is being felt. Activities at the seminary continue; there is no talk of any closure. The seminary is still working to prepare future pastors to carry the Gospel to the Russian people and others in the area, including Ukrainians. Professors have become adept at conducting some of their classes via ZOOM®, a necessity for reaching those students who are close to the conflict. And, just recently, the seminary completed its annual summer youth program with young people from Novosibirsk and other areas of Siberia and central Russia.   The Save the Seminary Campaign’s support for the seminary remains as strong as ever. While international sanctions create issues about how the Save the Seminary Campaign delivers financial support to the Novosibirsk seminary, there is no talk of stopping this important work.   During their time in Colorado, the Streltsovs also attended the Rocky Mountain District Convention in Denver, where Professor Streltsov addressed convention delegates. At their convention, the Rocky Mountain District chose the seminary in Novosibirsk and the Save the Seminary Campaign as their international mission for the next three years.   This visit to the U.S. may be Rector Streltsov’s last visit for a long time, as tensions between the U. S. and Russia persist and travel becomes increasingly difficult. Please continue to pray for the seminary in Novosibirsk and the professors and students who are seeking to be God’s messengers to people in Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan. Through their efforts, the restoration of the Lutheran Church continues in these countries and others in the surrounding areas. Your gift makes a difference. It does more than support the Novosibirsk seminary and build up the Lutheran Church in Russia. Every gift to the Save the Seminary Campaign will touch the lives of people wherever pastors graduating from the seminary are called to minister and preach the Word. Your gift has present and eternal value. As recorded in 1 Peter 1:25, “The Word of the Lord endures forever.”  Your gift to the Save the Seminary Campaign is safe and will remain so. All gifts to the campaign are banked in the United States, and professionally managed by the Lutheran Legacy Foundation and the LCMS Foundation.   If you have questions about the campaign or the seminary, please contact Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, Director of Seminary Fundraising (260 580-0812) or Gerry Wiley, Chairman of the Campaign Committee (909 419-1327).   You can give to the Save the Seminary Campaign by using the QR Code at the left or accessing the campaign website at savetheseminary.org. If you prefer to use a check, please write Save the Seminary Campaign on your check.   Learn more about the Lutheran seminary in Novosibirsk by visiting the Save the Seminary website at: savetheseminary.org.

An Easter 2022 Message from Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov, Rector of the Seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia   Dear Friends of the Seminary:   Let me greet you with the traditional Paschal greeting: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Amid anxieties, frustrations, and turmoil of this life, we boldly proclaim the victory of Life over death. Although we are tempted to be afraid like the myrrh-bearing women (Mk 16:8), we don’t need to be, for the Gospel “is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). This year is unlike any other at our seminary. Are we afraid because of rapid changes around us and less-than-certain future? Humanly speaking, we are. However, the joy of Easter overcomes our fears. No matter what happens, the devil is not able to take this spiritual joy away from us: the risen Christ has triumphed over death and the devil in the waters of our Baptism. At this time, our seminary continues to train students for the Holy Ministry – both from Russia and Ukraine! All people are sinners in need of forgiveness, and so all need to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ. No matter what shape or form the Seminary takes in the future, we will continue to “pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38) and do everything within our power toward that noble task. Thus, your support and prayers are appreciated at this time as much as at any other. Let the risen Lord fill your hearts with His joy and love!   Save the Seminary Campaign If you have any questions about the Save the Seminary Campaign or the seminary in Novosibirsk, please contact Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, Director of Seminary Fundraising (260 580-0812) or Gerry Wiley, Chairman of the Save the Seminary Campaign fundraising committee (909 419-1327).   Contributions can be made by check or by using the CR Code at the right. The CR Code will connect you to the Save the Seminary Campaign website: www.savetheseminary.org. If you contribute by check, please write Save the Seminary Campaign on your check.

March 2022 Newsletter

Remember the Ukrainian People in Prayer As the international crisis in Ukraine continues, please pray for the Ukrainian people; especially those who have benefited from the pastoral outreach of the Siberian Lutheran Church and the seminary in Novosibirsk. Novosibirsk and the Lutheran Seminary there are far from the battle lines. The war’s impact is being felt, however, as the sanctions of European nations and the United States against Russia take effect, especially as the ruble devalues and banking functions cease.   While there are issues about how we will deliver support to the seminary and the Siberian Lutheran Church, we are by no means contemplating any closures. Activities at the seminary are continuing, much as usual. The Save the Seminary Campaign team and the directors of the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society are exploring several possible avenues of money transfer, consulting with Bishop Lytkin and seminary rector, Rev. Dr. Streltsov.    In recent days, the ruble has lost more than 3/8 of its value against the dollar, so a dollar goes much further now. However, the drop in the ruble will likely create hyper-inflation in Russia, significantly increasing the cost of food and other goods for the Russian people.   The Save the Seminary Campaign’s support for the seminary remains as strong as ever. We ask that you continue to donate to helping save the seminary in Novosibirsk and continue efforts to restore the Lutheran Church in Russia. Your contributions to the Save the Seminary Campaign are safe and will remain so. All gifts to the campaign are banked in the United States, and professionally managed by the Lutheran Legacy Foundation and the LCMS Foundation.   If the situation for the seminary changes, you will be able to find that information on the Save the Seminary Campaign website: savetheseminary.org. 2021 Annual Report: Save the Seminary Campaign Advances Significantly in 2021   Eternally blessed! There is no better way to describe the Save the Seminary Campaign in 2021. As the world began rebounding from the pandemic, seminary rector, Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov, and his wife Elena, traveled to the United States to headline fundraising events in Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, and Indiana. While in the U. S., Dr. Streltsov also was interviewed on Lutheran Public Radio; and upon his return to Novosibirsk, he made a special presentation via ZOOM® for the American Society of Germans from Russia’s Treffen Tuesday series. These events widened relationships among LCMS churches and combined with the generosity and continued support of churches and individual donors, they helped the campaign grow by more than $922,000.   In June, the campaign received a $100,000 grant from the Lutheran Women’s Mission League to underwrite part of the seminary’s operating expenses for the next two years. A grant from St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Spring Lake, Michigan, also will help support a professor’s salary for the next year; and a grant from the Lutheran Legacy Foundation continued to fund campaign expenses, so all gifts go directly to support the campaign.   Once again, gifts to the Save the Seminary Campaign helped the seminary survive. In fact, the seminary in Novosibirsk is the only pastoral training school still fully operating among the 11 confessional Lutheran seminaries founded in Russia and the surrounding area since the 1990s.   Gifts to the campaign matter greatly, as graduates take the Good News of Jesus Christ to the Russian people. We are blessed, now and eternally! You Gift Makes a Present and Eternal Difference Your gift makes a difference. It does more than support the Novosibirsk Seminary and build up the Lutheran Church in Russia. Every gift to the Save the Seminary Campaign will touch the lives of people wherever pastors graduating from the seminary are called to minister and preach the Word. Your gift will make a present and eternal difference. As recorded in 1 Peter 1:25, “The Word of the Lord endures forever.”   If you have any questions about the campaign or the seminary, please contact Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, Director of Seminary Fundraising (260 580-0812) or Gerry Wiley, Chairman of the Save the Seminary Campaign fundraising committee (909 419-1327).   You can make your contribution by check or by using the CR Code at the right. The CR Code will connect you to the Save the Seminary Campaign website contribution page.   If you contribute by check, please write Save the Seminary Campaign on your check. You also can make your contribution online at www.SiberianLutheranMissions.org.   Visit our new website: savetheseminary.org – your continuous source of information about the Save the Seminary Campaign.   View a new video on our website   FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Save the Seminary Campaign The Siberian Lutheran Mission Society 8811 St. Joe Road Fort Wayne, IN 46835 Phone: 260 209-1647 Email: savetheseminary@gmail.com

Christmas 2021

November 2021 Newsletter

Anelia's story of survival as a Lutheran under Stalinist persecution:

Dear Friend of SLMS;

Pastor Vitali Gavrilov of the parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord (in Tuim, Khakassia, in south central Siberia) writes:

What a rich and often sad history our people have, and how little we know about it! Even about the closest of our people, we sometimes do not know much about them.
Today one of our parishioners, Anelia, celebrates her 93 years. I have already told you about her, but I really would like to tell again, with some more details, because we all need to know this story. So, everything is in proper order.
There are two special babushkas in our parish. One's name is Anelia, it was she who has a birthday, and her sister Zoe, she is about 92 years old.
They both are Latgalians, from the eastern part of Latvia. Around 1920, four families left Latgale, they were so-called "khodoki" (in Russian, "walkers"). From this term, it is clear that they carried out the journey on foot.
They heard a lot about the good fertile lands in Siberia. And so, in search of a better life for their families, the men, having gathered their families and belongings, went to the land "where milk and honey flows."
Now it is difficult to find out how long this travel took. But they covered almost three thousand miles and reached the taiga in the Krasnoyarsk region. They named their settlement Kreslavka (in Latvia there is a town named Kraslava, perhaps that was the basis of the name). This was a place where Anelia and Zoe were born.
The walkers' dreams came true, only partially, and later turned into serious tests. The area of Kreslavka is a deep taiga, where midges (small biting flies) and gnats wore out both people and livestock. However, the land there was very solid and fertile. It was possible to sow wheat and plant potatoes.
The main trouble came in 1937, during the brutal Stalinist repressions. All Latvians, Germans, Estonians who lived in those Siberian lands were recognized as "enemies of the state." In 1937, the NKVD took Anelia's father.  After long tortures, they sent him into the Gulags in the Kolyma.
Hundreds of men and women were arrested and shot, forced to dig their own "mass graves.” "But my father was lucky. He was in the camps for 12 years and survived," says Anelia.
However, the families, by that time, had no property left, and it became too difficult to live in the taiga. So, they moved to Khakassia, to work there on collective farms ("kolkhoz").
Babushka Anelia says, "We worked on the collective farm fields every day as long as was necessary, without any rest, and did not receive anything for this work. We didn’t even know that the work could be paid."
And what did they eat? Anelia says: "What can you find while collecting sheaves, while walking from one end of the field to the other. When you see a berry and pick it, you throw it in your mouth. That was what we ate. But the main delicacy, it was always a piece of bread."
In 1950, Anelia's father returned from the camps and went to the village of Tuim to work in a mine. His daughters already worked there at the mine. When Anelia turned 20, she and her sister went on foot, and three days later they reached the mines. They were fearless young girls who walked through deep forests and country roads for almost 80 miles, in January!  But as Anelia says, "We were forced by the need. We had no food with us, we had not seen bread for a long time. All we had was a small pack of tea. We took a pinch of tea and chewed it, and instead of water we used snow. And in order not to freeze, we walked very quickly. This is how we became residents of Tuim and have been living here for more than 70 years."
"We have been believers all our lives. Our parents and grandparents taught us about Jesus Christ and His Sacrifice for us. We always recited ‘Our Father’ in our Latgalian language, which sounds like a medieval river."
This wonderful prayer accompanied the sisters throughout all their difficult life, strengthening their hope and exhorting each other about the presence of God in their lives.
There was no church, the Christian faith was forbidden, but fathers, mothers and children remained faithful to their Lord and Savior. Children were secretly baptized and studied the faith. 
Now there is a church in Tuim, you can freely believe in God, and this is the most important thing. Life goes on! Anelia and Zoe have many children and grandchildren. And the babushkas keep the faith and live a busy life. 
Please pray for them! 
(Pastor Vitali Gavrilov)

Editor's note: This text is edited from the "Faith and hope" newsletter #295 sent to subscribers of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC) newsletter.  Other such articles and back issues of the SELC Newsletter can be found on the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society website under the Newsletters menu.

September 2021 Newsletter

You can make your contribution by check or by using the CR Code at the right. The CR Code will connect you to the Save the Seminary Campaign online contribution page.   If you contribute by check, please write Save the Seminary Campaign on you check. You also can make your contribution online at www.SiberianLutheranMissions.org.

July 2021 Newsletter

During his May trip to the United States, Novosibirsk Seminary Rector, Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov, delivered the May 18 chapel sermon at his alma mater, Concordia Theological Seminary in Fort Wayne. “It was the second time I preached in the CTS chapel,” he noted. “Approval of the sermon by my highly esteemed teachers and colleagues, Dr. Charles A. Gieschen (left) and Dr. David P. Scaer, was the highest honor I could ever get.”

May 16 in Grand Rapids and May 23 in Indianapolis were outstanding days as a total of 25 Lutheran congregations included mission festivals supporting the Lutheran Seminary in Novosibirsk, Russia, in their Sunday church worship and Bible School activities. Seminary rector, Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov, and his wife Elena, traveled from Russia to attend both events and visit churches in the region.   In both places, the day included guest preachers, presentations about the Siberian Mission Society’s campaign to save the seminary in Novosibirsk, and a fellowship gathering – in Grand Rapids at Hermon’s Boy Coffee Ranch in nearby Rockford, and in Indianapolis at The Barn at Kennedy Farm in Lizton. On behalf of the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society and our Lutheran brothers and sisters in Russia, the Save the Seminary Campaign team is sincerely thankful to the pastors and congregations who helped organize and promote the events. We especially thank Hermon’s Boy owner, Floyd Havermeier, who not only donated his facility, but also contributed all the food and drinks for the event. We’re also thankful to Support for Missions, Inc., for graciously providing a $20,000 matching grant for the donations we received in Grand Rapids, and to the Lutheran Legacy Foundation for underwriting some of the festival food and entertainment expenses in Indianapolis. The Save the Seminary Campaign continues to receive donations from these events, nearly $80,000 through mid-June. Financial support for the Novosibirsk Seminary goes well beyond the seminary, as professors and graduating pastors carry the Good News of Christ’s salvation to the Russian people. Your support enables you to work side-by-side with them in restoring Christianity and the Lutheran Church in Russia.

Contributions to the Save the Seminary Campaign endowment have now surpassed the $2 million mark. As of May 31, donations to the endowment include $1.545million in cash gifts, more than $144,000 in pledges, and $370,000 in gifts that will result from wills and estates.   The Save the Seminary Campaign team continues to seek new donors among Lutheran churches—and other sources. In fact, as one man who recently attended a campaign-sponsored event said, if every Missouri Synod church – either as a congregation or in total as individuals – would make a monthly pledge of just $100 for the next five years, we would reach our goal.   The Lutheran Church is virtually “starting over” in Russia. Prior to the revolution in 1917, it was the second largest Christian denomination in the country with more than 3.5 million members. Under communist rule, church property was confiscated and many Lutherans, particularly pastors, were either killed or sent to gulags in Siberia. Today, the church is making a comeback, and the Novosibirsk Seminary is playing a major role in restoring the Lutheran Church in Russia. Of the nine seminaries founded in the past 25 years, only two remain. If the seminary closes, it’s not likely to open again. That’s why your gift matters more than ever as the Save the Seminary Campaign works to provide long-term financial support.   Your contribution to the Save the Seminary Campaign makes you a partner with the seminary as it prepares pastors to take God’s Word and Sacrament to the Russian people. Will you help ensure that the seminary remains a strong force in training Lutheran pastors to carry the Good News of Christ’s saving grace to the Russian people for years to come. Please make your contribution today.   If you have any questions about the campaign or the seminary, please contact Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, Director of Seminary Fundraising (260 580-0812) or Gerry Wiley, Chairman of the Save the Seminary Campaign fundraising committee (909 419-1327). You can make your contribution by check or by using the CR Code at the right. The CR Code will connect you to the Save the Seminary Campaign online contribution page.   If you contribute by check, please write Save the Seminary Campaign on you check. You also can make your contribution online at www.SiberianLutheranMissions.org. The next Save the Seminary mission festivals are set for July 11 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and July 18 in Lincoln, Nebraska. The event in Lincoln is a joint venture with the American Society of Germans from Russia, headquartered in Lincoln. Like other events, both are being hosted by a group of LCMS congregations in the festival areas. The day’s activities once again begin with Divine Service and Bible School presentations at local LCMS churches, with an afternoon fellowship event.      In Fort Wayne, the event will take place at the Schuller Barn in suburban New Haven. Guests will be able to view a large museum collection of antique farm implements housed at the Schuller Barn. Bill Werling and the Breakaway Band will provide music and square dancing for the event.    In Lincoln, the American Society of Germans from Russia will open its museum to event participants. Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Kansas, and eastern Colorado are the home of many descendants of German immigrants from the Volga and Black Seas areas of Russia. Most of them arrived between 1875 and 1910, many leaving brothers and sisters and other relatives in Russia who later endured persecution under communist rulers.   Lincoln event participants will hear from Seminary Rector, Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov, as he delivers two short presentations about communist era persecutions in Russia and the current state of the church in Russia at the Lutheran Center at the University of Nebraska. There will be hymn-singing, some of them being sung in German and Russian.   For more information about either of these Save the Seminary mission festivals, please contact the campaign office at 260 209-1647, or by email at savetheseminary@gmail.com.

June 2021 Letter

Dear Friend of SLMS;
 
Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin has returned to Siberia from his recent trip to America.  We thank you for your recent support of the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society.  Your May gifts have been sent to Siberia for use in the mission.
 
Printed below is the content of a letter from Bishop Vsevolod, recently sent to our SLMS treasurer, Mr. Robert Kiefer.
 
Dear Robert;
greetings from Novosibirsk!

Thank you very much for your great help.

I recently returned from America, where I visited several congregations. Pastor Larry Beane helped me a lot as he was my driver.

It was an interesting trip, primarily because I did not know in
advance how it would go. But everything turned out to be very simple.
Even I would say it was the easiest of my trips to America during the
last 20 years. First of all, because there were no queues [in the airports]. In Moscow, the international terminal of the airport was totally empty, and in
New York, previously we used to queue in front of the border guard for
about two and a half hours, but now the queue was very short.

Together with Rev. Larry Beane we were able to visit congregations in
Saint Louis [MO], Plano [TX], Wichita [KS], Gretna [LA], and Pensacola [FL]. We met a lot of good people and we had good discussions and conversations.

Now in Novosibirsk we are preparing for a big Vacation Bible School.
Last year we were unable to conduct this program, so now we are doing
everything with double energy. Several priests and parishioners with
children from our different parishes will come. We usually prepare a
program for children and in parallel for adults, and also, we share our
experience with those who come from other parishes and church-bodies.

Most of our programs for working with children are developed by our
own teachers with assistance from the seminary. This is very important
because there were no good programs in Russian for working with
children. Everything was very post-Protestant, that is, practically
directed against the word and the sacraments. We are glad that we can
create Lutheran programs in Russian and share our experience with
those around us.

So thank you very much for your great care for us! Because of this
help, we can visit remote parishes and parishioners, conduct the
missionary work and work with children and parents; and the priests
can feed their families and receive the necessary medical care. All
this is a great grace and blessing for us.

In Christ,
Vsevolod,
bishop,
SELC

April 2021 Newsletter

Bishop Vsevolod Litkin, of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church, prays at the altar of St. Mary’s Lutheran Church, in Tomsk, Russia, about 300 miles from Novosibirsk. Known locally as the “log” church, St. Mary’s was completely rebuilt in 2006. The church had been destroyed early in the Communist era.   Traveling far to teach and preach the Gospel gives new meaning to ‘distance learning’ for pastors in Siberia   “Distance learning” is a term we in the United States frequently hear these days as we cope with the impact of COVID -19 on our schools. To those at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia, and pastors of the Siberian Lutheran Church, the term takes on a new meaning—in fact, a frequent reality—as pastors often travel long distances to teach and minster to new and prospective Lutherans in the far reaches of Siberia.   As many of us understand, Siberia is a huge expanse of land. Covering an area of 5.1 million square miles, it accounts for more than three-fourths of Russia, but at about 33 million people, Siberia includes just one-fourth of Russia’s population. That means reaching many of those living in Siberia requires traveling long distances. For pastors and faculty at the Lutheran Seminary in Novosibirsk, travel is a reality they must seriously plan for as they extend the teaching of the Gospel beyond Novosibirsk.   Pastor Khramov recounts his trip to Chita Just this past February 28, the first Sunday of Lent, seminary Professor Pavel Khramov, who is also pastor at St. Andrew’s in Novosibirsk, visited Holy Trinity parish in Chita, in the far eastern region of Siberia. During his time there, Pastor Khramov conducted a home service for an elderly couple, who lives outside of the city. Then he gave the catechism lecture for parishioners and celebrated the Divine Service with Pastor Igor Kizyaev of Holy Trinity.   Here is Pastor Khramov’s account of his visit to Chita, as he shared on the Novosibirsk Seminary’s Facebook® page:   In Novosibirsk, our parishioners have the privilege to hear different preachers and to attend weekly Bible classes led by the seminary instructors. It is not so in remote parishes like the parish in Chita. This town is located about 2,000 miles from Novosibirsk. It makes for majority of people in our parish there practically impossible to attend even the theological conferences held twice a year. Thus, we try to visit such parishes.   The COVID-19 pandemic forced us to use more extensive tools for distance teaching and communication. However, some people, especially elderly and poor, have difficulties in using these instruments. Moreover, the personal contact has the special flavor and impact that is lost when we speak with the screen.   I always love to come to Chita. I admire the faithfulness of the parishioners in Chita. Most of them are very poor. But they pay rent for the building for the church and for the utilities by themselves. And in Eastern Siberia, the bills for the heating are not moderate at all.   Every time when I teach there, I see the great interest, real hunger for the Word of God. People are always attentive; they ask good questions. Also, I should mention the great translator to the sign-language, Ekaterina. Without her help, a good number of parishioners (about a third of our parishioners in Chita are deaf people) would not be able to understand what I tell at the class and in my sermon.   Professor, Pastor Khramov’s account of his travels to Chita help to shine a light on the true importance of ensuring that the Lutheran Seminary in Novosibirsk remains a spiritually and financially strong voice for confessional Lutheranism in Siberia and other parts of Russia. You can help by supporting the Save the Save Campaign.

Just now, word of Christ’s resurrection is making its way to the spiritually starved people of Russia through the efforts of Lutheran pastors trained at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia. The seminary’s goal is to make the Good News of Jesus Christ widely known throughout a land long repressed by atheistic communism.   At the request of Synod president, Matthew Harrison, and the help of many Missouri Synod Lutherans, the Save the Seminary Campaign has gathered more than $1.5 million to support the Novosibirsk Seminary in training Lutheran pastors for this important evangelical effort. Our goal is $7 million. You and others in your congregation can be part of this important mission through your financial support for the Save the Seminary Campaign.   The seminary was established in 1997 at the request of Missouri Synod leaders and is now a strong, independent institution, managed and staffed by a first-class faculty of Russian pastors. Funds that the campaign gathers will be used exclusively to support the ongoing operations of the seminary.   Your gift to the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Novosibirsk, Siberia, will help spread the Good News of God’s saving grace and help rebuild the Lutheran Church in Russia. The seminary is the primary pastoral teaching school of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church, which is in full altar and pulpit fellowship with the Missouri Synod.   Your gift matters. Securing the perpetual sustainability of the seminary in Novosibirsk requires meeting two vital goals simultaneously—raising $75,000 each year to keep the seminary doors open until the long-term goal of establishing a $7 million endowment has been reached. Will you help ensure that the seminary remains a strong force in training Lutheran pastors, even while work continues to raise a permanent endowment? Make your contribution today. Through your contribution to the Save the Seminary Campaign, you will be helping the Lutheran Seminary in Novosibirsk spread God’s Word to the spiritually starved people of Russia and help restore the Lutheran Church in Russia.     If you have any questions about the campaign or the seminary, please contact Rev. Dr. Timothy Quill, Director of Seminary Fundraising (260 580-0812) or Gerry Wiley, Chairman of the Save the Seminary Campaign fundraising committee (909 419-1327).   You can make your contribution by check or by using the CR Code at the right. The CR Code will connect you to the Save the Seminary Campaign online contribution page.   If you contribute by check, please designate Save the Seminary Campaign on you check. You also can make your contribution online at www.SiberianLutheranMissions.org.   The next Save the Seminary mission festivals are set for May 16 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and one week later, on May 23, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Both events are being hosted by a group of LCMS congregations in the festival areas. At both events, Rev. Dr. Alexey Streltsov, rector of the Lutheran Seminary in Novosibirsk, will give a short presentation about the work and progress of the Russian seminary in reintroducing God’s Word to the Russian people in Siberia and other parts of the country.   Grand Rapids ‘Sunday Afternoon at the Park’ set for nearby Rockford, Michigan Sunday morning Divine Services and Bible School presentations at various local Grand Rapids churches will be followed by an afternoon dinner in the park.   The event is scheduled to take place at Hermon’s Boy Specialty Coffee Ranch, located on a beautiful, bucolic garden setting in nearby Rockford, Michigan. The location is much like that pictured in French painter Georges Seurat’s famous painting, A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte.   Indianapolis event planned for ‘The Barn at Kennedy Farm’ in Lizton, Indiana The Indianapolis area event is set for May 23, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at The Barn at Kennedy Farm, in Lizton, Indiana, on the northwest side of Indianapolis. “The Barn” is an elegant and stately 5,000-sq.-ft, Amish-built structure, sitting on 40 acres of land. The event center is surrounded by towering oaks and lush green pastures, making for an inviting and comfortable setting.   Like other Save the Seminary Campaign events, the day’s activities begin with Divine Service and Bible School presentations at Indianapolis-area LCMS churches, with an afternoon fellowship event at The Barn at Kennedy Farm that will be similar to the one in Grand Rapids.   For more information about either of these Save the Seminary mission festivals, please contact the campaign office at 260 209-1647, or by email at savetheseminary@gmail.com.

SELC Newsletter #289 – The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord

By Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church

Peace to you, dear brothers and Sisters in Christ, and greetings to you on this Feast of the Presentation of our Lord.

Today’s Gospel tells us about going to church, or rather: then it was still a temple in Jerusalem. To be more precise, the Gospel tells about two temples: the temple in Jerusalem and about the Mother of God, who became the tabernacle, the temple in which God dwelt. After all, this is about her Saint John the Evangelist wrote his famous “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  This is not only about Christ, but also about His Mother.  Do you remember?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. <…> And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1,14)

The Word became Flesh in the womb of the Virgin. It would be better to translate “dwelt” from Greek in a more detailed way as “lived in the tabernacle among us.” And Saint Mary became this tabernacle. She was the door through which the Savior entered the world – He Who is the Son of God and Son of Man.  She was a temple where God dwelt.

<…>

“And when the days are fulfilled,” this is how our today’s Gospel begins. “The days are fulfilled,” it is not just about the fact that the right moment to go to church has come, when finally there were no other things to do (as often happens with us now).  “The days are fulfilled” is about the fact that the Old Testament history has reached its fullness, its fulfillment.  Remember how Saint Paul wrote about this: “the old has passed away, now everything is new” (2Cor. 5:17).

On that very day, “the old has passed away” – because what we read and talk about during the Feast of the Presentation was not just the performance of the Old Testament rite by a Jewish woman and her Child, but a change in the entire history of mankind.

For “the Lord entered His temple” (Mal. 3:1), and the Old Testament with its sacrifices for the forgiveness of sins, with its services in the Jerusalem Temple and longing for the coming Messiah, came to a fulfillment. The Savior came to became a sacrifice – a perfect and absolute Sacrifice – for the sins of the whole world. He came to establish the New Testament. He came to deliver us from all iniquity and to cleanse a special people for Himself (Titus 2:14).

God cleansed those who came to the Temple. For this, the temple with its sacrifices was needed. But when “the days were fulfilled,” the Old Testament became really “old,” because the time came, this blessed, promised new time has already come, when the Messiah came. And soon, very soon, His true worshipers will worship Him not only in Jerusalem, but wherever there is an altar, where the Word of truth sounds, and the Holy Spirit consecrates the Eucharist – the main sacrament of God’s salvific presence on earth.

<…>

And when they did everything according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their town of Nazareth. (Luke 2:39)

The Lord Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Law for us and on the Cross He took our sins upon Himself. He called us to Himself and washed us with the waters of baptism, He saved us from death, and sanctified us with His innate presence in us.

In church, at each liturgy, He through His priests grants forgiveness to “poor miserable sinners.”  Here we touch Him and partake of His sacrifice.

And then we leave the church in peace and go to our homes. We walk the roads of this world, and, like Saint Mary, we carry Christ in our bodies. For His flesh is tied to ours, and His blood has mixed with our blood, His righteousness has become ours, and His eternal life is given to us by grace.

And if we are here in the church, then no matter what happens in our life, God will always be with us and in us. He will not forsake us and will not leave us. And when the time comes for us to leave this earthly home, we, like Simeon, will go “in peace according to the God’s Word” to heaven and there we will wait for the resurrection of the dead.

Please see the photos from our parish in Moscow, where Bishop Vsevolod celebrated the Presentation with concelebration of Priest Ivan Chernyshev and Deacon Roman Kislov.

Please pray for the safe travels of Lutheran clergy in Siberia, and that all parishioners always strive to the church for the salvific Word and sacraments.

Click here for the March 2020 SLMS Newsletter

February 2020

Greetings dear friend of the SLMS!

Your latest donations to the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society (SLMS) were transferred to Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin during the first week in February.

I have included Bishop Lytkin's response to Mr. Robert Kiefer, the SLMS treasurer.

Dear Robert,
Thank you very much for your great help and care for us in Siberia.
I was very happy to see you and our brethren in Fort Wayne. Thank you for the prayers! My travel was very good. I visited different congregations and preached there and met with people and talked about Siberia. And then I safely returned back to Siberia, but now I am traveling to Latvia, where there will be a very important conference of seminaries and meeting of bishops, and then I will come to St. Petersburg, where the new bishop of the Church of Ingria will be consecrated. Archbishop Janis Vanags of Latvia and other bishops plan to arrive there. And Dr. Tim Quill will come. And then I will return to Siberia and immediately go to visit our parishes. Life goes on! Thank you for your support, through which we can live normally and bring the Gospel through the Word and sacraments. 
We expect that Rev. Daniel Johnson will come to us in the summer, but we really hope that our other friends can come include Rev. Larry Beane. We plan to conduct the summer theological seminars.
Thank you for care for us!
In Christ,
Vsevolod,
bishop,
SELC

Click here for the SELC Feast of the Annunciation 2020 newsletter

Click here for the December 2019 SLMS Newsletter

November 2019

Dear Friend of the SLMS!

Your September and October donations to the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society (SLMS) were transferred to Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin during the first weeks in October and November, respectively.

I have included Bishop Lytkin's response to the SLMS treasurer, Mr. Robert Kiefer.

Dear Robert;
Thank you very much!
With your help, we can support our families, and travel and proclaim the Gospel. Recently in Novosibirsk, we celebrated Reformation Day. After the liturgy, we had an excellent theological conference. Unfortunately, I myself was not at it, because I was in Novokuznetsk to celebrate Reformation Day there in the Parish of Saint James. (There we still do not have a permanent priest, and we have to travel there every weekend. Most often I go myself, because formally I am the senior-priest of that parish, and this is my responsibility. But I hope that one of the current deacons would soon be ordained into the priesthood and will work there.)
May I ask you if any donations came for the repairs of the church in Abakan? Several people wrote to me on Facebook that they want to donate for repairs, and this is important because the weather is cold and we should complete the thermal insulation in the church soon.
Thank you again for your continuous help to us in Siberia!
In Christ,
Vsevolod,
bishop,
SELC

Greetings to friends of the SLMS!

Your August donations to the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society were transferred to Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin during the first week in September. I have included Bishop Lytkin's response to the SLMS Treasurer, Robert Kiefer.

Dear Robert,
Thank you very much for your help!

I'm going by train in Siberia now. In our part of the world, the distances are large, and although it is more pleasant to travel by car (because it is clean in a car, but it is dirty in trains, and you depend on yourself when in the car, you can choose when to drive and where to stop), but it is safer to take the train.

Because our roads in Siberia are getting worse year by year. Most of them were built back in Soviet times, and now there are continuous pits and holes there. Recently, one observer posted that "when you drive by a provincial road, you can see how our country is gradually dying." And this is true, although it sounds sad.

But no matter what happens in the country, the Church must serve the people. And Church is especially needed when it is difficult around. Because besides the Church, who else can give hope? In a poor situation, we understand better that in this world there is no other hope than that which Christ gives. And the Christian hope is the most reliable.

Because of your help, we can travel and visit people, and give them salvation through the word and sacraments. To encourage and save them. Constant travels are an absolutely necessary part of our Church' s work.

This month we have to pay a large sum for a surgical operation for one of the priests. This is an important operation, and also because of your help, we can cover it.

So, thank you for your care for us and greetings from the Siberian train!

Vsevolod,
bishop,
SELC

SLMS Newsletters can be downloaded from our website at:
https://www.siberianlutheranmissions.org/newsletters

We are constantly updating information about the "Save the Seminary" campaign. SLMS is involved in a campaign to raise a $7 million endowment to support the operational costs of the Novosibirsk seminary. Watch a video of Dr. Timothy Quill explaining the SLMS Save the Seminary Campaign.

Your prayers and financial gifts are vital to the mission in Siberia. No donations to the SLMS general budget are used for overhead -- 100% of your donations go directly to the mission.

EASTER GREETINGS FROM SIBERIA

By Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church | April 21, 2019

Peace to you, dear Brothers and Sisters,

We are glad to greet you with Easter Greetings: Христос воскрес! Christ is risen!

May we bring to your attention the words of greetings from the Easter Message 2019 of our Bishop Vsevolod that were read today in all parishes of SELC during the Easter liturgy:

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it [John 1: 5]. These words from the very beginning of the Gospel speak very well to us about Easter. The hearts of the apostles and women marching to the tomb on that Easter morning were clouded: after all, their Lord and Master was dead.

In the unbelieving world proclaiming that “God is dead,” that is, that there is no God, or that He is not needed by a modern man who can be lived without God, we also sometimes feel that it is very difficult for us to endure the darkness around us.

But Easter morning comes, and we proclaim again and again: “Christ is risen.” And light dispels darkness in our lives, as it shone on the first witnesses of the resurrection. We rush to the church, where the resurrected Lord is waiting for us to strengthen us through the Word and the Sacraments — so that we would fulfill our designation and would be “children of light” [John. 12: 36] in the midst of sinful darkness.

Happy Easter, my beloved parishioners! Christ is risen!

And we wish you blessed Easter!

“Faith and hope”,

Siberia, Center of the world. 

Greetings dear friend of the SLMS!

"Around the world in 42 Days." This is the title of a story suggested to me from a donor. While relating my recent travels to this particular gentleman, he asked if I had considered writing about my experiences in Siberia. (My travels may seem interesting to some -- perhaps, this man and others -- and I greatly appreciate their interest in my travels -- but there are many others who can tell more interesting and compelling stories of life in Siberian Russia, than this single traveler). However, this most recent journey began when I left Marshalltown, Iowa on June 28^th for a 42-day trip, which included a three-week journey through Siberia.

On July 4, I met Dr. Timothy Quill and Pastor Jeremy Mills in Amsterdam -- who had flown from Indiana. After a short layover, together, we flew to St. Petersburg, Russia. Two days later, we were on a “red-eye” to Novosibirsk.

Sunday, July 8, which marked the 28^th anniversary of my ordination, involved the ordination of two recent graduates from the seminary in Novosibirsk. Dr. Quill and I participated in the ordination of these two deacons who will serve SELC congregations. (In the SELC a deacon is the first level of the priesthood or pastoral ministry. After several years the bishop and consistory may elect to consecrate the deacon as a pastor, with all the duties and responsibilities of a parish priest.) The Novosibirsk seminary continues to produce highly qualified candidates to serve the church in Siberia and beyond.

Two days of seminars were held in Novosibirsk before departing by a car on a 7-day, 1200 mile journey on Siberian roads, to visit congregations in the cities of Yurga, Tomsk, Tuim, and Novokuznetsk. Dr. Quill lectured on: “The Lord’s Prayer in the life of the church.” Pastor Mills lectured on: “The Lord’s Supper as the church’s confession.” I lectured on “Psalm 23 as a model for pastoral care.”

Following the lectures in Novokuznetsk, we had been traveling for 2 weeks in Siberia and were in need of rest. After the 300-mile journey back to Novosibirsk, we enjoyed a day of relaxation. Dr. Quill and I spent the day reconnecting with old friends and Pr. Mills toured the city and made new acquaintances among our Siberian hosts. The next day Dr. Quill and Pr. Mills left Siberia to return to Indiana, with an overnight in Moscow. I traveled with Rev. Alexey Streltsov (Rector of the SELC seminary in Novosibirsk) to Ekaterinburg by airplane, for an additional week of seminars. Pastor Sergey Glushkov joined us in Ekaterinburg, as we traveled over the Ural Mountains by car, to spend 3 days in the European Russian city of Beloretsk.

I have traveled through the Ural Mountains many times and have always been underwhelmed. The Rockies, Alps, Appalachians, Altai Mountains (in south-central Siberia), and even Ozark Mountains (really the Ozark Plateau) have much more to impress the traveler than the Urals. Perhaps I would find these ancient mountains much more interesting if I simply regarded them as geographic markers, separating Asia from Europe; often traveled by ancient explorers and conquering armies, throughout the centuries.

In Beloretsk, I continued my lectures on Psalm 23 and visited parishioners, before returning to Ekaterinburg by way of the 6-hour car ride across the Urals. The same lectures were given to a very enthusiastic crowd at the congregation of St. Peter and St. Paul in Ekaterinburg, before Rector Streltsov returned to Novosibirsk and I flew on to Germany and other locations. After 42 days of living out of a suitcase, including a trip halfway around the world and back, I have finally returned home!

I thank supporters of the SLMS who have designated their donations to be used for the purpose of theological education in Siberia. Without such donations, it would not be possible for the SLMS to send pastors and professors to Siberia to conduct the summer seminars, provide necessary theological education and visit the SELC congregations. Remember, 100% of your undesignated donations to the SLMS go directly to SELC congregations to support pastoral care and planting new missions.

A letter from Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin was recently received by the SLMS treasurer, Mr. Robert Kiefer. In this email, the bishop is responding to a recent dispersion of funds from SLMS donors to the SELC. He writes:

Dear Robert,
Thank you very much!
And greetings from Novokuznetsk. I should visit this parish about three times per month because there is no resident priest right now. You know that pastor Pavel Zayakin is moving from Abakan to serve in Dnipro in Ukraine, according to the agreement with our sister-Church in Ukraine. So Pastor Dmitri Dotsenko (who served in Novokuznetsk during last 10 years) now serves in Abakan, Sayanogorsk, and Taskino and once per week he also visits Tuim. And so, I (or another priest) am traveling to Novokuznetsk to serve Sunday liturgies there. It is not far: about 300 miles. I just arrived here. Tomorrow I will serve the liturgy, then I will speak with the parishioners, and then I will go to Prokopievsk (a town about 30 miles from here) to conduct burial service of an old Volga German lady who died two days ago. The support we obtain from you makes our travels and life possible here in Siberia. We appreciate it very much.
In Christ,
Vsevolod,
bishop,
SELC

Donations to the SLMS may be sent to:

Siberian Lutheran Mission Society
c/o Ascension Lutheran Church
8811 St. Joe Rd.
Fort Wayne, IN 46835

Your prayers and financial gifts are appreciated!

Pax,
Dan

Rev. Daniel S. Johnson
Chairman, Siberian Lutheran Mission Society (SLMS)
https://www.siberianlutheranmissions.org
 

Greetings to fellow supporters of the mission in Siberia!

Rev. Alan Ludwig, LCMS missionary and seminary professor deployed to Siberia, writes concerning his latest newsletter (#42):
"This issue is devoted to the lovely Siberian city of Tomsk, located some four hours by car from Novosibirsk. The city has a long Lutheran history, and our seminary in Novosibirsk has a share in writing new chapters of this history."

Rev. Alexey Streltsov, rector of Lutheran theological Seminary - Novosibirsk, Russia (Siberia), writes this in Facebook on Sunday, June 24, 2018, concerning Rev. Ludwig's service to the church and seminary:

"At the church following the [divine] service, we honored Dr. Alan Ludwig who has given 20 years of his life to ensure [the] formation of [a] confessional Lutheran Seminary of high academic standards in the middle of Siberia. Bishop Vsevolod says, and I fully concur with him here, that without Fr Alan our Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church would not have gotten to the point where she is now.

"He set the bar extremely high, and it will be our privilege to follow in his footsteps in the matter of pastoral training. [His] unique combination of skills and personal qualities contributed to Fr Alan making Akademgorodok and our church there his second home. We also remember, fondly, his wife Patricia who shared with him a good part of his Siberian experience.

"People of St Andrew’s parish had a chance to say the words of farewell today. Personally, it makes me very sad thinking that I will no longer see Dr. Ludwig worshipping at the front pew of the church. Every time I saw him there, I knew I had to do a good job [of] preaching because he was listening. We will certainly stay in touch, but it will be different not having his company around.

"Fr. Alan had [the] unique experience of profound immersion in the middle of real Russian life (different from visiting the country for a short period of time and also different from being in only well-known showcase sights of Russia). This is what true mission work is all about."

Click here for Rev. Ludwig's January 2018 newsletter

Professor Alan Ludwig writes in his cover letter to his January 2018 newsletter from Siberia:
 
Here in Siberia we are experiencing some of the coldest and darkest days of the year. Someone said it was warmer right now in Antarctica. No matter: the season of Epiphany proclaims Christ as the Light of the world, a Light to the nations. He is the Sun of righteousness, who warms the natural coldness of our hearts.

In this issue we celebrate the 20 years of Lutheran Theological Seminary, of which I have been privileged to be a part almost from its beginning. I reflect on the past, rejoice in the present, and look to the future.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Rev. Alan Ludwig
Novosibirsk, Russia
 

Here is a favorite newsletter from Christmas 2016

Christmas Greetings:

Dear supporters of the Lutheran mission in Siberia;

The following are 2016 Christmas greetings from Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin of the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC), and photos of the Christmas liturgy at the parish of St. Andrew, in Novosibirsk, Russia.

Peace to you dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, 

May we bring to your attention the words of greetings from the Christmas Address of our Bishop Vsevolod Lytkin that was read in the parishes of Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church during the Christmas liturgy.

Brothers and Sisters,

The Feast of the Nativity - one of the most Church of holidays.

I emphasize the word “Church.”  Because real Christmas is impossible without the Church.

We come here, like the shepherds, who hurried to the manger of Bethlehem and like the Magi who followed the guiding star, and we find here the incarnate God.

It is impossible to find Christ, bypassing the Church. You cannot be saved without the Church.  Here, there is the font from which, together with the Holy Spirit, the water of baptism is poured out upon us. Here you get the forgiveness of sins and you hear the Word of God, “full of grace and truth.”

Here the Eucharist is celebrated - the main sacrament of God’s presence on earth.

My beloved parishioners, I congratulate you on this Christmas and approaching New Year.  Let the coming year be better than the outgoing.  It is my prayer that this year brings your life less suffering and misery, but more joy and the Church.

We wish you all God’s blessings during this holy time of Christmas!
     
“Faith and Hope”

Here are some photos from the Christmas service in the parish of St. Andrew in Novosibirsk:

To learn more about the Siberian Evangelical Lutheran Church (SELC), you may go to the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society (SLMS) website:  http://www.siberianlutheranmissions.org

Donations may be sent to the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society by our online Facebook giving page: http://www.siberianlutheranmissions.org/how-to-help

Checks may also be sent to:

Siberian Lutheran Mission Society

c/o Ascension Lutheran Church

8811 St. Joe Rd.

Fort Wayne, IN 46835

Please note: The Siberian Lutheran Mission Society is a 501(c)(3) organization.

“One hundred percent of all financial donations go directly to the field to support the work of your Siberian Lutheran brothers and sisters.  No funds are used for administration or overhead of the Siberian Lutheran Mission Society.”

The Siberian Lutheran Mission Society is a Recognized Service Organization (RSO) of The Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod (LCMS).