RUSSIA – August 8-18, 2014 – Head Bishop of the Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith Edward Grabovenko visited Pentecostal churches in Volga and Southern federal districts. He was accompanied by the ministers from Perm (Russia). They drove 5300 km for ten days.
During the trip they met with pastors, saw new worship/prayer houses in Orenburg, Burayevo, Ufa, Meleuz and Nizhny Novgorod, prayed together with leaders in churches, visited the church in Volgograd and served in ‘The Transfiguration’ church of Novocherkassk to celebrate its 65th anniversary.
The first stop was at a small church in Burayevo (Republic of Bashkortostan), where Head Bishop Edward Grabovenko met with Pastor Vladimir Mikhalev and prayed for him and the church.
Ufa was the next city to visit. There Eadward and the brothers met with the local ministers - Vladimir and Vadim Maltsev, the father and a son, and their spouses. Edward was especially glad to meet with Vladimir Ivanovich Maltsev, one of the oldest ministers of the RCCEF, to pray for him and thank him for the work Vladimir had been doing in Bashkiria. His son Vadim continues his father's work and serves as Senior Presbyter of the Association of Pentecostal churches in the Republic of Bashkortostan.
On August 10, Edward Grabovenko visited the ‘Christ for All Nations’ church of Meleuz where he met with Pastor Vardan Martirosyan and served the church leaders.
In Orenburg Head Bishop prayed for Pastor Yuri Kubasov, who is also Senior Presbyter of the local church Association. Edward also prayed for the church. The church completed a construction of a new building this year.
On August 12-15, Edward Grabovenko visited fellow brothers in Volgograd where he was hosted by Bishop Alexei Rudenkiy.
On the way back Head Bishop visited Nizhny Novgorod, where he met with Pastor and Senior Presbyter of the Association Igor Voronin. Recently, a new building was completed there. The brothers prayed for the church.
Edward Grabovenko called the trip a blessed opportunity given by the Lord to visit churches and meet with the brothers. Despite the fact that the visits were short, they served as encouragement and inspiration for Edward and the ministers. He remains deeply grateful to all the pastors and their assistants for the warm welcome and hospitality.
The Russian Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith