Concordia Lutheran Mission Society
Partners In Missions
This project supports vacation children’s camps (VBS) where up to 250 children take part, a summer camping program where nearly 110 young people participate, and a winter youth conference which gathers groups from SELCU congregations for worship, fellowship and study at the Odessa Theological Seminary. This work with children and youth is very important to the church in Ukraine.
I want to help support outreach to and ministry with young people.
Under the supervision of LCC missionary Rev. Alexey Navrotsky and in conjunction with theAlpha and Omega Student Society, a group of Christian sportsmen works with non-Christian sportsmen. For several years their Christian professional trainer, Igor Solodenko, has worked with a team of soccer players. This ministry reaches approximately 80 young sportsmen. The project provides support for equipment, transportation and facility/field rental.
I want to help share the Gospel with athletes.
For more than three years the pastor of the church in Odessa, Rev. Oleg Shevchenko, and a team of volunteers has conducted an evangelism ministry with college and university students in Odessa. Each week they hold Bible studies and organize various special projects: thematic evenings, discussion clubs, hikes, conferences and competitions. This project supports the purchase of Christian literature, printed materials for meetings and the rental of facilities.
I want to help reach out with the Gospel to students.
May 1, 2011
It is a joy to share the Good News. Teaching seminary students to share the Good News and grow the church in Ukraine, as new pastors, is even more exciting. Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS) provides the funding so the experience, knowledge and the in-depth understanding of our North American theologians can be shared at the Ukrainian seminary in Odessa.
Albert Schmidt, a spirit-filled, enthusiastic pastor from Edmonton, Alberta, recently returned from Ukraine where he had the privilege of teaching “The Life of Christ in the Synoptic Gospels” (Matthew, Mark and Luke) and “Pastoral Theology”, a practical course which directs and guides pastors in the conduct of the pastoral office. His experience of 51 years of pastoral work is cherished as real value to the students. Making the lessons as practical as possible helps the students understand and empathizes with future church members.
After discussions on “visiting the sick” Pastor Schmidt and the seminarians traveled to one of the hospitals to visit with patients. Dr. Schmidt shares “They went in with fear and trepidation, but came out filled with joy.”
Matthew Heise, a pastor from our United States sister church, traveled to Odessa in mid-March to teach two courses at the seminary. Pastor Matt is a travelling missionary who is very willing to teach in Ukraine. His fluency in the Russian language is a real asset and allows him to quickly connect with the seminarians. The first course he taught was Hermeneutics, a basic how-to in reading the Bible, and then a course on the Book of Revelation.
Pastor Matt shares, “It has been a joy to interact with the students, get used to their southern Ukrainian accents while they get accustomed to my American take on Moscow-accented Russian.”
