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Striving for Baptist unity not only at the negotiation table, but also out in the snow-covered boondocks. That´s a motto to live by for Pastor Valentin Vasilizhenko (Moscow), Secretary of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists´ (RUECB) “Public Council”. |
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Despite setbacks, things are moving forward. That was the verdict following sessions of the RUECB Council in Moscow on 20 and 21 March. |
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“We were very moved, the ice has been broken.” That was the conclusion of Ákos Bukovszky, Assistant for External Affairs at the Baptist Union of Hungary, following an impromptu meeting in the Moscow seminary of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB) on 17 March. During that meeting, RUECB-President Yuri Sipko (Moscow) had fully unexpectedly requested forgiveness. |
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Russia’s National Prayer Breakfast, held in Moscow on 18 March, is bigger than ever. New records were set with over 350 businessmen, pastors and middle- to upper-level politicians - including 50 journalists - in attendance. |
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“One snowflake cannot make much difference. But a billion snowflakes can bring Moscow traffic to a halt.” That was one statement made by Rick Warren, Senior Pastor of California´s 22.000-member “Saddleback Community Church”, via telephone link with an assembly convened by the “Advisory Council of Leaders of the Protestant Churches of Russia” on 12 March. |
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Russian Baptist headquarters are expecting great things from this year’s National Prayer Breakfast, scheduled for Moscow’s President Hotel on 18 March at 9.00 a.m. More than 250 politicians, clergy, businesspersons, journalists, diplomats and foreign guests have registered; top-level government leaders are expected. |
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The Russian Alliance is alive and its work is advancing quickly.” That was the conclusion of Vladimir Ryaguzov, Chairman of the Russian Evangelical Alliance (REA), following its fifth annual conference in Moscow on 26 and 27 February. “It was a terrific conference,” added Ulrich Materne (Wittenberge, Germany), the German Evangelical Alliance’s consultant for Eastern Europe. “I was greatly encouraged.” |
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On 4 March, Pastor Yuri Sipko, President of the Russian Union of Evangelical Christians-Baptists (RUECB), congratulated Dimitry Medvedev on his election two days before as President of the Russian Federation. Sipko´s letter states at the outset that Medvedev´s victory “testifies to the huge trust which the residents of Russia place in you”. |
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