On April 29, 2023, the ELCIR Theological Institute hosted a meeting of ELCIR social-diaconal ministers. Sharings came from Bishop Ivan Laptev, representatives of such ministries as Trilistnik, Kolibri, Novaya Zemlya, Anna Pomogayet, the Crisis Center, and from Senior Pastor Igor Shcherbakha of the Lutheran Church in Luga. Pastor Ivan Hutter and Pastor Valeri and Natalia Antipov were responsible for the spiritual part of the program.The worship service on April 29 included the installation of Yekaterina Nozhenko and Ludmila Klementyeva as soulcarers at St. George’s Lutheran Church of Koltushi, Leningrad Oblast. The ministry of congregational soulcaring was approved by the ELCIR Synodal Council on April 14, 2023.
