On September 6-7, 2025, Omsk celebrated the 30th anniversary of the revival of its Lutheran parish. The celebration was attended by bishop Ivan Laptev and the former senior pastor, Juha Saari. Saturday was dedicated to lectures on the history of Lutheranism in the Siberian land and specifically in the city of Omsk, as well as reflections on the relevance of Lutheran doctrine in the modern world. On Sunday, after a festive worship service in the packed church hall, touching memories and warm words of congratulations were shared. We thank the senior pastor, Igor Kreos, and all the parish ministers for their labor in Christ’s vineyard!

On September 8-9, an episcopal visitation took place at the St. Mary’s parish in Irkutsk. In addition to discussing current affairs with the senior pastor, Albert Mazurenko, bishop Ivan Laptev visited the Jerusalem Cemetery in the city with its Lutheran section, where work is underway to restore historical memory. The bishop also conducted an evening service (Vespers). The sermon was based on the Gospel passage Luke 14:15-24, which was read by Yury Tishkin, a reader and youth minister from Sayansk. The central verse for reflection was verse 24: “For I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet,” which prompted the believers to reflect on the call to spiritual responsibility. After the service, the spouses Tatyana and Andrei Mayer performed a short musical piece for those present, filling the atmosphere with warmth and joy. Afterwards, everyone gathered for a cup of tea in a cozy setting, where parishioners shared interesting stories from their family lives, showed family heirlooms, photographs, and even a hymnal in the Estonian language. Thanks be to God for this meeting!