On April 23, 2022, St. Mary’s Lutheran Cathedral of St. Petersburg hosted a music festival which gathered congregational choirs from the St. Petersburg and West Ingrian Deaneries of the ELCIR, located in the St. Petersburg urban area and Leningrad Oblast. Opening the event, Bishop Emeritus Arri Kugappi offered a homily about spiritual vigilance. … [Read more...]
Servants’ Conference in Moscow
From November 11-12, 2021, the servants of the ELCIR Moscow Deanery met together for a servants’ conference at Holy Trinity Lutheran Congregation of Moscow. Motto: “Be Faithful!” During a roundtable discussion, the clergymen and lay servants made plans for their ministries in 2022. Participants & presentations: Bishop Ivan Laptev, “The … [Read more...]
TICI Hosts Evangelism Retreat
From September 10-12, 2021, the ELCIR Theological Institute (TICI) in Koltushi, Leningrad Oblast, hosted an evangelism retreat for members of St. Mary’s Cathedral Church of St. Petersburg. On Friday evening, the participants studied Romans 15 with the bishops Ivan Laptev and Arri Kugappi. Saturday was the busiest day as St. Mary’s parishioners had … [Read more...]
Rev. Ivanov Participates in Interdenominational Discussion
On July 1, 2021, Rev. Mikhail Ivanov, the ELCIR Chief Secretary, the Senior Pastor of St. Mary’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg, participated in the roundtable discussion “The Right to Pray: Debate around Russian Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Lutheran Churches, Prayer Houses, and Mosques.” The online meeting was organized by the Center for Studies of … [Read more...]
Students of Christian Faith Visit Religion Museum in St. Petersburg
On Tuesday, June 1, 2021, graduates of the Christian Faith School based at St. Mary’s Lutheran Church in St. Petersburg visited the State Museum of the History of Religion. Pastor Mikhail Ivanov and museum worker Yelizaveta Kizyma, a member of St. Mary’s Church, led an excursion on church history. Because of the pandemic restrictions on the … [Read more...]