|TOP|The United Methodist Church has reflected on the progress being made with its Russian mission, being carried out under the auspices of the Russia Initiative, at a recent gathering in Virginia, U.S..

The United Methodist Church stressed the high priority of ministries with children and youth in Russia and the surrounding areas at the 12th consultation of the Russia Initiative of the United Methodist Church held at the end of February.

The ministries to be focused on include evangelism, formal and informal education, and social services, particularly among orphans across the vast territory.

Youth ministries continue to be established across the 12 districts, with the youth programme at Camp Veronezh, near the city of Voronezh in the Central Black Soil District of Southern Russia, continuing to expand.

The Russia Initiative Consultation, attended by more than 280 people, ran under the theme “Until we’re all...fully mature adults...fully alive like Christ”.

|AD|The keynote address was given by Bishop Hans Vaxby of Moscow who said the future of the United Methodist Church and its leadership depends on “a passion for mission”.

“And you cannot fake passion,” said the Bishop who was made a member of the Rural Chaplains Association at the consultation.

“Yes, we need more pastors, which is one reason we are organizing youth forums for college students” said Bishop Vaxby. “The discussions at these events show a great deal of maturity, and I am sure that out of them will come a harvest from what the church has already planted.

“A new generation of leaders will come; they will come out of a passion for mission—for making disciples of Jesus Christ--cultivated by personal relationships.”
Bishop Vaxby said it was his greatest joy to be part of a mission process in which “God is at work and many people are partners.”

The Rural Chaplains initiative organises rural congregations in the U.S. to provide support to rural churches in Russia and other countries in the Eurasia Area of the denomination.