wfn.org | United Methodist Church re-registers in Russia

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

Feb. 4, 1999	Contact: Linda Bloom*(212) 870-3803*New York
10-21-71BP{068}

NOTE: A file photograph of Bishop Ruediger Minor is available with this
story.

By United Methodist News Service

The Russia United Methodist Church has been re-registered, allowing it to
continue to open local congregations and use the word "Russia" in its name.

The registration recognizes the United Methodist Russia Annual Conference as
a "centralized" religious organization, said Bishop Ruediger Minor, based in
Moscow. The registration was completed Jan. 26 at the Russian Ministry of
Justice. Individual congregations will be registered through the conference.

The church, which now numbers an estimated 46 congregations, was compelled
to re-register because of the 1997 religion law passed by the Russian Duma
(parliament).

The Rev. R. Bruce Weaver, director of the United Methodist Board of Global
Ministries' Russia Initiative, called the registration "the most exciting
news we have had in the Russia Initiative in its entire eight years. It
enables us to be involved in mission and ministry legally and allows the
Russian United Methodists to function as a church."

There had been some question about whether denominations existing in Russia
in earlier times but not recently would be officially recognized. But Minor
said the tendency has been to recognize both religious groups from the
Soviet era and "groups that existed under oppression in an unofficial or
`underground' status through Soviet times, as well as those existing prior
to the Bolshevist Revolution of 1917."

A Methodist, B.A. Carlson, began evangelizing in St. Petersburg in 1889 and
organized a small congregation in November of that year.  In 1907, the Rev.
George A. Simons was appointed pastor and superintendent there, and the
Methodist Church in Russia received legal status two years later.

The St. Petersburg archives provided the evidence that United Methodists
needed to document the church's history in Russia.

"These documents, letters, protocols and reports from police officers and
local administrations gave a lively picture of Methodist life in St.
Petersburg and Northern Russia," Minor explained.

Simons reportedly "enjoyed" the fact that police informers infiltrated the
audiences for his sermons and lectures, the bishop said. "Over-eager police
officers arrested Methodist lay preachers for their `propagandistic' work.
The observation was made that sailors from the Russian Navy were attending
Methodist worship services, which was raising concerns about `pacifist'
influences."

Minor pointed out that the "sufferings and hardships of those mothers and
fathers in the faith turned out to be a blessing for their spiritual
grandchildren. Those documents gave ample proof of Methodism's existence
more than 90 years ago."

The Rev. Randolph Nugent, the board's top staff executive, also expressed
pleasure at the denomination being recognized as part of Russia's religious
community. "We give thanks to God for the new development."

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