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New bishop meets with United Methodist churches in Eurasia

Jan. 31, 2006

NOTE: Photographs are available at http://umns.umc.org.

A UMNS Report
By Linda Bloom*

In the year since his election as the new bishop for the United
Methodist Church's Eurasia Area, Hans Vaxby has established a goal of
visiting every district.

Vaxby has met with pastors and church leaders in five districts so far,
conducting sessions "for teaching, inspiration and consultation,"
according to a Jan. 27 report. The Eurasia Area includes the Russia
Annual (regional) Conference and four provisional conferences.

Spiritual formation has been an emphasis. "The strength in our
leadership comes from inside," he said. "It is when a deep, personal
relationship with God is combined with professional skills in ministry
that our work is most effective."

Vaxby, who was elected Feb. 11, 2005, succeeded Bishop Ruediger Minor.
He previously had served as bishop for the Nordic and Baltic regions of
the denomination's Northern Europe Conference for 12 years until his
last term expired in 2001. After that, he was pastor of a local church
in Helsinki.

Three important meetings are planned for this February, the bishop told
United Methodist News Service. A proposed paper on church property,
bringing the situation in Eurasia more in line with standards set by the
denomination's Book of Discipline, will be considered by the
administrative council on Feb. 7.

Following that, on Feb. 8-10, the Eurasia Area cabinet will discuss
accountability and evaluation and start to develop a manual for district
superintendents in Russia.

Vaxby said he is looking forward to participating in the annual Russia
Initiative Consultation, set for Feb. 23-25 in Falls Church, Va. The 11
district superintendents for Eurasia also will attend if funding is
available.

A program of the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries, the Russia
Initiative covers Eurasia and encompasses an estimated 5,000 to 7,000
members in more than 100 churches.

"The church in Eurasia is only 14 years old and she is as challenging as
teenagers should be - she wants to and should grow up and take
responsibility, but is still to a certain degree a child and needs
support," he explained.

"The consultation is an opportunity for our many faithful supporters and
interested newcomers to meet representatives from our churches in Russia
and Ukraine."

In Eurasia, plans are in the works for a common curriculum for lay
training and a comprehensive plan for pastors' continuing education.
Vaxby believes a hunger exists, not just for training, but for the
ability to function more effectively as a church.

"Wherever I go, I meet people expressing their wish to be a part of the
connection," the bishop said. "It is about information, instruction and
involvement, but maybe still more a wish to stand together as a church
in prayer and ministry."

Vaxby took part in a daylong Sept. 10 dedication of the new Russia
United Methodist Theological Seminary in Moscow, organized by seminary
President Tobias Dietze.

During the opening worship service, the bishop thanked God "for every
person who gave a dollar or prayed for a minute for the Russian seminary
and the Russian people. When God is behind something, it will happen.
Our calling is to share the graceful message of Jesus Christ to a nation
needing to hear."

Three new churches - Lugansk in Eastern Ukraine, Stavrapol in Southern
Russia and Pskov, close to Estonia - were consecrated in 2005.

The new congregations all benefited from ties to supporting U.S.
congregations in financial, spiritual and personal ways, according to
Vaxby.

"It is very complicated and, from time to time, extremely frustrating to
build a church in Russia," he reported. "Delays and (a) rise in prices
can make the most patient person desperate. Local authorities are also
not always very helpful, sometimes yielding to common prejudices about
religious minorities.

"That is why the spiritual and personal support from supporting
congregations has been as important as the financial support."

Owning a building helps a congregation gain status in the community, he
added, pointing to Pskov as an example.

"At the consecration of the church, staff from the local office for
registrations of visas was present," Vaxby noted in his report. "Over
the years, they have seen all the people coming over from Christ United
Methodist Church in Memphis, Tenn., to help with building and ministry.
Their presence was, no doubt, a sign of respect and recognition."

The bishop told United Methodist News Service that while there are no
direct problems with government officials, local cooperation "varies
with prejudice against religious minorities, which sometimes seems to
develop into political pressure."

Vaxby encouraged more U.S. churches to join the Russia Initiative's
supportive congregations program, especially since the Eurasia Area
receives less direct funding these days from the Board of Global
Ministries. Supportive congregations contribute funds for salary and
program expenses to designated pastors and local churches in Eurasia.

He noted that five to 10 congregations have insufficient support or no
support at all. "If we can't find help for them, pastors will lose their
salary support," he said.

More information about the supportive congregations program is available
through Jim Athearn, director of the Russia Initiative, at (540)
662-2066 or jathearn@starband.net.

*Bloom is a United Methodist News Service news writer based in New York.

News media contact: Linda Bloom, New York, (646) 369-3759 or
newsdesk@umcom.org.

********************

United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org

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