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Goodbye My Brothers and Sisters
By: Rev. Brandon Dirks
We have finished up the conference in Russia. I am exhausted in every way possible…physically, emotionally and spiritually. But happy! I have fallen in love with my Russian brothers and sisters. I am filled with deep gratitude to represent Christ Church on this mission. I am honored that our church has had a huge hand in fulfilling our vision to heal divides…all the way in Russia…by helping them engage in covenant small groups.
Final day group photo. Very emotional. About 10 had to leave and missed the photo. These are now “sent” to go and make disciples through engaging in 22 small covenant groups! Most will return next year to report on how their year went and will bring new disciples with them to be trained. Multiplication is happening! Slaba Bogo! Praise God!
Sergei proudly showing off this Hope Necklace lovingly made by our Jewels of Grace group at Christ Church.
More hope necklaces
Closing session. I have NEVER experienced anything like this. Sergei brought the combined leadership team of Americans and Russians to the front and we prayed over EACH covenant group that was started last year, each leader, each person who wanted to start a covenant group this year, and each person who wanted to be in a covenant group. It was one of the most praying sessions I have ever been a part of. We prayed for about two hours. And the room was 78 degrees. And nobody left. Crazy!
Oleg, our worship leader, LOVES his hope necklace and actually asked me for a second one.
Sergei and Simon’s group. Oleg, in the orange, has started a covenant group with three men currently in prison. Amazing!
From Breakfast to a Motorcyclist Bible
By: Rev. Brandon Dirks
Only have time for a few photos…enjoy!
This is breakfast in Russia…French fries (sort of), bangers (hot dog), cheescake eggs (yes!) and whatever is in the cup..some sort of salad. My son would love French frieds, hotdogs and cheescake for breakfast!
My name tag. My first name in Russian
This is Anya and Dima (yes, the same Dima from my covenant group). They came here from Ukraine and are leading worship. Anya led the singing with her eyes closed. After, she told me that is the best way to make sure she is singing to God. An you can tell by the passion in her voice!
Several things to notice here: Dima is giving his testimony of how a covenant group has impacted his life and led him to want to come to this conference from Ukraine. Dima 2 (also from my group this week) is standing in the Harley-Davidson shirt filming him and praying for him. They never met until they met in my little covenant group. What awesome public support and love is displayed from Russian to Ukrainian! So proud of moi brat’ya!
Andrei Burbullis is the pastor who took us to his covenant group meeting in St. Petersburg. I was moved (again!) when he came to me and wanted to discuss what he thought of it. He thinks God has a higher calling for him, but worries that he sins to much!!! A UMC pastor, ordained, leader of the church…wanted to confess his sins to me! I was humbled and wanted to run away. I am definitely not worthy. He is doing an amazing job here in Russia. We talked and prayed and I personally prayed that I was able to offer some kind of encouragement.
Andrei
Dima sharing his faith journey. He was a boxer as a kid and I couldn’t wait to tell him about our church’s relationship with a local boxing ministry. He came to faith when a motorcycle minister gave him a “Motorcyclist Bible.” Little did he know that he also just met his future wife!
God’s Truth in Any Language!
By: Rev. Brandon Dirks
Our days are so full…below I share some about our worship and teaching from Wednesday. Check back tomorrow for more!
This is the street we must cross everyday to go to the retreat center. We walk about .25 miles down the road to a tunnel, then .25 miles back. One mile round trip, each trip. We take a few trips a day. Some of us are trying to figure out if we can cut across this traffic without getting hit!
Wednesday morning worship service…I am preaching “The Pearl of Great Price” story that I did for Christ Church a few weeks ago. It was a challenge to do it with a translator in Russia.
My brother Vladimir Ditmar! He is one of the translators and we sit in the back of the lectures together. I actually took this picture during a lecture by Sergei. Maybe I’m not one of the best students…we are having a great time!
Natalya Lozak is giving her testimony about the difference a covenant group made in her life over the last year. A participant from last year started one she joined. Now she is here to learn how to be a covenant group leader. This is the Kingdom multiplying!
Sergei started the teaching with the Four Calls of Christ (Salvation, Lordship, Discipleship, Purpose) and the central framework for disciple making. So cool how God’s truth is true in any language!
Sergei is teaching on Romans 12. Many men in Christ Church have used Romans 12 in a small group to help them wrestle with foundational challenges and obstacles in their faith. Our Russian brothers and sisters are as well!
Elena Mityaeva came to me during break. She doesn’t speak English, but it was important for her to tell me something. For 10 minutes we pantomime and used Google translate. I finally understood and it brought tears to my eyes. She said that the sermon this morning moved her to tears because she and her daughter have been praying for years for a home they could own and live in. She realized that even if she bought a house, she wouldn’t own it. It’s God’s. It’s all God’s. She was able to let it go. She asked me to pray for her and her daughter. I did right there! She asked for a video of my sermon. Oh my!
Exhausted and Exhilarated in Russia!
By: Rev. Brandon Dirks
I’m exhausted. And exhilarated. It’s about 10:45 pm here and we’ve been going since 7 am. Had an opening worship (two hrs), two covenant group meetings, one lecture, two lead team meetings, and I spent last two hours preparing for tomorrow. At the last minute they asked me to preach the morning worship service On Wednesday. It only has to be only 10 minutes, so I think I’m going to do the Pearl of Great price monologue that I did a few weeks ago for Christ Church. I think it has an Continue reading
Next Stop: Moscow
By: Brandon Dirks
A photo diary of my first day in Moscow.
Last moments in St. Petersburg. Getting on a high speed train at 6:30 am to Moscow to meet up with the rest of the team. Weird how nobody has recognized the logo on my shirt yet…;)
Our whole team is together! From left: Simon Mortimer, Lea Taylor, Valerie Deel, Beth Laury, Rev. Mark Danzey, Sergei Nikolaev, me
This is the Moscow United Methodist Seminary building. See the Cross and Flame on the gate? The Enblish Connection is a part of the seminary outreach mission to the community. They offer very low cost, but very high quality English education, which is in high demand. It has a similar relationship to the seminary as Christ Church School does to Christ Church. The English Connection had four students last year. This year they have over 100 children, youth and adults enrolled! Word of mouth has really spread!
Moscow UMC Seminary building with the Russian logo for the English Connection Center
This is the schedule for the second half of the teaching conference. The circled name is my name, Brandon Dirks, in Russian. I’m honored.
Our first team meeting at the seminary. Seminary president Sergei Nikolaev is telling us about the seminary, United Methodism in Russia and his dreams for the future of the seminary.
Sergei tells us that the seminary is about 25 years olad and is seeking to raise $8 million to ensure low cost seminary education. He has already raised 25% of that. He has a clear vision of how the ONLY UMC seminary in Russia, and nearly six surrounding countries, can be the center of disciple making training for all of Russia.
We Met the Brothers
By: Rev. Brandon Dirks
Andre’a Men’s Covenant Group: Elijah, Vitaly, Andrei, Brandon (me), Mark Danzy + Anton taking the picture
“There we found some brothers who invited us to stay with them…” Acts 28:14
When I awoke for my first day in Russia, I had no idea that God had a surprise in store for me. After spending the day at “The Hermitage” (once the Winter Palace of the Royal leaders, now The Hermitage is a gigantic state museum and worth several days of exploration…I could write an entire series of blogs!), Andrei contacted us and Continue reading
Hello Russia!
By: Brandon Dirks
Well, after flight delays and missing our connection in Amsterdam, we finally made it to our hotel at 2 am local time night before last. We had an amazing experience yesterday – we were invited to meet with a men’s small group! More on that soon. In the meantime, here are some photos from my first hours in Russia…
Landing in St. Petersburg at midnight! It looks like sunset. These days are Wthite Nights, longest days of the year. The sun never completely sets.
Outside the Hermitage Museum, aka the Winter Palace. It’s HUGE!
Rafael, “Madonna and Child.” He painted this masterpiece when he was only 20! It is about the size of a side salad plate. How did he do it?!
We met Pastor Andre. This is the outside of his house church.
The name of the church on their one and only bulttein board reads, “Saint Petersburg United Methodist Church – Bethany”
The view from Andrea’s pulpit…the balcony is his apartment!
Andre’s Sanctuary
Andre’a Men’s Covenant Group: Elijah, Vitaly, Andrea, Brandon (me), Mark Danzy + Anton taking the picture
Pastor Andrea and I had to communicate mainly by speaking into Google Translate and showing each other the result. It worked slowly, but worked!
The World Cup crowd!
World Cup fans on the street!
To Russia, With Love
By: Brandon Dirks
My mentor, Mark Danzey and I meet up in Atlanta on our way to Russia
“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations…” (Matthew 28:19a)
Today I enter Russia! After sitting on the Tarmac for two hours in Atlanta in an un-air conditioned plane; then, getting off the plane to wait two more hours to eventually take off (in a now smelly, BO-filled plane for a 9 hour flight) just after midnight to go to Amsterdam, we missed Continue reading
Come with me to the Holy Land.
By: Rev. Brandon Dirks
Now could be the time.
I am organizing a group to go to the Holy Land in February…and I want to invite you to join me. God has given me several mountain top experiences in my life, but my pilgrimage to Israel was the Mount Everest of spiritual experiences. I never realized how easy, safe, inexpensive, and most importantly…possible…it was for me to go.
Two years ago when I signed up, Continue reading
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