Twenty Years of Ministry: Anniversary Worship Service in Yuba City

On August 16, 2026, the Slavic and American Baptist churches in Yuba City, California, held a joint worship service celebrating the 20th anniversary of Slavic ministry in the city.

For many, this was more than just another Sunday worship service. It was a time to thank God for two decades of prayer, labor, trials, and blessings. The church was filled with members of both congregations. Americans and representatives of various peoples — Russians, Ukrainians, Bulgarians, Gagauz, and others, as well as Germans — gathered with one purpose: to hear the Word of God and to thank and glorify the Lord.

The bilingual nature of the service created a special atmosphere. Sermons, prayers, songs, and greetings were presented in both English and Russian. Rather than separating people, the different languages emphasized their unity in Christ.

Bob, pastor of the American church, also shared a message from God’s Word. He expressed his joy that the Lord brings people of different nationalities and cultures together under one church roof. The anniversary service became a living testimony that the church can be a place where differences do not become barriers to fellowship when people are united by their faith in God.

The day was especially meaningful for Andrey Grigoryevich Parkhomenko, pastor of the Slavic church. As participants reflected on the twenty-year history of the ministry, they spoke first and foremost about God’s mercy, which has sustained the church throughout all these years.

The Slavic ministry in Yuba City began in August 2006 with the support of the Pacific Coast Slavic Baptist Association. Its first pastor was Peter Mikhailovich Petrenko, who, together with his wife, played an active role in establishing the church. Today, the ministry is led by Pastor Andrey Parkhomenko.

Over the past twenty years, the small congregation has become a visible part of the Christian community in Yuba City. The Slavic Baptist Church continues to minister to Russian-speaking residents through worship services, prayer meetings, and evangelistic outreach events in local public parks. Every Tuesday, the church also holds an online prayer service that brings together believers of different ages, including elderly and homebound people, as well as worship groups from different regions, states, and countries.

Guests came to the anniversary celebration from Missouri and from various cities throughout California, including Sacramento and San Francisco. Representatives of several Slavic churches also joined the celebration, including Bryte, Vozrozhdenie, Word of Life, Grace Avenue Bible Church, and other congregations. Among the guests was Pastor Anatoly Alekseyevich Kravchuk from Latvia and his wife, who always make an effort to visit the Yuba City church whenever they come to the United States.

The Sacramento-based worship group “Praise the Lord” participated in the musical ministry. The involvement of children and church ministry leaders brought additional joy to the celebration.

Alexander Borisovich Pronin, President of the Pacific Coast Slavic Baptist Association, congratulated the church on its anniversary and presented a commemorative plaque on behalf of the churches of the Association. The gift became a symbol of unity and shared gratitude to God for twenty years of ministry in Yuba City.

The anniversary service provided an opportunity to look back and say together, “Thus far the LORD has helped us.” Twenty years represent the stories of many people, prayers, families, ministers, and generations. Some were there at the very beginning, others joined later, and still others arrived in Yuba City only recently. Yet they are all united by one story — the story of God’s mercy.

One message was especially clear on this anniversary day: people of different languages and nationalities may gather under the same church roof, but true unity is born when their hearts are united in Christ.

For this reason, the anniversary was not only a remembrance of the past but also a prayer for the future — that the Lord would continue to bless both the Slavic and American ministries, save people, strengthen families, and allow the Word of God to continue to be proclaimed in Yuba City as long as the door of grace remains open.

Following the worship service, the fellowship continued for a long time around a festive meal. Christian hymns, poetry, warm wishes, and fellowship enriched this memorable day spiritually.

Slavic Baptist Church
804 Cooper Avenue, Yuba City, CA
Pastor — Andrey Grigoryevich Parkhomenko

Lidia Vashchilina