PCSBA's August newsletter is available here: in Russian | in English.

On his Facebook page, Franklin Graham shared his observations about the absence of God on the upcoming democratic conventions in America. “I do not believe that America can expect a bright future if we take God out of the government and social life. It is God who establishes the standards by which we ought to live” – he said in his post. The full text of his post is available below or on his Facebook page.

Оn August 22, Slavic Baptist Church of West Sacramento hosted a meeting of head pastors and the Committee members of the Association.

On July 25-27, my wife Alena and I were able to visit Minnesota. This is a state where I experienced true and freezing winters, where my children grew up, where I received a calling to spiritual ministry, where I had the experience of “faithfulness to God in little”, and where I began ministering as a pastor at a church which was small at that time, but which God blessed in the past, and continues to bless to this day!

On August 8-10, my wife and I visited Tacoma, WA. The “evergreen” state has amazed us with its beauty and cleanliness, as well as the friendliness of the people. Despite our usual expectations of the rainy weather, during the days of our visit, there was nothing but sunny weather, as well as warm and close fellowship at different gatherings.

In light of the cancellation of our radio program on 1690 AM, the Association was forced to switch to a new station at 87.7 FM. As a result of this shift, we have lost all of our previous listeners, and so far, have not gained any consistent listeners at the new station. In addition, the audience of this new station is completely different than what was before. The new audience is generally unbelievers, and as it is said today, “unchurched” people, and it is very difficult to gain their attention. For them, many of our programs are hard to understand and boring. They are not interested in the issues that we are raising and shedding light upon. They would rather listen to entertainment programs or discuss current events. 

PCSBA's July newsletter is available here: in Russian | in English.

On July 12, the Word of Life Baptist Church had a celebration service during which the office of the head pastor passed from David Khadzhiyev to Dmitriy Kruts. For such occasions, the American churches has a special church service called “Pastoral Installation Service”.

On July 18, the Slavic Evangelical Baptist Church in Montebello held a pastors’ meeting of the southern region. It was attended by the representatives of the six churches located in the span of the San Diego region until Los Angeles.

On July 18, the Slavic Evangelical Baptist Church in Anaheim, had a joyful occasion: ordination of a young minister, Andrey Stebakhov for the deacon ministry.

On June 26th, there was another ZOOM meeting of the Association’s departments leaders. This is not the first meeting that took place in this format and it appears that the ZOOM meetings are becoming a new norm for everyone. During the meeting, the ministry leaders presented their reports. Although many of the planned conferences and church visits are still impossible, but the ministry continues through the online forms of communications such as ZOOM, Viber, Skype, and others. Although these platforms allow some opportunities for fellowship, everyone awaits with anticipation when it will be possible to meet face to face in person. 

As the questions about the upcoming convention are beginning to trickle in, we want to inform you that the president of the Association and the committee are in constant communication about this issue. For now, it is unclear whether the government will allow big gatherings in October. Even if we invite only the church delegates, there will be over 200 people, which is twice more than what is allowed under the present guidelines.

There was a meeting of the chairmen of the Ukrainian and Slavic associations of the U.S., and the organizers of the Missionary Congress of 2021. Did you notice the change of the year: instead of “2020”, there is a new number “2021”? This is due to the limitations to gatherings of large events in California being extended to “indefinite times”, and because of that, the following decision was reached.

The store is open for business and there is a lot of work to be done but not many people who are willing to do it. There is a great need for volunteers. Pavel Tsvirinko who is the general manager of the store is asking all of us to respond and come for some physical help at the store, or at least to share this need among others.

While I was in West Sacramento on June 15^th, I visited the Word to Russia Mission. The ministry of this mission to the Slavic community began in 1972 when many of us were still behind the “iron curtain” and with reverential care tuned in to short frequency wavelength broadcast from overseas just to hear the Word of God. Many of us have grown spiritually precisely thanks to those who over the course of many years served sacrificially in preparing the radio programs while living on the other side of the globe. One of such a blessed servants is Michael Loktev.

Three months of quarantine have passed so quickly. Slowly, doors of the churches are beginning to open up…however, this process is not that simple and very lengthy. Larges churches of the Association have significantly more difficulties because the demands of the governing authorities make the large gatherings impossible at the church buildings. The “smaller” churches that have less church members are able to go through this time much better.

Yuriy Senchenko, Choose Life Church’s senior pastor and co-founder of the Silent No More Movement invites you to join the final International Conference “Evangelism in the New Reality”. The conference will be held on June 27, 2020, from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM (PST) and it will be in Russian on Zoom platform (Zoom ID: 895 9947 7883) with livestream on YouTube (SilentNoMoreMovement) and Facebook (Silent No More Movement). Everyone is welcome.

PCSBA's May newsletter is available here: in Russian | in English.

Over the course of a few years, the International Institute of Biblical Counseling “Coram Deo” tried to enroll a group of disciples in Sacramento. At first, the groups from many of our churches had a relatively large amount of people that consisted of pastors and other ministers of local churches. However, almost all of the pastors dropped out due to the business of the ministry, and the present group of students has only one  deacon who is far from out of our state.

Vasile Filat who is the regional director of Eurasia Precept Ministry, along with his helpers taught a few sections online with the theme of “How can a Christian use digital technology”. The last session of the seminar was dedicated to the issue of pathological dependence upon technology and biblical methods of breaking free from it.

 This question sparked many discussions among the churches, both among the pastors, as well as among the church members. Someone has resolved to have it, some delayed it for better times.

This is a remarkable time, during which we find ourselves in the quarantine, not that we are forced to stay home, but that while being at home, we can be active in ministry. For that we need to have only the phone and the internet.

On Saturday, May 9, there was an annual missionary training. The meeting was organized by the PCSBA’s Missionary Ministry “Power in Truth”. For the first time in history, the missionaries gathered in an online format through Zoom. The pandemic created a global crisis, but at the same time, it opened up many opportunities for effective evangelism. This time the participants were from Europe and the U.S. The goal of the meeting was equipping missionary teams with the knowledge, so that they will be successful and be the salt and light to this world. The mediator of the meeting and coordinator of short-term mission trips, Sergey Tkachev, introduced the participants and the program.

Alik Shipuk, a missionary of the Association, who works with his wife in Spain, sent a letter describing how the ministry is going there. Read his letter here. The letter is in Russian only.

PCSBA's April newsletter is available here: in Russian | in English.

On April 17, the chairmen of the associations in the U.S., as well as the missions leaders who are making the preparations of the 2020 Missionary Congress had a leaders’ meeting on ZOOM. Due to the quarantine and despite the absence of any forecasts related to the lessening of the restrictions that affect international travel, as well as the physical assembly in the State of California, the organizers affirmed their desire to host the congress, and will continue to make necessary preparations. The congress was rescheduled to September 25-27, and we hope that all of the issues of restrictions will be resolved. In general, the program is ready, and all of the speakers except for two already confirmed their desire to participate in September.

This question was asked, and since the quarantine has been extended, is continued to be asked by many pastors as well as members of the churches. During the Holy Thursday, some churches delivered bread and wine to all of their church members, and then came together during an online meeting to partake of the communion. Some churches, however, are delaying the communion until the end of the quarantine, but what to do in case the quarantine is extended even more? What to do if this situation will happen again in the future?

How are the churches of southern California handling the quarantine? – this was the question of Olga Avetisova (further О.А.) to the head pastor of Montebello church, Valeriy Olegovich Konopelkin (V.К.)
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О.А. Valeriy Olegovich! Your church is one of the farthest churches in southern California. Tell us: how you are surviving in the midst of the pandemic?

Over the course of about a year, there was a dialogue about opening a very important new ministry in the association – the family ministry. After a long search, a new minister was identified to lead this ministry. Igor Zhukov is a pastor of family ministry in Slavic Evangelical Missionary Church of Orange County.

Greetings to you during this unique and difficult time for so many. It’s a unique time because we have never experienced anything like it in our lifetime. We are all quarantined under the stay at home orders and find ourselves spending a lot of time at home. With this recent change I would like to offer several suggestions to spend the quarantine wisely to benefit us, our family and ministry.

PCSBA's March Newsletter is available here: in Russian | in Englich.

Peace to you dear brothers and sisters! By God’s grace on March 15^th our Association had another meeting of the churches’ youth leaders. From the day that the youth committee was formed, this was our third meeting, and with every new meeting, we had more and more new leaders joining us.

On Sunday, March 8, 2020, the Honolulu Slavic Church (HSC), the most remote outpost of the Pacific Coast Slavic Baptist Association (PCSBA) located on the Hawaiian Islands, celebrated its 10-year anniversary.

Since we are presently in the COVID-19 epidemic, we are exhorting you to follow all rules of safety and prevention as recommended by the government, and are focused on preventing its spread. God allows certain trials into our lives in order to test our trust and confidence that He is controlling everything.

This epidemic demonstrates the globalization of the world in which we ar

Dear guests and participants of the 2020 Missionary Congress! Due to the spread of the coronavirus on a global scale and the restrictions that have been put in place by various world leaders in an attempt to stop its spread, the leadership of the congress were forced to move the dates of the congress to September 25-27. Everything else is remain the same: the program, the speakers, location, etc. Only the date has been changed. God allows certain circumstances in our lives and makes His own corrections into our plans.

January - February newsletter is available here: in Russian | in English.

The central theme of the annual presidential breakfast this year was the command of Jesus to love one’s enemies. The breakfast took place right after the concluding session of the government over the issue of impeachment of the country’s president. For many, the obedience to the commandment of the Lord happened to be too difficult.

After studying at the International Theological Seminary for five years, pastor of the Rockland Church, Nicolay Alekseyevich Burgriyev, received his Doctorate degree. The awards ceremony for the five graduates, including Nicolay Alekseyevich, took place on February 16^th at the Rockland Church. The director of the Russian-European seminary faculty V.K. Zhakevich and A.K. Sipko participated in the ceremony. To watch the ceremony, visit the church’s YouTube channel – click here.

Pavel Tsvirinko, who is the manager of Pacific Thrift Store, says the following: “Praise God that we continue our ministry. This month we sent out two containers, which means that there will be income that helps to support the Association’s missionary ministry. Ivan Vladimirovich Mileyev visited us and was a great encouragement to us. Come help us, donate the things that you may no longer need. We are always welcoming of this aid, and the ministry for the glory of God continues to expand”.

You are invited for the women conference that will take place at the Second Slavic Baptist Church on March 21. More details see in the banner below.

The ministry of the Moms in Prayer Association holds a prayer breakfast for sisters of all churches on February 29. Theme: “WHO IS GUILTY IN MY HURT?”. Speaker: Rufina Peychev. Free admission. Beginning at 9 a.m., ending at 11 a.m.

Do you desire to strengthen your marriage? Do you desire to raise sons and daughters that love and serve the Lord? Join the family conference at the Second Slavic Church on February 21-23, 2020.

Professor Craig Evans of Houston Baptist University will speak at the Jesus On Trial Apologetics Conference on March 20^th- 21^st. 

PCSBA's December newsletter is available here: in Russian | in English.

Merry Christmas dear brothers and sisters!

The Savior came into the world Who through His sacrificial love brought victory over sin, death, enmity, and darkness in which the world was. The heavenly Father had His plan from eternity, and when the fullness of times came, He sent His only begotten Son Jesus Christ into the world.

On December 1, 2019, the New Hope Church took an active part in the 20th annual lighting of the New Year tree in the Rancho Cordoba.

The Sacramento Precept Ministries are inviting you to register for a training program at The Bible Institute starting January 11 through January 26.

Over the course of many years, the mission department of the Pacific Coast Slavic Baptist Association has provided pastoral care for the missionaries in Europe. At the end of November, Joseph Sheremet, a pastor of Grace Family Church, visited our missionaries in Europe.