Terry's Russia Blogosphere

Happy Thanksgiving!

       

This holiday is one of our favorite times of the year, even here in Russia.  It has been interesting, to say the least, over that past several years to celebrate a completely American traditional holiday in a foreign country. 

Times have changed in Russia and there are more and more products available now but many items are rarely found. 

Every year, we celebrate with the Renners in their home here in Moscow.  Each of us takes our own special part in bringing a big meal together.  I guess we all have our specialty.

Pastor Rick always makes the turkey!  That has been no small undertaking here.  A large turkey is hard to find and when you do get one the ovens are always too small to accommodate them.  However, pastor found a certain market where you can buy whole turkeys which even reach up to nearly 30 pounds - wow!  We eat well when it come to the bird...

Terri's specialty is always sweet potatoes and Pumpkin Pie!  Yum, yum...  Let me tell you though, those two items are nearly impossible to come across.  This year, Terri's mom sent two cans of pumpkin with Terri's dad to the country of Turkey where we met him and brought it back to Russia with us.  We then saved the cans until last week.  The sweet potatoes were a different story though.  There is one (count 'em), one store in this city of 18 million which carries sweet potatoes.  But they changed locations and we didn't know it until the night before our dinner.  Our friends, Bob & Katherine live near the new location and made a special trip for us to the store.  Those were the sweetest potatoes you could imagine after all that (with crushed nuts on top to boot)!

My forte' is the mashed potatoes and gravy.  I made 30 pounds of potatoes with a half gallon of turkey gravy.  I only wish I could have eaten more at one sitting! 

It was a great day for all the Americans on our team to sit around together and count our blessings.  All except our friends, Jon & Jane who were teaching in Kiev.  Now they're coming home and we'll be having a mini-thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. 

We celebrated early due to travel schedules but we had a special day anyway.  I hope your holiday is just as good.  There truly is much to thank God for.

English Language Service Launched

A New Chapter has been opened in the story of the International Fellowship at Moscow Good News Church. 

Since 2003, we have been serving the international community here in Moscow with different types of social activities with an emphasis on those who speak English.  Of course, English isn't the only language spoken among us but it serves as a central language which we can use to communicate.  For those who don't use English at all we can simply fellowship with each other in Russian which we all know.

Nevertheless, a new level of ministry is now underway here and that is with a full-fledged English Language Service.  This includes all music and singing in English and preaching without an interpreter.  Eventually, we will develop all areas to include Children's Ministry, Youth and others, all with English speaking leaders.  Imagine if you were a parent in a foreign country and couldn't find a children's church for your kids or youth in English.  That is a true need. 

Pastor Rick will be bringing the Word of God to us each week when he is in town and I will be teaching when he is not, or when we have a special event scheduled in the central church and he can't make it. 

We look forward to meeting many more people from the international community here in Moscow.  If you're here and your looking for a place to worship, come join us. 

Americans Have a Choice Today

Until today I have kept out of the fray of political debate.  Today is election day in the U.S.  Probably, no one will read this blog since there are many, vastly more qualified commentators writing as fast as they can to keep up with this drawn out election season.

I agree with what Newt Gingrich wrote, "Today marks the end of one of the most dishonest, relentlessly one-sided campaigns of bias and distortion by the mainstream media in American history." 

I have observed a heartbreaking shift in the American media finally come to the pinnacle of corruption, from afar.  The term "In the tank" has become the by-word for the media who have abused their constitutional freedom and have misused their unfortunate influence to get their man elected.  The media's bias is unparalleled. 

Instead of voting their principles, it seems that many are voting their emotions or simply what they've been led to do according to what they've seen on TV.  The television has defined their principles and the overwhelming bias to the left seems to be the bigger influence.  Its almost 1984 folks. 

I am most amazed though at Christians.  They have left the Word of God to vote for a lesser standard.  I pray that this spirit of deception disappears when they step into the booth and they come to their senses. 

A vote for a pro-abortion candidate, for example, is a vote for abortion.  Let's not be unrealistic about it.  A vote for a pro-homosexual agenda candidate is a vote for the homosexual agenda.  A vote for socialism in America is only as far away as casting a ballot for a pro-socialist candidate. 

As many Christians vote based upon race alone they accept the consequences and policies of the candidate as an afterthought.  I see that as a dangerous game to play, like getting the cart before the horse so to speak. 

Today, I hope that the voting booths are crowded with Americans exercising their constitutional right to let their voice be heard.  Who knows what freedoms we'll have down the road a couple of years from today.