December 2006—St.  Petersburg, Russia   A GOOD WORD FROM CAMP from Leif & Zhanya Camp

(Click on St.  Paul Photo Albums

 to see photos of the Camp’s work and life.   This month’s are here.   More info at the bottom of the page.)

No News

          OK, it isn't that there isn't any news, but my hard drive crashed, I most of my pictures (but thanks to Darren Johnson and a few I had on my flash card, I managed to salvage something).  I did buy a new hard drive, have installed it and begun the process of putting all the programs back on my computer, but since that has taken a lot of time, I haven't had the time to sit down and write my usual prayer letter (since holiday services and so forth also were taking place).  The funny thing (if such things can be funny) is that my hard drive crashed about an hour after I sent my Christmas card to you all.  Oh, by the way, I also lost my current address book, so am using my back up that I made in June.  This means two things--if you had asked to be deleted, you were (but since the back-up) so I will have to delete you again.  Also, people who asked to be put on since the back up are not--so be sure to pass this on to your friends who may be interested and let them know. 

 

     In short about the pictures--which will include prayer requests:

 

English02--The Ingrain Lutheran English language services have moved from St. Michaels at the request of Russian pastor Sergei Tatarenko.  Even though we were covering our own expenses through our offerings (even after giving a large portion of the offerings to St.  Mikes), he felt it was not profitable enough given the financial difficulties of the Russian congregation and all the remodeling of the building.  This happened after the first Sunday in November.  After meeting with the regular worshippers at that service (2 of whom I baptized and 3 of whom I confirmed) the group decided it still wanted to continue to meet--so I went to the Bishop.  He also wanted us to continue to meet and offered to let us use the meeting hall in the Ingrian Central offices.  So, with the beginning of the new year (the new Church Year, that is--first Sunday in Advent--since the Church should mark time differently than the World it is good to keep this in mind), we began services.  You can see the beginnings of the altar I have since finished building (it hides away in a cabinet).  The bishop consecrated the altar on Dec.  23rd, but I have lost those pictures (others also took pictures of that service, so I will send something next month). 

English tea--Since we missed celebrating Thanksgiving, we celebrated after services on Dec 3.  Ham sandwiches instead of Turkey, but pies, salad, cranberry sauce, good fellowship and thankful praise for the new place to worship.  Pray that we can let people know about move and that they can find us (and new people as well).  Pray also for the financial difficulties surrounding the remodeling of St.  Michael's--Pastor Tatarenko is faced with a huge burden. 

Friendforce07--Dec 5th was the 15th anniversary (I believe that is correct) of the Russian branch of "Friendship Force," a non-religious organization working to build cross cultural bridges.  We were hooked up with this group through a faithful Lutheran woman from California who works with this group in the USA.  Anyway, the Russian president of the group invited Zhanya and me to their anniversary dinner.  My question when accepting the invite--"am I invited as simply a guest or as a pastor?" She said I was invited as pastor.  During dinner I was invited to give a short address--and believe it or not I did.  Since Friendship Force seeks to build cross cultural bridges, I made clear point of how God sent Jesus Christ to build a bridge from fallen humanity back to our heavenly Father.  Pray for my contact with this group--many of its members are closely affiliated with various government agencies. 

Housetapio--Tapio Karelainen (I know I didn't spell that right) and his wife Kaja are Finnish Lutheran missionaries serving in Koltushe.  Tapio is the Rector at the seminary.  While they were in Finland for documents, the house they were living in caught fire--they found it severely damaged on their return.  They immediately began repairs, but I found out that two days ago it caught fire again and this time was completely destroyed--again while they were away visiting people for the holidays).  They lost a lot of their personal photos and life long treasures--pray for Tapio and Kaja and that this does not discourage them in their ministry. 

miss-seminar--Dec 2 I gave a lecture at the youth missionary course at Koltushe Seminary.  This program has been running for this last year.  The idea is to train College age youth to be missionaries. 

Omskpastors--Dec 11-15 I was in Omsk with the bishop to attend a district pastors' conference (and help lead part of it).  We left on Dec 10th, due to a storm over Omsk, the plane was re-routed to Novosibirsk (where we sat for several hours waiting for the weather to clear), but we did manage to make it to Omsk for afternoon tea (we had planned on breakfast).  The Siberian fields are truly ripe--even in winter--and the workers are indeed few.  Pictured (beginning back left) John(Vicar with LCMS World Mission soon to graduate), Kai (a Finnish Lutheran Missionary, Albert (Ingrian Lutheran Pastor in Irkutsk), Victor (Ingrian Lutheran Pastor working in Buryatia and serving in Ulan Ude), Juha (Finnish Lutheran Pastor who is now acting as Siberian District President for the Church of Ingria), Yuri (Ingrian Lutheran deacon/missionary serving in Peterpavlika Buryatia), Pavil (lay leader in Chita), Vitaliy (Ingrian Lutheran seminary student from Ulan Ude), [frontleft] Igor (Ingrian Lutheran pastor of the Omsk congregation), me, Arre (Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria), Genadi (Ingrian deacon pastoring the Ingrian congregation in Novosibirsk), Vyacheslav (Ingrian deacon pastoring the congregation in Minuisinsk and riding a village circuit of 5 or 6 villages).  These pastors are separated by timezones, so bringing them together was an important time for them--pray for them. 

Volsem--Dec 8 and 9 I was out in the villages with pastor Alexei Uimanen to do some parish growth seminars--one in Volosovo and one in Gubanitza.  The one pictured is in Volosovo.  Pray for the village congregations as they seek to grow in both quality and quantity.  Needless to say, I came down with bronchitis (which began in Omsk with a cold).  Not pictured are the consecration of the completed altar for the English Language Service on Dec.  23, my leading the children's program at the Ingrian Church wide Christmas celebration (also on the 23rd) and our Christmas service--those pictures were lost with the crash of my hard drive.  There is a data recovery service here in St.  Petes where I am hoping I can recover some of my harddrive--so far they have been unable to help (and it is rather expensive--so this is another consideration).  Keep us in prayer as well--me, my wife Zhanya and our two children Karl and Anastasiya.  Also, pray for the pro-life work.  I have a lot to organize this coming year, and I am feeling overwhelmed--given the other tasks I am responsible for (the English service move, the parish growth seminars for the missionary committee, the weekly pastoral Bible study) besides the usual family stuff--the ever lengthening "honey-do" list of home repairs, etc.  Blessings and love in Christ,

 

 

In Christ,

Leif & Zhanya Camp

_________________________________________________________________________

Click on St.  Paul Photo Albums

 to see photos of the Camp’s work and life.   This month’s are here and descriptions are below:

 

I thought I would not just send our Christmas card via email (saving trees as many this year have put it--I have been sending Christmas cards via email for years now, and it is not so much as to save trees, but because I am less likely to get writer's cramp).  I suppose I could admit to being lazy--butthat is not entirely true...

 

I also thought I would include a couple of other pictures to warm your heart this season:  The children watching the puppet show at the annual Ingrian Lutheran Church wide Christmas pageant this evening (it was fun to watch how they slowing crept up to the front of the church from all corners of the sanctuary).  The Siberian Pastors     standing outside the former Lutheran church in Omsk, now the local Police and firefighter's museum--the heart warmer here was the fellowship shared between those pastors who came together over three time zones (it was also heartwarming to fellowship with old co-laborers and friends).

 

Blessings to you this season--at such times it is difficult to be so far away...

 

Love,

 

Leif, Zhanya, Karl, and Nastya....

 

CONTACT ADDRESSES Feedback, questions, whatever are most welcome.

Our Russian home address:

Leif and Zhanya Camp

18 line V.  O.  dom 43 Kv.  7

St.  Petersburg, Russia, 199178

 

Stateside contact address:

Leif and Zhanya Camp,

C/O Marli Camp

902 N.  12th

Melrose Park, IL, 60160

Russian Lutheran Church Address:

Ev.  Lutheran Church of Ingria in Russia

Bolshaya Konyushennaya dom 8

St.  Peterburg, Russia, 191186

 

Telephone: after getting an international line by dialing 011, dial 7- 812 (our area code) 321-1508(our phone number)

Note—Between St.  Petersburg and central US time, the difference is 9 hours.   Stateside contact telephone: 708-344-4472

 

E-MAIL:  lzkcamp(at symbol)mail.ru & leif.camp(at symbol)elci.ru.   Prolife web site with Russian materials you can down load: prolife.elci.ru.   Other websites: Lisa Stapp has set up a website which has some of our last newsletters (with their cover letters and pictures):  http://www.worthywomanpage.com/camp/index.html.   Also my mother's home congregation has our newsletters--the latest can be downloaded from: http://www.stpaulmp.org/camp/  a second site archives our past newsletters since 2002 http://www.stpaulmp.org/archives/ .    Please feel free to share this newsletter with your Church, friends, or enemies if it might help (just please do not quote things out of context or edit my words in such a way as to change their intent).   If you would like to receive a copy via e-mail, simply email me directly and ask!

 

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