October 2007—St.  Petersburg, Russia   A GOOD WORD FROM CAMP from Leif & Zhanya Camp

(Click on http://www.flickr.com/photos/stpaulmp/ to see photos of the Camp’s work and life.  This month’s are here.)

 

ТВОРЕНИЕ-tvar-YEN-ee-ye-Something Created

Genesis 2:18 And the LORD God said, "It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him."

     That God has made us is a wonderful thing.  We confess this every time we recite the Creed—that God created the heavens and the earth.  We are His creatures, made in His likeness.  All that God created was good until we created the current mess through our sin (OK, it was Adam and Eve, but we all share the guilt and the consequences).  A lot of who we are, our tendency to shift the blame, avoid responsibility, the struggles we have in our relationships with each other, the world and with God, some of our basic physical needs and our most critical spiritual need for a Savior, go back to Creation and our fall.  This became very clear to me as I was preparing my portion of what has become an annual event—a pro-life seminar with Pastor Don Richman, a founding board member and foreign liaison of Lutherans for Life.  This year’s sub-topic was men and their responsibility for life—the seminar was held in Nizhniy Novgorod.

     As a companion piece to our Pro-life seminar, the students at Nizhniy Novgorod had asked me to prepare a Bible study on male and female roles from Scripture (which also, since we live post-fall, are grounded in the results of the fall).  I won’t go into detail, but can say this—much of our physical roles are given, they are created.  Why didn’t my breasts produce milk when Karl and Nastya were babies?  I don’t understand it, and it certainly isn’t fair by human reasoning.  Still, this is the way God has ordained the created order—that privilege of breastfeeding, that closeness with my children is not mine, but my wife’s.  When we fulfill our physical roles, the roles God has created for us, and accept our God given limitations, we find fulfillment and God blesses us.

The same holds true of our Spiritual roles.  These are often more easily bent and circumvented, but it does not make them any less created or true.  Physical roles are bound by our biology, but spiritual roles by our obedience and submission to God’s Word and loving Will.  God leaves our spiritual roles to our faithfulness, as a test as it were of our trust in Him and His Word.  Do we really trust Him and His Word or do we rather trust and look to a changing society, political correctness, and the praise of men (see John 12:43)?  God’s Word confronts us because we are sinners and want things a different way, a different order which is contrary to God’s order.  As difficult as it is, God’s order, His Law is true—when we accept this, we also understand that His Word of Grace is also true.  There is a danger in willfully disobeying or disregarding God’s Word of Law—when we do so, we disregard also His Word of grace, and therefore forfeit the Grace He for which He paid so dearly.

One other thing to note: our roles as men and women are not so much a list of duties like a job description (he catches the fish, she cooks and cleans it), but rather an order of responsibility before God and each other. Take note of the word responsibility—the root is response.  When we seek to lead God pleasing lives by fulfilling our God given roles (and helping each other to do the same), we can do so as under the law, but then such roles are slavery and a burden.  Or we can do so under the Gospel, as a response to the love and grace we have first received—and thus we are blessed in this life and the next!

Some Old News

Hebrews 2:2 For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was

confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

The Lutheran Church of Ingria is a small church, but several months ago she again did a big thing—she stood up once again in a way that her larger partners should take notice (because when Ingria stands up against larger forces, she always has much more to lose—at least by human reasoning).  Several months ago leaders of Ingria were invited to an LWF forum to discuss the possible ordination and marriage of homosexuals in the church.  In other LWF forums on other subjects (communion and fellowship issues for instance), Ingria has often served as a strong confessional witness.  On this issue, Ingria chose a different stance: refusing to attend with a strong letter explaining that where God’s Word is clear, there is no debate or need for discussion. 

We may discuss how to help free people from sinful lifestyles, how to best witness and minister, how to hold to God’s truth without fostering prejudice and fear, how to best apply law and Gospel to call all sinners to repentance, forgiveness and salvation, but to discuss how the church might aid and abet sin is contrary to her God given mission, her God given role.

God is not against us—as if He were our enemy.  That Christ came while we were yet sinners (Rom 5:8) and died for us is clear evidence of God’s love for us and all sinners.  When, however, we disobey or ignore His Will, then we are against God.  God sent His Son, seeking peace with us, peace at the great cost of the suffering and death—the very out pouring of the blood—of Jesus Christ, His only Begotten Son.  Never confuse this—when there is war with God, it is we who are attacking, we who are the aggressor and violator.  And even as we fight God, He persistently calls us to repent and to return to His waiting arms!

 

Prayer Requests

Pray for English Service which this next month will celebrate its 3rd anniversary.  Pray for Darin and Ira Johnson—Ira’s mother has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.  Pray for our neighbors who are recovering from fire damage along with a prayer of thanks that we were spared. Pray for the remodeling in Tver and for Pastor Sergei Shanin as he seeks to faithfully use the space God has provided for spreading the Gospel—feeding and growing the flock.  Pray for Bishop Arri Kugappi as he continues to guide the Ingrian Lutheran Church along the narrow road.  Pray for the pastors and leaders of the Siberian District which will meet this month in Omsk, especially Albert Mazerenko of Irkustk, Juha Saari of Omsk (who is also the district president) and Vacheslav Shadrin who is pastor of Minusinsk and supplying the pulpits in 4 villages and the city of Krasnoyarsk (pray for his wife Olga as they are expecting now their third child due sometime next Spring).  Pray for the pro-life Ingrian pro-life initiative as it moves forward, it now has an official budget through the Ingrian central offices, and we are in the process of forming a committee.  Pray for Andrei Savolianen and the Ingrian police chaplaincy initiative and Ivan Laptev as he seeks to finish his seminary education while continuing his village evangelism.  Pray for us—that God grant us more wisdom, faith and strength to know, trust and follow His Will.  Pray for me specifically that God give me the facility to faithfully fulfill all my “responsibilities.”

Russian Pro-life Legal up-date

A law has been proposed in the Russian Duma to outlaw abortion on demand—allowing only for specific medical necessity.  If the law passes, it will be a major turn around in this country which was the first to legalize abortion in the 1930s.  The law seems to have some support, not so much on moral grounds, but more on practical grounds of the falling Russian population—still, its chances of passing are slim.  Changing the law, however, will not change people’s hearts, so even if the law passes much work will be needed to help people want and love their children.

A Couple of Russian jokes

At night a bat is flying around and “bam” hit a wall, turns around and spirals to the ground.  He sits up, shakes his head and says, these earphones on my mp3 player will be the death of me yet.

“Hello, is this the society for the protection of animals?” “Yes.”  “Well, you need to send a person over here right away, the postman is up the tree and not only threatening to kick my dog, but also being verbally abusive.”

A Karl Joke

What does your cat need besides a can of Wiskas to be truly happy?  A can opener. 

 

 

 

Savior I follow on, Guided by Thee,

Seeing not yet the hand that leadeth me,

Hushed be my heart and still, fear I no further ill,

Only to meet Thy will my will shall be

TLH 422 verse 1

 

TLH hymn 289 vrs 1  In Christ,

Leif & Zhanya Camp

_________________________________________________________________________

Click on http://www.flickr.com/photos/stpaulmp/ to see photos of the Camp’s work and life.  This month’s are here and descriptions are with them.

 

This month has flown like the leaves off the trees.  Progress on the pro-life front, Chaplaincy, evangelism and so forth, English service and so forth.  Also October is the time for the Ingrian Lutheran annual Synod.   We had a close call with a blaze--the apartment nextdoor caught on fire and we had to be evacuated.  Karl and Nastya said, "boy, we were lucky."   Zhanya made a slight correction to their thinking--"God was with us."  We were even spared water and smoke damage (the last fire we endured, which was in Novosibirsk while we were living there, the smoke did ruin some clothes). At the time I was in Nizhniy Novgorod and Tver.  Karl asked if I felt lucky not to be at home during the fire--I told him, no, because it is in times of danger I need to be close, not far (and so I rejoice that God was close).

 

So along with the prayerletter, attached are the following pictures:  

 

Bishop Arri Kugappi preaching at the opening worship service for the annual Ingrian Synod--he again emphasized the need to remain firmly grounded on God's Word.  

 

Planning the next steps for chaplaincy in Russia--with translator Pastor Alexander Schmidt and Deacon Andrei Savolianen.  The first goal--God Willing--is to print a Russian Study Bible for police officers.  

 

Our apartment building Ablaze--literally.  Two pictures--the outside back wall (we live in the front half of the building) and the third floor landing. As much as I want the fire of the Gospel to spread, this is one fire I am glad was contained.  The St. Petersburg firemen did their job well and there were no fatalities.  

 

Another picture of me at the altar in Nizhiny Novgorod--the cross I am wearing was a gift for Dr. Nebhut when he was here.  There were close to 40 at worship.  

 

Pastor Don Richman teaching on men's responsibility--a father's role to protect the life of his family, provide for sustaining that life, and so forth. 35 attendees  

 

Teaching the Bible study.  The core group of students in Nizhniy decide on a theme, then I prepare the study and they invite their friends--some unchurched. Almost 30 students attended.  

 

Two pictures of an apartment in Tver (a city between St. Petersburg and Moscow which is actually older than Moscow).  The congregation there has an apartment that they are now remodelling into a chapel for worship. Sergei has asked about the possibility of my doing some seminars through his congregation and wanted to show me his facility.  The "chapel" has frontage on the main road from St. Petersburg to Moscow.  Since Tver is in the way back to St. Petes from Nizhniy Novgorod, I simply hopped off the train, spent the day with pastor Shanin and then caught the evening train to St. Petersburg, a long day, but worth the stop (it was the first time I was in that city and it seems possible to combine trips to Nizhniy with a stop in Tver).  

 

Blessings,  

 

Leif

 

 

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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