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BY ROD MILLER

Apportionments are the money that serves as mortar – binding the bricks of our faith to build God’s church. I was recently reminded of this fact, when I received a note from our conference’s partners in Russia.

In July I spent two-and-a-half weeks in southwestern Russia in order to help further the covenant partnership relationship between the Baltimore-Washington Conference and the Black Soil District in that country. My first week was spent at Ant Hill, a youth leadership camp for 20 youth and 20 mostly young adult leaders from churches across the district.

One of the people I had several conversations with at Ant Hill was the cook at the camp, Alexander. We talked about growing up with the perceptions we had of each other’s countries. And we talked a lot about faith; specifically about what it meant to be made in the image of God. Though he was very involved with the youth at Ant Hill, he was not connected with the church.

For the rest of my stay, I was hosted by the Rev. Igor Volovodov, the district superintendent of the Black Soil District. He and I travelled to several of the churches on the district, including some that were several hours away from where he lived in the city of Voronezh. One place we visited was the little town of Aertil, an isolated village of a few hundred people.

We went there to see Igor (a common name) and Masha and their family who were interested in building a ministry there in Aertil. This family had nine children, seven were adopted. They lived in a small six room house with a garden on one side and some pigs on the other side.

We met in the main living area of the house and were served lunch by the two oldest girls, whom I had come to know at Ant Hill the previous week. It was a very hot day as we met together and talked from our hearts.

The parents explained to me that there had been some crime and violence in their town and someone had blown up the local gas station, killing a person. They were concerned for the people of the town and especially for the young people growing up there.

While there was some interest in having a Protestant church in town, no one was able to get one going. Masha went on to tell me her hope of having a church meet there, at their home, which would welcome whoever would want to attend. She knew some other strong Christian women from other denominations and could imagine working with them. She described waking up in the middle of the night (when it was quiet in the house) and receiving a deepening vision of what their church might be – a church for all people. I offered the family a small brass bookmark with the United Methodist cross and flame on it and Masha immediately hung it on a wall in their house.

Igor and I asked, “Where would you have this church meet?”

Masha said, “We’d like to build a prayer room next to our house. The church could meet there.” Then we both said at the same time, “Why not break ground for the prayer room today?” The family said that would be great, so we all went out back, I took a shovel, we offered prayers, and put the shovel in the ground. As we did this a horse drawn plow went by the house.

Then Masha asked me to write a note for future generations, like a time capsule.

I wrote: “Grace and Peace to you ... I give thanks to God for you... and for the building of a church for all people.” After writing the message, I reminded them that it was in English and Masha was quick to say, “That’s all right. Future generations here will all know English.” They took it, rolled it up, put it in a plastic water bottle, and said it would be buried in the foundation. Then Igor and I left.

Last week I received an e-mail update from Igor. He mentioned that they located some bricks and large stones from a collapsed building in Aertil and carried them to Masha and Igor’s house. And he was able to find some funds to buy mortar. The prayer room is now in the process of being built! He included a picture of it, the first couple courses are of brick and the upper parts in stone.

There is also a photo of the family, with DS Igor wearing a captain’s cap, along with Bishop and Mrs. Vaxby, bishop of Russia with their arms around some of the children. And there was one other note: The mason for the new prayer room in Aertil is Alexander, the cook from Ant Hill.

Your apportionments are helping to build relationships with people around the world to bring the light of Christ into cities and villages where people are thirsting for God. Thank you for helping to create bridge-building and disciple-building connections to meet needs here and in places like Aertil, Russia. You are making a difference.

The Rev. Rod Miller is conference director of Connectional Ministries.