Listening to two Mission 2009 speakers at Fremont Presbyterian Church

Several weeks ago I wrote a negative report about someone who had been a part of the 2008 Mission Challenge. But I have nothing but raves for the two people who came to our Adult Education class from Mission Challenge 2009 this last Sunday.

Ellen Smith, Coordinator of Congregational Twinning in Russia and Belarus, and Russian Baptist Piotr Romme, the coordinator of a Network of Roma Churches gave the kind of information and testimonies that made one feel as though they were experiencing the ultimate work of the Church, the lifting up of the work of Jesus Christ in the lives of the lost.

This information from The Outreach Foundation gives information about what Ellen's ministry is, "Under the leadership of The Outreach Foundation, and in partnership with the Russian Federation of Evangelical Christian Baptists, the PC(USA) initiated the Russian twinning project in the early 1990s to build spiritual connections between American and Russian congregations."

Pastor Romme told some amazing stories about ministry to the Roma (gypsy) peoples. He explained that they are a nation, and as a nation they should have churches and workers. Both Smith and Romme are listed as peacemakers for Mission Challenge 2009, but they seemed to me to be very faithfully involved in evangelization while at the same time planning practical social ways to help the often despised Roma people.

For a picture of who Romme is here is the bio he gave to the Presbyterian Church USA.

" Bio for Piotr Anatolyevich Romme

(Matt 28:19) Therefore go and make disciples of all nations,..."

(Luke 14:23) "Then the master told his servant, 'Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full."

(Isaiah 6:8) "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"

And so, I reach out to the Roma, for they are a nation. I am coordinator of a network of churches working with the Roma, a network for mutual encouragement and cooperation. We began with 6 churches, and there are now 21 churches and small groups. The goal of the ministry is to develop Roma leaders and Roma churches. Together we do evangelization in different cities and plan for future activities. Throughout the year, I seek where there are Christian Roma or missionaries working with the Roma, visit them, talk about the importance of ministry to Roma, and invite them into the Roma Network.”

And here is a link to a letter from Ellen Smith who writes about Pastor Romme:

A letter from Alan and Ellen Smith in Russia


Thank God for these two workers in the harvest fields of the Lord.