Today we celebrate the 130th anniversary of Methodism in Eurasia together with brothers and sisters who came to the Eurasia Consultation to share the joy of success and support each other in the ministry of the United Methodist Churches in Eurasia.
The history of the People called Methodists in Eurasia began in the year 1889, when Finnish mission started its work in Saint-Petersburg. In 1909 Episcopal Methodist Church in Eurasia was recognised officially in the Russian Empire.
In 1920 Methodists started their ministry in Harbin, Manchuria and Vladivostok to serve to Korean population migrated to Siberia and the FarEast. Already by 1922 several Korean and Russian congregations were opened in Harbin and by 1927 Sunday schools, general education schools, abusiness school, a health clinic, a women social center, a league for children welfare and a theological seminary were established in the area.
The Spirit of God moved the ministry of the Methodists even before 1923 in Uzhgorod (now Ukraine), where the 130th and Eurasian Consultation festival is taking place today. On March 26, 1923, the Missionary Council of theMethodist Episcopal Church of the South (USA) purchased the building as a gift for the community of Uzhgorod.
You can learn more about these stories on the page https://umc-eurasia.ru / наша -история / But, as the result of political pressure after the revolution of 1917 and the Second World War, most signs of the Methodist presence in the Soviet Union were erased, church property was confiscated. The United Methodist Church returned with its mission in Russia only after the collapse of the Soviet Union in early 1990s with an extensive program of humanitarian aid to the Russian people. Owing to the missionary work first congregations appeared in different parts ofRussia (Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Samara) and Ukraine (Kerch and Sevastopol).In 1994 the Russian United Methodist Church got an official state registration. Spread of the Gospel and the social ministry facilitated growth and emergence of new churches. In 1995 Moscow Theological Seminary was established to train pastors and leaders for the new congregations.