Russian seminary symbolizes United Methodist vision, service

This renovated kindergarten building in the heart of a residential neighborhood is now the United Methodist Center in Moscow. The facility, dedicated Sept. 10, houses the Russia United Methodist Seminary, the bishop's office and the Central United Methodist Church. The facility symbolizes new vision and service by United Methodists to contributing to the spiritual renewal of the former Soviet Union. A UMNS photo by Sue Calvin.


Sep. 19, 2005
By Sue Calvin*

MOSCOW (UMNS) - Compared to the city's opulent, historic Orthodox cathedrals and monasteries, the new Russia United Methodist Theological Seminary may appear unassuming.

On the contrary, the seminary symbolizes the United Methodist Church's commitment and vision for the spiritual renewal of the former Soviet Union.

More than 100 pastors, students and visitors attended a daylong Sept. 10 dedication event in Moscow, organized by seminary President Tobias Dietze. During an opening worship service in the Edwards Chapel, the seminary choir led the congregation in praise, and presiding Bishop Hans Vaxby described the dedication as "a day of joy and hope."

The seminary needs to be "a place for both theological information and spiritual formation," so it will be professional and pastoral, he said.

Vaxby thanked God "for every person who gave a dollar or prayed for a minute for the Russian seminary and the Russian people. When God is behind something, it will happen. Our calling is to share the graceful message of Jesus Christ to a nation needing to hear."


The day also marked the installation of the first Russian professor, the Rev. Sergei Nikolaev, to the Ruediger and Gerlinde Minor Chair. In accepting his new responsibility, Nikolaev emphasized "Christian love as central to the evangelistic task." Funded by the Foundation for Evangelism, the chair also honors the tradition of Methodist evangelist E. Stanley Jones.

A panel response to Nikolaev's lecture concluded the program. Speaking on "The Future of Theological Education" were the Rev. Robin Lovin of Southern Methodist University, Dallas, the Rev. Norman DeWire of Methodist Theological School of Ohio, and the Rev. Donald E. Messer of the Iliff School of Theology, Denver.

Conversations in the seminary's multipurpose room revealed its importance to Russians. Rose Tju, a seminary student serving a parish, remarked "there would be no Methodist Church in Russia without the seminary."

"Like a mother who nurtures and feeds her children, the seminary feeds the church," said the Rev. Nina Smirnova, a Russian pastor.

The seminary's dedication climaxed a 14-year journey encumbered by governmental regulations and unreliable contractors but guided by faith, vision and prayer.

In 1991, Bishop Ruediger Minor, then leader of the church's Eurasia Area, told the Council of Bishops about the immediate need for leadership training and theological education for Russians. Trained people were needed to serve the churches springing up in the country of 150 million people and spanning 11 time zones.

The appeal led to consultations among representatives of churchwide agencies and seminary representatives from the Iliff School of Theology with Minor, pastors and other Russian leaders.

The first classes began in 1995, in two cramped, rented classrooms that served as the seminary until last February. The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries provided a $750,000 grant to buy a former kindergarten building. The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry provided $250,000 to begin renovation.

The Russia United Methodist Theological Seminary Advisory Committee launched a capital campaign in 2000. Led by Minor, Messer and Bishop Marion Edwards, the campaign has raised $2.7 million. In addition, the Foundation for Evangelism has established a $1 million endowment fund for the Bishop Ruediger and Garlinde Minor Professorship.

Escalating inflation and construction costs, coupled with the long Russian winters, slowed the renovation. Meanwhile, the task of preparing indigenous leadership for Russian United Methodist churches progressed uninterrupted.

In just more than a decade, 110 churches with a total of about 5,000 members have been established. To date, 77 students have graduated from the seminary. Of those, 55 have an appointment. Thirty-four are ordained elders, and the others are probationers. There are 10 resident students and about 40 students in the distance-learning program.

The newly renovated facility houses the seminary and provides office space for the bishop and worship space for Central United Methodist Church. The third floor of the building, providing student housing, is not yet complete. Two Volunteers-in-Mission teams, one from the Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia conferences and one from the Virginia Conference, will travel to Moscow this fall to continue the work.

"Support for the seminary has been heartwarming," Messer said. "Gifts and pledges have come from over 981 local churches, 15 annual conferences, 13 districts and 118 individuals, in addition to church agencies."

The financial situation remains critical. Money that was earmarked for equipment and furnishings had to be used for construction. Both the Board of Global Ministries and the Board of Higher Education and Ministry made emergency loans to the seminary because of escalating construction costs. During the last quadrennium, significant operating costs were covered by the Fund for Theological Education for Post-Communist Europe. By action of the 2004 General Conference, those funds are no longer available.

"For the United Methodist presence to grow in Russia, guided by educated leaders, additional funding must be immediately forthcoming," Messer said. "Indigenous education and evangelism must go hand in hand together for the church to thrive and serve."

Gifts may be given through any local church or sent to Advance GCFA, P.O. Box 9068, GPO, New York, NY 10087-9068. Gifts can be given to the Russia United Methodist Seminary through three Advance Specials: No. 12173N, "Russian Seminary Building Fund"; No. 12174A, "Russian Seminary Operating Fund"; and No. 12176B, "Russian Seminary Scholarship Fund."

*Calvin is a freelance writer in Denver.