Eight Eurasian pastors associated with the Slavic Reformation Society (SRS) visited various locations in twelve states and met with the 2011 CREC General Council during the first week of October.
The primary focus of the visit was the General Council of the CREC, formerly the Confederation of Reformed Evangelical Churches, but now known as the Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches.
According to information posted by director Black Purcell on the Slavic Reformation Society’s website, the pastors and travel itineraries included: Ruslan Moroz (Far East) in Mankato, MN, and Pella, IA; Jenya Kruzhkov (Kazakhstan) in Newport News, VA, and Lancaster, PA; Ravil Kunakaev (Siberia) in Springfield, MO; Eduard Ivanov (Vladivostok) in Enterprise, OR; Timur Anichkin (Latvia) with Blake Purcell in Wisconsin and Austin, TX; Kiril Treshetka (Kavalerava) in Houston, TX; Oleg Volkov (St. Petersburg) in Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana; and trainee Alexander Ignatov (St. Petersburg) in Lexington, KY.
The Slavic Reformation Society seeks to “meet the need for theological training of pastors in true Christian theology, biblical interpretation, and worship and preaching in order to equip and advance the Russian church” (http://slavicreformationsociety.com, mission statement).
That goal is achieved primarily through the Society’s Biblical Theological Seminary in St. Petersburg, but also through publishing materials and hosting conferences. Its Reformed Evangelical Publishing House of Russia translates and publishes Reformed and evangelical literature. An annual Eurasia-wide theological conference “attracts pastors and lay leaders from throughout the former Soviet Union” (website mission statement).
Blake Purcell is an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). When he and Cathy moved to Leningrad in 1990, he became one of the first evangelical missionaries in Russia since the communist revolution of 1917.
The above article by Glenda Mathes appeared on page 11 of the October 25, 2011, issue of Christian Renewal.
Glenda Faye Mathes 
Glenda, we just had an SRS board meeting by phone this morning. It was very encouraging. Blake reported that the men – pretty much the same ones who visited in October – are continuing to meet by phone and internet. Blake is teaching an exegesis class, which for many of them is a real eye-opener, being taught to read and understand the text, not just come up with emotional ideas off the top of their heads. (That’s hard to even believe if you’re used to solid Reformed preaching, but that was the level of their previous training.)
I learned this morning that Oleg Volkov is translating Advent devotions by Randy Booth (http://feastofbooths.blogspot.com/); they are being read by about 20 Eurasian guys now.
I’ve also posted a new ‘personal’ website for Blake and Cathy (https://sites.google.com/site/purcellsforrussia/). It’s a little rough, but gives a lot of background that I’ve pulled together from a lot of sources.
Have a great day!
Doug Roorda
Thanks for that update, Doug!
~ Glenda