Light of Christ Church
This church was started on December 1, 1993 by Ray Geide in the southeastern part of St. Petersburg, Russia in a community center. After three years of meeting there, the director of the community center moved them to the smallest rooms available. Because of their newly started AWANA club, the smallest rooms were not adequate.
Ray decided that they could meet in his own apartment which had bigger rooms for free. During the next three years, meeting in Ray's apartment, they grew to around 70 people. They were able to reach many alcoholic teenagers and even some drug dealers.
In the summer of 1999 Ray purchased a building and moved the church there. Since all land in St. Petersburg is owned by the city, he had to rent the land from the city government. Even though they paid all of their bills and did everything legally correct, after a year and a half, a corrupt city official refused to renew the land rental agreement and so closed down the Light of Christ Church.
For several months they met outside or in members' apartments and their attendance dropped to around 10.
Finally, they found an apartment to rent and started meeting there. An apartment is cheaper than a building and does not have all of the legal hassles of a building.
In the summer of 2000, Ray started turning the leadership of the church over to a couple of young men that he had trained: Sergei and Vitaly. Sergei is the pastor and Vitaly is the assistant pastor.
In the summer of 2002 Ray and his family moved back to the US. He continued oversight of them through the internet and personal visits.
Sergei and Vitaly have moved the church into an auditorium of a building that houses many churches. They conduct weekly Bible studies in their members' homes. They started and run a Bible Institute which trains Christians through local classes and distance education over the internet.
The Light of Christ Church was initially approved by the board of MCII for a monthly budget of $950. In 2013 their monthly budget provided by outside support was dropped to $400.
Read and/or Sign Up for Monthly Newsletter
Sergei writes a monthly newsletter telling what has happened at the Light of Christ Church. To read past monthly newsletters, go to the MCIINews Yahoo Group. To receive the monthly newsletter by email, click on this link.
Become a Monthly Supporter of the Light of Christ Church
The Light of Christ Church needs your help. Your monthly support has a huge impact in winning the lost in Russia to Christ.
Click a link above to become a monthly supporter. If your church supports missionaries, please recommend the Light of Christ Church to your pastor.
You may use the link below to make a one-time donation to the Light of Christ Church. Thank you.
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