From 7 to 12 August 2018 in Kyzyl, hosted Missionary workshop of Orthodox youth of the Siberian dioceses, organized kyzylsay diocese with the support of the coordination centre of the Synodal Department for youth Affairs in the Siberian Federal district, reports the website of the Orthodox mission in Tuva. This year the workshop guests arrived from Abakan, Barnaul, Belgorod, Bratsk, Gorno-Altai, Yenisei, Iskitimskiy, Kainskaya, Kemerovo, Kolpashevskoe dioceses and Moscow.
The six-day workshop was preceded by the divine Liturgy at resurrection Cathedral in the city of Kyzyl.
The service, which was attended by the delegates of the seminar was headed by the Archbishop of Tuva Kyzyl’skiy and Theophanes. The workshop began with a traditional conference in the Assembly hall of the diocesan administration. Before the performance guests with a salutatory word to participants addressed the Archbishop and the Tuva Kyzyl’skiy Theophanes: “the Theme of which this year announced today as the main is “Missionary activity in sparsely populated settlements.” It is not accidental, because the theme of pastoral care of sparsely populated settlements included in the agenda of the day of the inter-Council presence. This topic, initiated by the Holy Synod discussed in the dioceses, and to the full extent it is relevant, of course, and for us. In our region one of the lowest population densities in Russia is 1.9 people per square kilometer. Many of the towns people move to larger settlements, but, given the outflows from the Republic of the Russian population, before us sharply there is a question about how we need to take care of these villages. But, it’s one thing when the question is about the Orthodox villages, in most villages of our Republic the Orthodox population there is little, therefore, to us it is more logical to speak about the missionary activities in sparsely populated settlements. To absolve themselves of responsibility for the people who live in places we have no right: people are not to blame for the fact that I live far from those places where there is an Orthodox Church. The Savior’s command to “Go and make disciples of all Nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy spirit” (Matt. 28:19) makes us look for the gospel message to those people who live in remote locations. To discuss this topic we must discuss today”.
After the welcoming words of Archbishop Theophanes the workshop participants made presentations:
- “Peculiarities of the Christian mission in sparsely populated settlements,” the hegumen Agafangel (White), the Synodal missionary Department;
- “Pre-revolutionary missionary projects tuning fork of modern missionary activities,” Daniel Kostromin, the missionary Movement of the prophet Daniel;
- “Usinsky mission Nikolay Putilov and attempts to educate people of Uryankhay region territory,” the priest Alexis Parkachev, Kyzylskaya diocese;
- “Common mistakes in modern missionary work,” Anthony Dulevich, Director of the missionary Department of the diocese kyzylsay;
- “The visual design of the missionary stuff: how to make the material memorable.” Tatiana Karp, a member of the missionary movement from the prophet Daniel of Moscow;
- “Church bus”, Archpriest rustic Imshenetskiy, Director of the missionary Department of the diocese of Abakan;
- “The experience of river missionary journeys”, Archpriest Sergei Lukashenko, Director of the missionary Department of the Yenisei diocese.
After the speeches were organized Skype teleconference with modern missionaries. His thoughts on missionary service with the participants of the seminar shared priest Georgy Maksimov (Moscow). About your personal experience of participation in foreign missions told the priest Stanislav Rasputin (Philippines) and reader Alexis Sitalo (Dominica).
The evening of the first day of the seminar in the territory located on the Bank of the Yenisei river tourist complex “Aldyn-Bulak” was held a Round table on the theme “the boundaries of permissible in the mission among young people.” The moderator of the Round table were made by the representative of the missionary Movement from the prophet Daniel Daniel Kostromin. The participants discussed modern forms of preaching of Orthodox youth and how they are acceptable in accordance with the spirit of patristic teaching.
The next day began the practical part of the seminar. This morning was held the master class “Management of apologetic conversations with unbelievers and infidels” and the briefing of the mission in the city, after which the participants of the workshop went to the centre of Kyzyl to gain practical experience in the business street and the housing mission. Those who participated in this form of preaching for the first time, were distributed in pairs with those who already have such experience. After talking with residents of Kyzyl in the city streets, the participants returned to the Assembly hall of the diocesan administration, where he shared his impressions of the mission.
The evening of the same day in the ethno-cultural complex “Center of Asia”, located on the waterfront of the Yenisei river, was organized missionary concert dedicated to the Day 1030-anniversary of the Baptism of Rus. Before the residents of Kyzyl were made by local collectives (ensemble “Tuva” and the ensemble of Cossack cadets “Ivan da Marya”, the group “Builder”) and guests from Abakan (the trio “the Cathedral clergy”) and Kemerovo (priest Michael Pisinski). The clergy from the scene spoke to who came to the concert with the words of faith, and the missionaries preached to the people walking on the “heart of Asia” kyzylkoum. August 9 started the missionary expedition of participants of the workshop in Kaa-Khem coal district of the Republic.
Before going in the hall of the diocesan administration held a lecture of the representative of the Synodal missionary Department of the Igumen Agafangel (Belykh) on “the Experience of building an Orthodox parish in Tiksi.” Abbot Agafangel spoke about the history of how the mission station located in a remote place in Yakutia, became a full-fledged parish with an established Church life. The head of the missionary Department of the diocese kyzylsay Anthony Dulevich addressed the audience with report “the Experience of overcoming “burnout” in mission” and “Missionary concerts as a form of preaching in sparsely populated villages,” and also presented a new training manual on missionary activities on the basis of the works of St. Onuphrius (Gagalyuk).
During the next four days the missionary expedition in Buren-Khem, the participants of the workshop dealt not only with the residents of this village, but also visited the nearby Sug-Bay and Conductor. There the missionaries met and talked with local residents, handing out educational literature, play games with children.
In the night from 11th to 12th August, the portable temple-tent held all-night Vigil and divine Liturgy, headed by priest Maxim Kartashov from Kanskoy diocese.
In the final day of the workshop in the village of Buren-Khem was conducted missionary concert with the free distribution of things to the locals.