Calling 2009 Offers Eurasian United Methodists Chance to Consider God’s Call

Bishop Hans Vaxby and Sergei Nikolaev leading Bible Study during previous Calling event in Moscow.

Calling 2009, scheduled for April 4-5, at the Russia United Methodist Theological Seminary in Moscow will offer United Methodist Christians from all over Eurasia a chance to consider how God is calling them.

“United Methodists from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tadzhikistan, and Kyrgystan, can come and clarify for themselves whether they are called by God to active ministry and in what way,” said the Rev. Dr. Sergei Nikolaev, president of the seminary.

Nikolaev said that in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the cultural environment in Russia and other Eurasian countries shifted from religiously open to quite suspicious and confusing. He said it became apparent that The United Methodist Church in Eurasia had to articulate what it means to be ordained in The United Methodist Church.


Students during a break at Calling

“Calling events were conceived as one of the means to communicate to potential students at the seminary what God calls you to do when God calls you to ordained ministry in The United Methodist Church,” Nikolaev said.

The Russia United Methodist Theological Seminary, together with the Eurasia episcopal officem initiated the April event. Bishop Hans Växby has taken a personal interest in the event and has spoken at all three previous Calling events.

Nikolaev, former Seminary President Tobias Dietze, and the Director of Extension Course Andrei Kim all have been heavily involved in organizing the events.

“Last year the potential seminary students were addressed, as well, by visiting professors Drs. Gail O'Day and Tom Frank of Candler School of Theology; the year before - by Dr. Robert Kohler from the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry,” Nikolaev said.

The 2009 event will feature the Rev. Meg Lassiat, director of Student Ministries, Vocation, and Enlistment at the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

“Current full-time seminary students will be fully involved in all the states of preparation and leading of this event,” Nikolaev said.

For more information about Calling 2009, e-mail Nikolaev at
president.msumc@gmail.com.