Sunday School at Bishkek United Methodist Church. Image by: Vladimir Shaporenko Source: GBGM Administration

Stamford, CT, Oct. 15, 2008--The United Methodist Church is now officially registered in the Central Asian Republic of Kyrgyzstan. Registration with the government is required in that country, as in many others, before a religious group can actively operate.

This development was reported in a printed program update distributed to directors of the General Board of Global Ministries, the denomination's mission agency, meeting in Stamford from October 13 to 17.

Kyrgyzstan is part of the Central Asia Mission Initiative, which incorporates the five republics of Central Asia, once part of the Soviet Union.

United Methodist presence in Kyrgyzstan is focused primarily in Bishkek, the capital city, but there are also new fellowship or Bible study groups in Malovodnoye, Karaköl, and Kainda.

The Bishkek congregation emerged from a prison ministry launched in 2003 by Pastor Oleg Starodubets, according to the mission program report. Most of the members range in age from 25 to 30.

The Central Asia Republics form a district of the United Methodist Siberia and Eastern Russia Provisional Annual Conference, under the episcopal leadership of Bishop Hans Växby of the Eurasia Area, headquartered in Moscow.

"The congregation in Bishkek is young but is a mature Christian community," said the bishop, who is a director of Global Ministries and was in Stamford. "It has a clear vision not only for itself but for the country. The formal recognition (registration) is very important as an initial step toward ministry beyond the city of Bishkek."

A new church building in Bishkek was constructed by church members with major financial support from the Korean United Methodist Church of Los Angeles. A delegation from the Los Angeles congregation visited Bishkek last summer, taking along recreational equipment to be used in outreach to teens and young adults.

Sunday school is an important activity among United Methodists in Bishkek. There is a hunger for Bible stories, according to the mission agency report.

Pastoral leadership for Kyrgyzstan is being developed in part through the Moscow United Methodist Theological Seminary, which has an extension program in Kazakhstan, another of the Central Asia republics.

	See Also... Topic: Evangelism |  Evangelization |  GBGM programs |  Geographic Region: Kyrgyzstan |  Source: GBGM Administration
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Date posted: Oct 15, 2008