KHABAROVSK CALVARY CHAPEL

"Then I will give you pastors after my own heart, who will lead you
with knowledge and understanding" Jeremiah 3:15

SPRING 2000 NEWSLETTER

Hello again to you our dear family and friends from the Curran family in
Khabarovsk, Russia: Ray, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Dara, and baby Ray.

Well, the Lord is faithful, answers prayer wonderfully, and we are more
encouraged and secure than ever in the hollow of His hand.

I had asked for prayer on 2 matters last newsletter: our youngest son Ray's
health and my assistant pastor Sergei Matyushenko's greater leadership role
at Khabarovsk Calvary Chapel (KCC). As you know, little Ray has been in
perfect health since January.

As to Sergei, well the Lord is leading him now in leadership beyond what we
had even thought. On July 6th, Rebecca and I will be leaving Khabarovsk
permanently and turning over KCC to Sergei to pastor. We have seen the Lord's
hand in leading this decision going back to last August. Now is the
appropriate time for both Sergei and KCC. Sergei is an intelligent and godly
young man and he will do well. He has already been recognized by other
Christian ministries in this city. He's just recently accepted a position as
director of the newly established Khabarovsk branch of a large Moscow
theological seminary.

While leaving here will be heartbreaking for us, we also have a great sense of
fulfillment and memories and experiences in 6 years to last a lifetime.
Mission accomplished!

But that's not the end of Russia ministry for us! Our hearts have been so
knit to these people, I don't think we'll ever leave Russia permanently.

At this time, the Lord has opened a new door of ministry in Russia for
Rebecca and I. One of KCC's long-time elders and his wife, Volodia and
Tanya Kuznyetzov, are returning in late July to their hometown of Tambov in
western Russia, about 200 miles south of Moscow. There is a large Russian
evangelical church there that the Kuznyetzovs were a part of in the past. This
church has planted a daughter church in a large nearby city called Voronezh
(almost 1 million population). But they lack a full-time pastor. The senior
pastor from Tambov must travel there each week to teach them.

They've also built a large 4 story structure in Tambov to house their
sanctuary, a Bible college, and even a K-12 Christian school, one of the only
Christian elementary schools in Russia that I am aware of.

Tanya and Volodia have told them what we do in Khabarovsk and they
really like the Calvary Chapel style of ministry. They've thus have been
inviting us for about a year to come live there, pastor the church in Voronezh
like we do in Khabarovsk, and teach in the college and school in Tambov. They
greatly desire more Bible knowledge and experienced Christian teachers. The
opportunities there and their vision are amazing and inspiring to us. What can
we say? We are going! Let's do it again!

We sincerely thank you for all you've done to enable us to fulfill the Lord's
call to pastor in Khabarovsk. Come, let's continue in these new cities of
Tambov and Voronezh! By God's power and grace, great things have and will
continue to happen.

We plan to travel to the States on July 6th get new visas. We'll be in
Portland, Oregon from July 7th to July 17th. We'll be in southern California
from July 17th to August 5th. We greatly look forward once again seeing you
that live in those areas.

There's all new pictures of us on our web site, some taken on New Years Eve
2000 here in the town square. There's also a new picture of Sergei and
his family.

http://www.calvarychapel.org/khabarovsk/index.htm

Finally, I've included below a recent letter from pastor Reuben of the church
in Tambov. It's inspiring and encouraging to us. May it be to you as well.

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Dear friends in Christ,
We, the Evangelical Christian Church <Christ the Saviour> in Tambov,
Russia, would like to ask you to stand with us in prayer. Over the last few
years we have been able by the grace of God to build a new Christian centre,
40m x 40m, with four floors, where only the roof and the inside of the
building remain to be completed.

Our prayer is that we might be able to start the first term of our new Bible
school on 22.10.00. Already about 70 young people from different parts of
Russia and the Ukraine have expressed a desire to train at our college, with
a view to working in churches and as missionaries. The actual teaching and
supervision of work takes place on the premises and the first course
continues until 08.04.01.

The students have their accommodation in the Bible school complex. Through
the building of this complex our 10-year dream is on the point of becoming
reality. We are now waiting for God to send us teachers and to show us what
kind of teaching programme we should be offering. We would also like to run
a Christian school with all the usual subjects at our Bible centre.

On 22.10.00 our church here in Tambov celebrates its twelfth anniversary and
we would like to open our Bible school on that day with a ceremony of prayer
and dedication. We would be very pleased if you were able to join us for
that occasion. May God make it possible. We look forward to meeting you here
and to receiving any advice you may like to give us on how to plan our Bible
school.

We earnestly believe that your prayers are necessary for filling the golden
vials in heaven, so that God make complete the good work he has already
begun. He is our Creator and Teacher. We put our trust in Him. May His name
be hallowed and His kingdom come!

In Christian love
Christian Church, Tambov

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