Worship today was wonderful with candlelight service and Pastor Nadya gave a message about the wonderful gift that God gives us everyday not just on Christmas. Jesus came for each of us and we should think about how we return that gift and how we share God’s love. She told about how that people in their 40’s or older grew up with the New Years tree not Christmas tree but now people celebrate Christmas however they need to know that Christmas is for every day. How we live and care for each other should stretch throughout the year.
We had a great visit in the church community house and then off to the New Years symphony concert with opera singing and dancing.
The concert was held at Lenin Memorial in Ulyanovsk and was a mix of symphony music and operatic songs as well as accompanying dancing. There were 2 amazing soloists with voices that soared and carried there audience into the story. They sang German and Russian operatic pieces and some of the songs had beautiful dancing couple waltzing and adding visually to the musical story. The audience rose to its feet at the end with sustained clapping and curtain calls. Then we went to a hall on the next floor for dessert, dancing and to see Father Frost ‘Ded Moroz ‘ who is the Russian version of Santa Claus all dressed in blue. He is usually seen with his granddaughter the Snow Maiden (Snegourichka).
We joined in the dancing there and there was a live band. We joined the crowd with line dancing and the announcer recognized the visitors from Oklahoma City and everyone cheered. We took pictures at little spots around the room that were set up for the coming week’s run of a holiday production for children. This year they tell the story of Mary Poppins.
Before the concert we toured a few parts of the exhibits in the Lenin museum. Ulyanovsk was known as Simbirsk when Lenin was born and grew up there. The name of the city was changed to honor him after his death. The concert hall is part of memorial museum complex that tells his life story.
After the concert, we returned Pastor Nadya’s home for a New Years Eve feast to ring in 2018! There were fireworks at midnight all over town. Tomorrow we plan to sleep late with our hosts families. It is a good day to rest and reflect on the past and the year ahead.
Written by: Lauranne Harris
