„Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them inthe name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age“(Mt 28, 19 – 20).
This is the line from the Bible, by which I try to rule during my service in the Christ‘s name. I rejoice, that I can serve Lord and people; He invited me to be a servant, that I would fill His will here, on the Earth, that much more people would hear the Lord‘s invitation and feel His endless love through my service. The community of the UMC in Tauragė consists of elderly people mostly. We can say, that our community is the oldest in the UMC in Lithuania by the people‘s age. Though this year the amount of members of the community didn‘t increase, I rejoice watching how our people‘s faith strengthens and they grow in Christ. They enter the activity of the Church eagerly and much more often, finding the Lord‘s gifts in themselves and sharing them with others. One of the sad news for our community is that this year we lost two members of the Church and two persons who attended the Church. They left this world already. Also a small youth‘s group enters the activity of the community busily.
As in a lifetime, so in the Church – there are both good happenings and difficulties. One of the difficulties with which the Church confronted last year, – considerably decreased area of leasehold premises. Now the Church has to do its work in the area which is only 65 meters square. But we can rejoice that people succeeded in reorienting and when conforming to the present situation they continue the humanitarian and other programs, which also were done earlier.
The activity, which is now done in the UMC in Tauragė, helps me to grow in Christ as a priest. Being here with these people, I envisage their turn to communicate, speak out and be understood. It‘s a pleasure for me, as a priest, being their pastor and servant. All activity at Church – Holy Worship, the program of humanitarian feeding for the needy and those who are on a low income and for disabled people, also the men group‘s work, visiting the Foster Home „Saltinelis“ in Tauragė, the Bible study, publishing the newspaper of the local church – this helps me to understand people‘s needs. Communicating with them and helping them to find Lord in their lives, I grow spiritually myself. I visit the members of the Church, also patients and people, who are overburdened with various miseries of life. I try to help these people depending on the possibility. I meet people who get warm dinner in the humanitarian kitchen. Before eating I read them the Bible, and after praying they have dinner. Once I was surprised pleasantly, when I heard that on some day, when I am not with them, they take the Scripture in their hands and read it, and they sing, pray and only then they begin eating.
We are glad to see them understanding that the Bible is important in people’s lives and wishing to hear God’s Word.
I try to invite to all services not only the board of the Church, but also the women group, men and other people, who attend the Church – not only members. This helps them to understand that they are very important and necessary for their Church, even though they think and say sometimes, that they are too old for the busy activity.
A group of children and youth joins in everyday life of the community with their activity. Their attendance is very important to all of us. Also we try to conform to the needs of the young generation, to hear out and indoctrinate them with spiritual values, so as to understand that they are the important part of the Church, too.
Partnership connections:
The UMC in Tauragė further communicates and strengthens connections with the partner churches: the UMC in Geneva (USA) and in Plauen (Germany).
One of the most joyful events for our community last year was on June 28–July 7, when a group from the UMC in Geneva was at our Church. Our community waited for this meeting for a long time. There were meetings and various events at Church for ten days: the children‘s Bible camp, meetings of men and women groups, Bible studies, excursions, musical evenings. All together we visited children in the Foster Home in Tauragė. The meeting with the group from the partner church in Geneva strengthened our friendship and partnership connections, we could communicate seeing each other, and eventually the partners could see and talk with people about the activity of our Church themselves.
This year, on June 12–22, a group of seven persons from Geneva plans to stay in Tauragė again, for the friendship and partnership connections among communities would be strengthened further; also they intend to help training leaders of the LUMC and gather stories of people who live in Lithuania. The group plans to make a documental film, which will help people in America to know more about LUMC. Also the group intends to lead an educational seminar for leaders and priests of the churches on June 20, which will be organized in Kaunas.
I pray Lord for strength, wisdom and leading in this way.
Pastor Vidas