The Moscow Methodist House: an Evening Prayer in Taizé.

 
The candles were burning in the Moscow Methodist house, November 28, at 3-5 pm. No, there were no problems with electricity, it was a worship service “Evening prayer in Taizé” dedicated to Advent, anticipation of Christmas.
    Many can ask: what is associated with such a name and how these meetings differ from others? Sister Zhanna Ivanova told us about it and many other things at the beginning of the worship service. Here is her story:
In a small French village called Taizé brother Roger founded a unique movement in sign of reconciliation of divided Christians and people.
    Thousands of people who need God’s love have been pouring to this place of peace and God’s good for over 60 years.
    At present, the community consists of more then a hundred monks of different nationalities who represent protestant and catholic branches of Christianity. The live in the community focuses on the prayer and Christina meditation. Young people from all the contents visit Taizé every week to participate in its life. Prayer in the Church of Reconciliation in Taizé gave birth a unique style of worship music which reflects a spiritual nature of the community. Taizé chants are built on simple phrases usually from psalms or other parts of the Holy Scripture that are repeated or sang in a usual for the European church canon. Repetition is intended to help meditation and prayer.
    Songs are performed in many languages and to an increasing degree include elements of the Orthodox tradition. It was the style of singing by Jacques Berthier that became widely known. These are short musical phrases, rhythmically repeated up to 15 times and interspersed with short periods of silence. Then there is a climax – 10-minute silence.
    Singing of hymns many of which we could find in the hymnal “Mir vam!” is a deep worship to God in unity; mutual respect and acceptance of each other, even between strangers, create an atmosphere of heavenly unity, experience of everlasting Love of the Lord that can heal any spiritual wounds. Joining them in a single song in glory to our Lord, saying a single prayer of Christians all over the world, you clearly realize that there are no barriers for God’s love!
    At 4 pm when it was growing dusk outside, from a single candle we lighted our little candles of hope that showed us a way to the Lord – to the alter. God’s love that united that evening over 30 people and these lights twinkling in the night reminded us a Russian proverb: “A temple is lighted by candles and a soul – by prayer”.
    The candles that we burning in the hands of each one that evening were for us a symbol of “the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:9).
This Light of Christ dispelled the dark to show us the way of our salvation.
We could see inspired faces of the participants and leaders of this meeting – Pastor of the First Moscow UMC “Singing Christians” Ludmila Garbuzova, Katya Lee who had prepared a video material with loving care, a fine music background by choirmaster Nadezhda Smolnyakova and pastors Tatyana Vladimirova and Konstantin Vaganov.
    We were carried away by shared singing and prayers in common spiritual movement. Prayers by Superintendent Valentina Birukova, Dean Lidiya Rodionova touched everyone. Everyone empathized with student Slatiel from distant Africa in his sincere prayer to the Lord and a prayer of mother Natalya Stepanova.
An inspired prayer for the needs of parishioners was lifted up by Viktor Fomin.
    When participants began to say their prayer requests, everyone felt at one with those praying and ask God for mercy for the young mothers and intersession for children who went astray. Dmitriy, a little cadet, asked so that God saved him from betrayal and wise Vitaliy – from lack of faith and vanities of the world…
    That evening the soul of each one rejoiced and cried, lifted up and emphasized. But, the main thing that united all the participants is the boundless God’s Grace.
The soulful evening was finished with a cup of tea hat was prepared with loving care by Lidiya Rodionova. Two parishioners from the First UMC “Singing Christinas” Andrey Vorotsov and Anton Nemchinov were always ready to help.
A special thanks to Pastor Danil Starikov who made onderwul pictures of this event in the UMCof the Moscow region.
Many people left this worship service born again. For a long time that night in the heart there sounded penetrating hymns-prayers. They spill over into our live accompanying us everywhere and helping us to feel stronger in this bustling difficult time because “God is with us in the valley of luck and is near in the hours of failure”.
    Marry Christmas season! Let this time be filled with peace and joy of expecting the birth of Christ!!!
Member of the First UMC “Singing Christians” Elena Koptenko