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Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian German-speaking couple visit churches in Siberia


Roland and Irene Marsch of Winnipeg travelled to Omsk, Russia this summer in order to visit churches there, establish lines of mutual support, and preach. The Marsches, global volunteers with MBMS International, were asked to come to Siberia because of their German language skills. Roland is half-time associate pastor of German ministries in North Kildonan MB Church in Winnipeg. MBMSI is the global mission agency of the Canadian and US MB churches.

Omsk means “city of exile” or “city of the banned”. The czars banned many people here. John Wall of Waldheim spent 13 years in exile. Their host, Nikolai Dueckman, who is leader of the local conference of churches, had spent over four years in exile. Stories of those exiled, of men being shot for attending worship services, of women sentenced to hard labour, and of starvation were told. The suffering these people endured has helped shape the church in Russia.

There are 72 churches with 1500 members around Omsk belonging to this conference. This conference is not registered with the government. Many of the churches are small house churches. Although Mennonite is not in their name, there is a clear historic link to the Mennonite Brethren Church, which began in southern Russia in 1860. To the Omsk churches, German and Mennonite are the same thing. Besides Russian, they speak Low and High German. Hardly anyone spoke English.

Many of the Omsk churches that were visited are involved in evangelism. Teams from larger local congregations visit smaller churches and house churches up to 700 km away.

A Sängerfest (Songfest) was held on July 22. It was really an evangelistic rally, drawing 4000 people. The service, which ran from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., had about 30 choir songs and seven evangelistic messages.

Elder Nikolai Dueckman (l) and Roland Marsch at the Omsk airport

There was no congregational singing. The meeting took place under a tent-like structure outside a village. A simple lunch was served at 1 p.m., and the next meeting began at 2 p.m. After each meeting, an altar call was given; 45 people came to the front, knelt on blankets and prayed a sinner’s prayer into the microphone. The follow-up with the new converts is thorough. The number of conversions was down from last year, but more men than women came forward this year.

Irene shared her testimony at some of the services, telling about her life experiences in Paraguay and Peru and in the burn unit of a hospital. She was warmly received because she knew Low German. Roland mostly preached through a translator. The worship services were about two hours long and consisted of several sermons, congregational singing, poetry and a prayer fellowship, where many people prayed at the same time. The people are dedicated to the church, and it plays a major part in their lives.

Many Russians living in this area are poor, and alcoholism is common. In rural areas, each family has a cow or two, a few chickens and some hogs. Vegetable gardens help supplement their food. The people manage to live on little and are content.

The first Mennonites moved from Ukraine to Siberia around 1900. Many immigrated to Canada. About 1937 severe persecution increased, and the church went underground. In the early 1970s, the borders opened, and many people moved to Germany, including 360 families (over 1000 people) from the former villages of Friedensruh, Tiegerweide and Rosenort. This has been hard on the churches.

 – adapted from a report by Roland Marsch

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Last modified November 30, 2001.

© 2001 Mennonite Brethren Herald.
Published by the Canadian Conference of MB Churches.
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