Project Site: Veronezh, Russia
[Page revised Monday April 05, 2004]
Main building in need of restoration
The Project Site is located in a scenic, ecologically clean forest preserve near the city Voronezh Russia. We will convert a recently-purchased, but run-down, Soviet socialist tourist facility into a Russian United Methodist Church (RUMC) retreat and conference facility. The facility will be made available to other denominations as an interfaith center. This will be the largest interfaith center available to the Baptist, Pentecostals Presbyterians, Adventists, and other non-denominational christian churches. All protestants in Russia will benefit, The twelve and a half acre site next to a clean river has a hotel for 96 visitors, a separate dining and recreation building, and about 20 guest cottages housing from four to sixteen people each. Work has begun on under the direction of the UMC District Superintendent Igor Volovodov of the Central Black-soil Distracter, furbishing the heating system, the water supply, and the plumbing. Volunteers are needed to repair, refurbish, and redecorate the facility. On-site workers are for needed painting, decorating, grounds keeping, landscaping, glass replacement, calking, minor repairs to walls and windows, perhaps laying of carpets or vinyl flooring, etc We will probavly need artists and handicraft builders to help make a chapel and decorate the conference rooms in thee separate community and dining building.
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| The river at the Project site. | Gate needs repair | Bath house | 4-Person Cabin |
This is a time-sensitive project. Work must be completed by October 1, 2004 in order to house the Eurasian Area General Conference early in that month. The fact is that Ruediger R Minor; Bishop of the Eurasia Area UMC has declared this the most important and urgent volunteer-in--mission project. If the facility cannot be made adequate for hosting an expected 200 guests from the U.S and Europe, there will be rejoicing in the camp of the non-believers opposed to spreading the word of God. It will be necessary to move the General Conference to Moscow or St. Petersburg where the availability of suitable conference space would be problematic and very much more expensive..
Reliable sources report that the Russian government is
increasing efforts to close off facilities for Protestants. In Moscow,
commercial space is shrinking and very expensive. These sources also
report that the Communist Party is now supporting efforts by the
nationalistic supporters of the Orthodox Church to pass restrictive laws
against the Protestants. The Russian Orthodox Church has been granted
relief from taxes and given special duty-free import licenses.
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| Common room | Another view of common room | Sitting Room | Bathroom |
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| Kitchen: view 1 | Kitchen: view 2 | Log Cabin: view 1 | Log Cabin: view 2 |
View of forest and water tower
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© Peter F.H. Priest 2004
Created: 2/19/04
Modified: 4/05/04