Two classrooms are down the hall. Despite the cramped, rented quarters, the seminary has become in three short years the heart of church growth, evangelism and outreach for United Methodism in this former communist country. In our weekend visit to see United Methodist work in Moscow, it becomes quickly evident that seminarians are involved not only in classroom study but hands-on work leading home Bible studies and encouraging young congregations. At a district youth rally, we see the Rev. Nikolai Dalakyan, a seminary graduate, talk to the young people about their calling and responsibilities as Christians. Despite being held on a Saturday afternoon, the rally draws a good turnout.
Seminary students provide upbeat music and lead singing.
The event is held in a building constructed with money provided by Kwang Lim United Methodist Church in Seoul, Korea, the largest Methodist congregation in the world. The building is the only Methodist-owned facility in Moscow. Each brings greetings. The youth are particularly impressed when Hopkins borrows a guitar from one of the students and, with the help of a seminarian translator, teaches them a song. Since Russia has no Methodist theological scholars, the seminary uses faculty members from the United States, Germany and South Korea.