On Exaudi Sunday, May 13, 1992 after 57 years of repression a worship service was held in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, which was still a museum for the Russian War Fleet. That service 26 years ago was the start of the modern history of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and the deanery of the Far East. The picture of this historical event has a place of honor in St. Paul’s Church. An item of special note: Except for Friedrich Klaus and Pastor Brockmann no one else in that historical photo of the congregational members are still with us. The current members of the St. Paul’s congregation met to celebrate a festive worship service, even though it was hard for them to find the time due to their difficult lives.

On the tombstone of our revered Pastor Carl-August Rumpeter one finds the words from Psalm 101:6: “My eyes will be on the faithful in the lands, that they may dwell with me.” This is our motto. I wish to add the words of Jesus Christ to Peter in Matthew 16:18: “On this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell will not overcome it.”

Manfred Brockmann, Pastor of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Vladivostok
Dean of the Russian Far East
Vladivostok, May 15, 2018