Youth Church Organises It’s First Worship Meeting
It all started two years ago as a Global Mission project to start a youth church in Kaunas city and it is still an ongoing Global Mission project. The name “Mira” in English is “myrrh” which has many applications, but mainly it has something to do with a nice smell. After two years of meeting in a small group every week, praying and lot of planning, attending “Xchange” programs in Latvia, Finland and Lithuania, consulting with those who are in the business of church planting (especially we are grateful to Peter Roennfeldt), “Mira” Youth Church was ready to reach the stage (after following the natural process of growth) where it could start Sabbath worship services once a month for young people in Kaunas.
“Mira” pastor Giedrius Rimša explains: “So far we have a group of 12 meeting on a regular basis once a week in a small group. Also we have a Bible study group for those who are interested in God, sports in the gym, and other social events for our friends to invite and introduce to Christianity and Adventism as a “cool” lifestyle.
However, the main emphasis is always on friendship evangelism, encouragement and motivation of young people not to be afraid of who they are, meaning Adventist Christians, and taking every opportunity to introduce their friends to Jesus and His church. And it has worked amazingly well, as most of our young people had taken it seriously.”
Šarūnė Rimšiene, who is also involved in “Mira” Youth Church project, is very pleased with the first worship meeting: “We are happy to have friends in Vilnius and Kėdainiai who support us, and whom we support, whenever there is a need. And this time was not an exception. We had about 20 young people who came from those churches to support us by taking part in our worship. We really had a good time studying Bible lesson, worshipping God by singing, giving our offerings and taking part in the sermon entitled “To Be Or Not To Be – That’s The Question”, based on the story of Peter asking Jesus to let him walk on water towards Him, and also having tea, biscuits and eating lot of mandarines (they were really in demand that night) while socializing with each other.
Kedainiai pastor Mantas Kučinskas, who himself is having a similar youth church plant project, said that “Mira” worship is a good opportunity for them, since they don’t have any worship yet, to take part and bring their friends. So this turns out to be not only a ministry to young people in Kaunas, but also a ministry helping other youth church projects around.
However, the main task for “Mira” is to reach local Kaunas young people for Jesus. And may God helps them, as they daily ask Him the guidence, so that “Mira” could do what God wants it to do.
BAUC News | Kaunas “Mira” Church pastors Šarūnė and Giedrius Rimša