90 YEARS OF THE CHURCH OF CHRIST IN POLAND
~Gary Holloway
It all started with a chance encounter. Twenty-one-year old Konstanty Jaroszewicz, had been in New York for a short time when he heard a street-corner preacher tell of Jesus. He soon was baptized, then on his way to Johnson Bible College in Tennessee. In 1921, he returned to his native land and began to plant churches. Soon others joined him in that work.
As a result, there are now over 4000 members of the Church of Christ in Poland. They are part of 35 churches and 5 mission stations. In June I was privileged to be part of their celebration of 90 years of Churches of Christ in Poland.
Through the years, these Christians faced Nazi occupation, Soviet domination, and violent revolution. Some were arrested, sent to prison or work camps. And had their goods confiscated. Still they remained faithful.
Their churches were at times part of the Evangelical Baptist Union, the Polish Evangelical Baptist Church, and the United Evangelical Church, but since 1968 they have been organized as the Fellowship of Churches of Christ. However, in their annual conference last week, they voted to change their name to the more simple Church of Christ.
Highlights of my visit:
� Several sharing their testimony of how God has worked in their lives.
� Memories of the early leaders of the Polish churches.
� Led by Andrew Bajenski, their dreaming and planning of where God might be leading the church in their tenth decade.
� A moving worship service where almost the entire church membership gathered in the Soviet built Palace of Culture (the first time Christians have communed together in that building).
� The generosity of Wayne Murphy and Polish Christian Ministries in supporting the work in Poland. They also hosted our celebratory dinner after the worship service.
Although small in number, the Polish churches continue to explore how to serve God faithfully with other Christians in Poland. Keep them in your prayers.
God is at work!
View the 90th Jubilee report from Fellowship of Independent Christian Churches and Churches of Christ in Poland,President, W. Andrzej Bajenski, here.
|