The Center for Christian Studies in Lithuania

Christians gathered at the Baltic Family Camp outside of Vilnius, Lithuania

I have long been struck by the pilgrimage diary that survives from the early fifth century, attributed to Egeria (or Aetheria), a woman who traveled from the western Mediterranean to visit the holy lands.  Her descriptions of the liturgy in Jerusalem are fascinating.  At one point, she describes the mode of teaching and translation at the Church of the Resurrection:

A portion of the population in this province knows both Greek and Syriac; another segment knows only Greek; and still another, only Syriac. Even though the bishop may know Syriac, he always speaks Greek and never Syriac; and, therefore, there is always present a priest who, while the bishop speaks in Greek, translates into Syriac so that all may understand what is being explained. Since whatever scriptural texts are read must be read in Greek, there is always someone present who can translate the readings into Syriac for the people, so that they will always understand. So that those here who are Latins, those consequently knowing neither Greek nor Syriac, will not be bored, everything is explained to them, for there are other brothers and sisters who are bilingual in Greek and Latin and who explain everything to them in Latin.  (Egeria, Travels 47)

I couldn’t help thinking of this beautiful scene as I observed something analogous during my recent pilgrimage to Lithuania.  More on that in a moment.  But, first, what was going on in Lithuania?

In the final week of July, about 120 people from about a dozen different countries converged at a retreat campsite near Moletai, Lithuania, an hour and a half drive north of the capital, Vilnius.  My wife, Amanda, and I were privileged to join in.

Keith dominating musical chairs

The annual Baltic Family Camp invites families from Churches of Christ throughout the Baltic states (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia) and surrounding nations.  It is a week set aside for much-needed recreation, relaxation, worship, and fellowship with like-minded believers, a time for ministers and church workers (and their families) to recharge their batteries.  There were two baptisms.  There was a lot of singing.  And the food was wonderful.  “Purple Soup” says it all.  It’s a lot of fun.  Capture the flag, a campfire with s’mores, and very competitive rounds of musical chairs were a few of the highlights this year.

It is also a time for instruction and learning.  Opportunities include classes for all ages of children and youth, as well as men’s, women’s, and combined adult sessions. 

The classes and games are organized every year mostly by American guests from the Levy Church of Christ in North Little Rock, Arkansas.

I was invited to be this year’s teacher for the combined adult classes.  I was asked to teach morning sessions every day on Leadership Development and afternoon sessions on Sexual Ethics.  Amanda helped in the children’s classes.  We also spent much of the down time meeting our European brothers and sisters, listening to their stories, addressing their questions, and talking about our common faith in God and work in churches.  We sought to be

a blessing to them, but we were blessed by them.  We were encouraged by their zeal for Christ, their heart for evangelism, and their mutual love.  As the Soviet influence of atheism wanes with time, these predominantly first generation Christians are now successfully passing on their faith to the next generation, who are now seeing for themselves the great beauty in following the way of Jesus Christ.

But how was my pilgrimage like Egeria’s?  Whenever anyone spoke or prayed publicly, two or three smaller enclaves of people gathered to hear translations.  When I taught the combined adult classes, I became accustomed to hearing rumblings of Lithuanian, Russian, and Latvian in various parts of the room.  In fact, after a week of such sounds, it was a bit difficult to come home and teach and preach to a quiet congregation.

As in Egeria’s day—and, in some ways, like Pentecost—we witnessed a beautiful foreshadowing of the scene depicted in Revelation 5:9 and 7:9, an assembly from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue.

Finally, the Center for Christian Studies is excited to be able to share our resources with the Baltic Family Camp churches.  For example, we will be offering our video collection for use in these churches.  We also will begin a more ambitious translation project that makes these resources available to “every tribe and tongue.”

Please consider a gift to CCS that will help us expand the reach of these resources.

Give to CCS