Practical Music Conference in Abakan

The conference was entitled, “The Lord is my strength, and my song…” Isaiah 12:2

The speakers were: Director of Institute of Spiritual Music (ISM), Kirill Goncharenko (Moscow), graduate of ISM Maxim Fedotkin (Tomsk), and vocal instructor of  ISM Natalia Skachkova (Volgograd). They led numerous lectures such as "Theology and practice of musical ministry", "Healthy relationship of Pastor and Music Director", "Principles of forming a choral repertoire", "The main problems of choral and music ministry and how to solve them." Especially helpful was the Q&A time, where attendees were able to ask a large number of diverse questions and receive answers to them.

More than 100 brothers and sisters, representing Evangelical Baptist churches of Abakan, Sayanogorsk, Chernogorsk, Kyzyl (Tuva Republic); villages of Znamenka, Shushenskoye (Krasnoyarsk Territory), Sineborsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory) attended and participated in this event.

The Moscow teachers particularly noted the high musical level of the participants. Undoubtedly, this was the result of dedicated service over the years. The senior presbyter of Khakassia, Sergei Stalmakov, during his time as a choirmaster, received a musical education at the choir department of the Correspondence Bible Courses in Moscow, class of 1989 (now the Institute of Sacred Music). And the current choirmasters of the Abakan Church, Anton Stalmakov and Petr Boyko, received serious musical training at the choir department of the West Siberian College (Omsk, now closed).

Thanks to God for the opportunity to hold such practical, warm communication in the Siberian region.

Gratitude to Kirill, Maxim and Natalia for their coming and sacrificing their time for the good of our churches and for the glory of the Lord. They made a feasible contribution to improving the quality of music ministry in Siberian congregations, making us think about the need for training, and inspired us to move forward.

UECB Churches of the Khakassia Republic.