RUSSIA RELIGION NEWS


Ukrainian rebels seize Baptist house of worship

BAPTIST CHURCH BUILDING COMMANDEERED A SECOND TIME IN LUHANSK PROVINCE

Baznica.info, 5 March 2015

 

The pastor of the "House of Prayer for All Peoples" church of the city of Antratsit, in Luhansk province, reports that yesterday, 4 March, unidentified persons with weapons arrived at the church and left after sizing up the building. Somewhat later, at 16.00, they arrived again and announced that it was necessary to evacuate the building. The armed people said that the reason for the seizure is that the building is necessary for housing fighters from the vicinity of Debaltsevo.

 

At the present time, the church is attended by 70 adults as well as children. In a week various worship services are conducted here: two Sunday, prayer, sister, children's, and youth services. The church regularly distributes free lunches for residents of Antratsit. "Pray for us and help us to recover the House of Prayer," the pastor asks.

 

It is known that back in September 2014 the church faced an illegal invasion of the House of Prayer. At that time, three persons entered the building with weapons in their hands and identified themselves as Don cossacks.  They rudely "requested" that the premises be vacated within 20 minutes and they declared that the building already did not belong to the church. Then all attempts to get a response from local representatives of militias and cossacks proved unsuccessful. But after some time the House of Prayer was nevertheless returned to the church. Whether the building will be returned to the church this time or not is unknown. Believers are asked to support them in prayer. (tr. by PDS, posted 5 March 2015)


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