The Sunday meeting of the church “Philadelphia” was remarkable because of the Holy Communion.

At the beginning of the meeting pastor Pavel Zhelnovakov told that many people felt ill during the week of rest for those who serve at the church recreation centre in Selychka. Senior pastor shared his thoughts: perhaps this is the period when all of us should pay more attention to our friends from the church: why they worry, whether they feel difficulty in the spiritual life or with their health. Only being together and trusting God we can stand our ground in difficult times.

Then senior pastor continued the topic that he had started last time. Having a communion we proclaim the Lord’s death. Though many people do it thoughtlessly, regarding this sacrament as a tradition. Many take in the same way Christ’s words: “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds” (John 12:24).

We want to be successful and see spiritual revivals and miracles. All this is the result of the death of our ambitions and egotism. “I” should not be on the throne of our heart. Although this denying oneself does not have anything to do with self-destroying and  breaking our responsibilities. First of all it is the death of touchiness and envy. Very often to follow God means to throw one’s name under people’s feet. But “we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (2 Corinthians 4:8-10). Sometimes this death works in us, but the life is revealed in another person, who we served to, stepping over our wishes, annoyance and resentment. If we don’t die for our egoism, we are sure to be lonely.

After that the church had a communion and sang hymns praising God’s name and deeds.