The Sunday service in the church “Philadelphia” on 6 December was a festive one. It was decided many years before that on the first Sunday of a month the church has the open offering collection when small bags are passed all over the hall and those who want can put some sum according to their wish and ability. Senior pastor Pavel Zhelnovakov suggested doing this Sunday a special one because the end of this year is getting near. Every sacrifice is a sowing. God established the rule of harvest: “A man reaps what he sows”.

Pastor of the Industrial city area Aleksej Korepanov told about sacrifice and festivity. He recalled the description of the preparation and celebration of the day of the temple’s restauration in Jerusalem after many years of abandonment. Levits who lived in different places were to come to Jerusalem to celebrate it. They came through the ritual of cleaning. Preparing for the celebration we also should be cleaned of our sins, forget offences, apologize before those who we insulted ourselves. If we dedicate the holiday to God we should do what pleases Him. It is very important to open the heart before Him to glorify Him for all He does in our life.

Senior pastor continued the topic that he started earlier about following God. “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Mark 8:34). Jesus didn’t tell to leave parents and families. He said to give up selfishness and vanity. Many people can ask: what will we get if we follow the Lord? The Bible says: “"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields — and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mark 10:29, 30). Jesus means that we will get much more than we leave. Jesus announced: “Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me” (John 12:26). These words are really inspiring.