Evangelical Baptism (part I), Al’shany 2019. Евангельскае хрышчэньне (частка І), Альшаны 2019 г.
See also photos for October 29-31, 2013, July 1-2, 2013 and July 21-22 and 24-25, 2010. Гл. таксама фотаздымкі 29-31 кастрычніка 2013 г., 1-2 ліпеня 2013 г. ды 21-22 і 24-25 ліпеня 2010 г.
The large evangelical Protestant church in Al’shany in the central Pripet area of Polesia holds a communal baptism every year at the end of June. At this year’s ceremony almost 100 men and women were baptized. As many as a thousand people attended from the Al’shany congregation and daughter churches in surrounding villages.
Evangelical Protestant churches in central Polesia carry on a vigorous, century-old tradition, dating from the time when emigrants to the United States returned and planted churches in their home villages. Moreover, adherence to Evangelical Protestantantism is growing steadily in this area. Congregants have large families (there are currently about 900 children enrolled in the youth programs of the Al’shany church). These families have grown prosperous as truck farmers producing cucumbers and other fruits and vegetables for Mjensk and for export to Russia. There is a vibrant link between the Al’shany church and churches planted by new emigrants from the area in Missoula, Montana and Spokane, Washington.
