Alexei Chizhov

Alexei was born in 1982 in Kazakhstan. He was baptized as an infant in the Orthodox church, but has attended a Lutheran congregation since childhood. At 17 he and his parents moved from Kazakhstan to the Volga region. He was confirmed in the congregation in Lebjazhe in the Volgograd region, and he was very involved in the ministry of the congregation there. He frequently participated in summer Christian camps.

Before coming to the Seminary he received education as an accountant at the Volograd State Technical University.

And when asked why does he want to become a pastor? He says: 'I want to live in such a way as to have harmony in my soul; I want to serve God.'

Alexander Engel

Alexander comes to us from Omsk, where he was a member of Lutheran church for a number of years while a student of the theology department at Omsk State University.

Natasha Filimonova

Natasha is originally from the city of Ekaterinburg, though is studying with us as a member and youth leader at St. Peter and Paul Lutheran Church in St. Petersburg. Natasha started her studies in Novosaratovka in February 2008.

Alexandra Reshetova

I was born and grew up in Lvov, in western Ukraine. I was confirmed in the Lutheran congregation there. I am not married.

I studied for three years in the extension education program of the Theology department at the Christian Humanitarian-Economic University (Odessa) and at the same time went through a course of in-depth theological education for three and half years at the St. Paul Church Center (of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine). I am on the staff of the International Christian Camp 'Gloria.'

For me it is very important that I raise my professional competency and gain new and necessary theoretical information for futher youth ministry.