History of church in Taishet
Church of Taishet was founded in 1938. The first presbyter was Denis Ivanovish Bondar, born in 1891 in Chernigovskaya region, Semenovsky district, Orlikovka village, Ukraine.
He got to know about got God when he was young; his family was Christian. He was a gentlemen by birth (belonging to a noble family), married, and had six children. In 1930 a hard persecution time took place and Denis Ivanovich together with his family had to move to the Taishet district in the Bayronovka village. Every Sunday he would travel to Taishet to look for believers. In short time he met “his own by faith” -- cousins Emelyan Parfenovich Gorokhov, Dmitry Matveevich Tregubov, Vasily Petrovich Evseev, Ivan Timofeevich Timofeev. We don’t know for sure where believers in Taishet came from, but it’s likely that they converted when convicts exiled to Siberia preached the Gospel. The first baptism by an organized church took place in 1938 at the river Bayronovka.
Our brothers were persecuted by local authorities constantly and almost all of them were in prison for their faith in Christ. But in spite of this, the church was growing, and there were times when the houses where they gathered were full of people. They prayed about having a church building. Finally in 1955 on March 5th they got a house of prayer of their own. By that time Denis Ivanovich Bondar had already passed away. In 1946 he worked at the frozen river breaking ice for the deep freeze chambers. He fell down under the ice, got sick, and died. After his death, local police came with the purpose to arrest him again. They asked his wife: “Where is your husband?” She humbly replied that he was behind the forest. They seriously insisted:” tell us exactly, we will arrest him.” Then she replied: “Take him, I don’t need him anymore, he’s been laying in the ground for a year already.” Ashamed guards left.
After the first presbyter’s death Emelyan Parfenovich Gorokhov became the church leader. He was born in 1884 in Belorussia. In 1965 he got seriously ill and was released from his ministry. He moved to Rostov-na-Dony to live with his daughter and passed away in 1968. Alexay Averyanovich Stepanov, born in 1906 from Ukrain, Mogilevsk province, Pytzkoy district, Buddo village, came to take his place. Men were not young brothers and the church was emptied by persecution, and these influenced the church life. After the 3rd pastor’s death, sister Nadezhda Pavlovna Kravchenko had to lead the church. Courageously and steadfastly she continued to carry the cross of the ministry. There were times when she would come to the worship service all by herself on Sunday, heat the stove, and pray that the worship would never stop. Based on such faithfulness and devotion to God, people in the church kept on living and being a good light. In 1991 believers in Russia got freedom in proclaiming the Gospel and not being afraid of persecution. God’s wave reached Taishet. In 1993 two young Christians from Angarsk visited Taishet and saw a big need in the church. They were Pavel Cheremisov and Sergey Sheiko. By the decision of the young church of Angarsk, they willingly kept visiting Taishet and preaching. All the sisters there prayed about a missionary to come and serve there. In 1997 brother Stepan Vasilyuk came to Taishet as a missionary, but he had to return back home to Shelekhov in 2000 because of his daughter’s illness. The same year a young missionary Sergey Tokarev was sent there right after finishing the Bible School. In 2007 he was ordained as a pastor. He is married and has two children.
This is a short chronicle of the church life and a great mercy of God that guided the church through the times of persecution and difficulties, where there were tears and joys, that even today encourage every saved heart to be faithful to the Lord and look up to heaven, where there will be a reward both for righteous and non-righteous (Revelation 3:21-22).
He got to know about got God when he was young; his family was Christian. He was a gentlemen by birth (belonging to a noble family), married, and had six children. In 1930 a hard persecution time took place and Denis Ivanovich together with his family had to move to the Taishet district in the Bayronovka village. Every Sunday he would travel to Taishet to look for believers. In short time he met “his own by faith” -- cousins Emelyan Parfenovich Gorokhov, Dmitry Matveevich Tregubov, Vasily Petrovich Evseev, Ivan Timofeevich Timofeev. We don’t know for sure where believers in Taishet came from, but it’s likely that they converted when convicts exiled to Siberia preached the Gospel. The first baptism by an organized church took place in 1938 at the river Bayronovka.
Our brothers were persecuted by local authorities constantly and almost all of them were in prison for their faith in Christ. But in spite of this, the church was growing, and there were times when the houses where they gathered were full of people. They prayed about having a church building. Finally in 1955 on March 5th they got a house of prayer of their own. By that time Denis Ivanovich Bondar had already passed away. In 1946 he worked at the frozen river breaking ice for the deep freeze chambers. He fell down under the ice, got sick, and died. After his death, local police came with the purpose to arrest him again. They asked his wife: “Where is your husband?” She humbly replied that he was behind the forest. They seriously insisted:” tell us exactly, we will arrest him.” Then she replied: “Take him, I don’t need him anymore, he’s been laying in the ground for a year already.” Ashamed guards left.
After the first presbyter’s death Emelyan Parfenovich Gorokhov became the church leader. He was born in 1884 in Belorussia. In 1965 he got seriously ill and was released from his ministry. He moved to Rostov-na-Dony to live with his daughter and passed away in 1968. Alexay Averyanovich Stepanov, born in 1906 from Ukrain, Mogilevsk province, Pytzkoy district, Buddo village, came to take his place. Men were not young brothers and the church was emptied by persecution, and these influenced the church life. After the 3rd pastor’s death, sister Nadezhda Pavlovna Kravchenko had to lead the church. Courageously and steadfastly she continued to carry the cross of the ministry. There were times when she would come to the worship service all by herself on Sunday, heat the stove, and pray that the worship would never stop. Based on such faithfulness and devotion to God, people in the church kept on living and being a good light. In 1991 believers in Russia got freedom in proclaiming the Gospel and not being afraid of persecution. God’s wave reached Taishet. In 1993 two young Christians from Angarsk visited Taishet and saw a big need in the church. They were Pavel Cheremisov and Sergey Sheiko. By the decision of the young church of Angarsk, they willingly kept visiting Taishet and preaching. All the sisters there prayed about a missionary to come and serve there. In 1997 brother Stepan Vasilyuk came to Taishet as a missionary, but he had to return back home to Shelekhov in 2000 because of his daughter’s illness. The same year a young missionary Sergey Tokarev was sent there right after finishing the Bible School. In 2007 he was ordained as a pastor. He is married and has two children.
This is a short chronicle of the church life and a great mercy of God that guided the church through the times of persecution and difficulties, where there were tears and joys, that even today encourage every saved heart to be faithful to the Lord and look up to heaven, where there will be a reward both for righteous and non-righteous (Revelation 3:21-22).
