THE STORY
of OUR BUILDING

On Thanksgiving Day, 1998, the 100-year-old Reformed church was returned by the Ukrainian government to the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Odessa. The church community had been disbanded and the building was taken in Communist times, converted to a puppet theater, then abandoned. It needed serious repair.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Odessa was founded in 1994. In just 5 years, this work produced its own leadership, grew to an average attendance of 100 and expanded to 5 other cities. This has become a sending center for church-planters to Ukraine, Russia, and beyond.

The building will give them a home. It is located in the center of Odessa, visible and accessible from the university, city park, and the main streets of town.

The Pastera Street building is listed on the National Register of Ukraine, having won the architectural award at the turn of the century. V. A. Shreter was the architect, and other famous architects were consulted so that the style is similar to Odessa's opera house and philharmonic hall. The building was built in 1898.

Floor space: 1343 sq. meters (about 13,000 sq. feet)
Worship Seating capacity: 500
Architect: V. A. Shreter
Date constructed: 1898

DEDICATION NEWS

Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Odessa, Ukraine

On July 22, 2001, an historic event took place in Odessa, Ukraine. After 80 years of abuse, the historic Reformed Church building in the center of town was returned to its proper use as the Reformed religious community restored its worship there. After two years of work, the building was ready for worship. Originally dedicated in the year 1900, the building had served only 14 years until the outbreak of W.W.I and the dispersal of its religious community under the Communists.

The building dedication was a great event, with over 40 visitors coming from the U.S., and 70 members of the Trinity Presbyterian Church choir came from Kiev. Around 400 people filled the sanctuary and atrium. Although the building was not yet totally restored, the celebration commemorated to the glory of God that the church was able to return to the building, worshiping there weekly in the house built for that purpose. This is indeed glorious!

The builders have done a great job, including:

• Restoration of the stained glass windows to their original state
• Artistic oak windows and doors
• Ornamental moldings in the sanctuary made from the original castings by hand
• Replacement of marble steps and windowsills
• Restoration of half of the ornamental columns
• Ceilings redone from scratch, and chandeliers restored
• 300 Church pews, platform, pulpit, pulpit chairs, communion table, baptismal font, and electronic organ
• PA system and FM translation for foreigners

But underneath all these apparent and glorious ornaments lay the real work which absorbed most of the expenses in the 100-year-old building:

• Extensive structural repairs to the basement, sanctuary floor and walls
• Completely new roof, heating, ventilation, plumbing, alarms, fire prevention and electrical systems
• New fire and health department regulations had to be met since its 19th-Century construction
• The walls were stripped to the bare stones, reinforced and replastered
• The former tenants were given help to repair their new home next door

The service was truly worshipful in the Reformed tradition, with a variety of musical traditions reflecting the church's heritage, and focusing on the message of the Word of God brought by Senior Pastor Giorgi Kadyan: "YOU are the Temple of the Living God" (2 Chronicles 6:18-21). A special plaque was presented, commemorating the contribution of the late Rev. Donald B. Patterson, who helped start the project and in whose memory many donations were given. After the service, many special visitors were recognized. Also present were special invited guests: the President of the Evangelical Reformed Seminary of Ukraine; the Pastor of the Trinity Presbyterian Church in Kiev; the Pastor of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Belgorod-Dnestrovsky; representatives from the Presbyterian Church in America; friends from the Odessa Theological Seminary (Baptist); and numerous missionaries and friends of the congregation. TV crews captured the event on television and video. A professional video of this special event is now available, called "Celebrate the Glory", and the history of the building is already available in the award-winning video "Restore the Glory." A bulletin board depicted the history of the building and communion.

There is still much beautification to be done, and the church will continue work for a long time. But they are finally using this church as a tool for the Gospel. The real glory lies in the historical value of this building and its usefulness in the Gospel ministry. The church has already accomplished these major goals:

• to have a permanent and adequate home for the Odessa church
• to return the building to worship, to the glory of God
• to link all our Presbyterian churches with their Reformed heritage in Ukraine
• to show the church’s commitment to their cultural heritage
• to use these events to tell people of God's true and spiritual Temple, the Body of Christ!

Although the church has done much, they have not finished the historic restoration. The congregation had weekly work details to finish the job as they hope there will soon be funds for the steeple, the exterior work, church offices, choir loft, etc. But the work is already glorious, and the church is excited finally to be in their own "home" — a light to the nations! The church asks for continued prayers as they carry out this work.

The church is still raising funds for the Odessa Church Organ Project, and we rejoice that other church choirs are helping us. A pipe organ, along with the already-wonderful acoustics of the building, will have far-reaching influence in the city, further extending the Gospel influence of the church.

PROFESSIONAL RESEARCH PAPER
from June, 1997 presented to the Ukrainian Court:

The Evangelical Reformed Church of Odessa existed in the first years of the construction of the city. It is well-known that at that time a significant portion of the population was French, having emigrated due to the Revolution in their country. Among them were not only Catholics, but followers of the "Genevan Pope" Calvin [sic], that is, Protestants or Evangelical-Reformed. But for a long time this communion didn't have its own temple, but only a house of prayer.

In 1837, the Richelieu Lyceum, located until then in the Wagner house on Deribasovskaya #16, received a new building. In the courtyard of Wagner home was located an orthodox chapel for the lyceum, named after the saintly prince Alexander Nevsky. After the lyceum moved, they began building a new chapel. But the old temple was given in that year to the Evangelical-Reformed Communion of Odessa, which by 1842 remodeled it according to their own regulations.

On 20 March, 1894, a new church building of this communion was proposed on Khersonskaya Street #62 under an architectural project of A. Bernadazzi and V. Shretera. It was built by Engineer Kh. Squeder by means of a special fund taken up by initiative of the pastor, E. I. Kornman. A very generous gift was received from the family of E. I. Shultz and Baroness Mass. The temple was built in 1896, and it was finished and dedicated in 1900. The interior of the church was distinguished by its stark, firm simplicity.

In the guide of V. Kokhanovsky Odessa and Her Surroundings: Full Illustrated Guide and Reference Book with 4 maps, 4 plans, and 90 drawings (printed in Odessa in 1893), it is written, "Reformed Church is located on the corner of Khersonskaya and Preobrazhenskaya Streets."

In the reference book "All Odessa — 1914" (printed in Odessa in 1914) is written:
"Reformed Church — Khersonskaya, 62 & 64".

Austrians, Englishmen, Germans, Frenchmen and Swiss attended the meetings. Preaching was alternately in German and French. The communion was led at different times by pastors I. F. Lobschtein, G. Henry, K. A. Candidus, I. Kleingass, and others.

The list of officers In 1914: permanent pastor was Eugene Ivanovich Kornman; Chairman of the church session was Nikolai Alexandrovich Shreter; Treasurer was Edward Carl Rink-Wagner, Secretary was Julius Freidank. Members of the session in that year were: Constantine Berto, state advisor Julius Gilberger, Dr. Nikolai Keefer, M.D., Dr. August Kneri, Jr., M.D., Carl Remick, Jr., Engineer Christian Jacobson Squeder (builder of the church), and Carl Michaelson Erismann.

In Soviet times, the church was closed and under a plan of A. Minkus, was transformed into a puppet theater. At the present time, the building is used by the Odessa chapter of the Theatrical Actors Union of Ukraine.

FURTHER RESOURCES:

1. Decree of the President of Ukraine "Concerning Steps toward the Return of Houses of Worship of Religious Organizations" on March 4, 1992.
2. Order of the President of Ukraine "Of the Return of Houses of Worship of Religious Organizations" on June 22, 1994.
3. "Schedule of the Return of Houses of Worship of Religious Organizations which are not being used or are not being used by grant," confirmed by the vice-prime-minister I. F. Kurasom on May 31, 1996.
4. "On this Schedule, the temple on Khersonski Street #62 is not listed."

HISTORY

Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Odessa, Ukraine

 Research Paper
Church Drawings
Story of Building
DEDICATION

[The reports below make clear that a Reformed church existed in Odessa from its founding, that legal documents attest to its existence in 1837, and that the present building on Pastera #63 was built by the church in 1896 as a house of prayer. This same building was still in active use by the Reformed church at least until 1914. The government under Soviet rule closed the church and took this building away, using it for other purposes than the worship of God. When the Presbyterian Church was reestablished in Odessa and appealed for return of the building, it was returned, and is being restored to its former glory.]

The Reformed churches of the world are denominated as either Reformed or Presbyterian according to their historical connections with either mainland Europe or Scotland, respectively. Their doctrine and church government are the same, and associations of Reformed and Presbyterian churches exist throughout the world (e.g. in America there exists NAPARC: the North America Presbyterian and Reformed Council). The Handbook of Denominations in the United States states the following:

The Reformation-founded churches called Reformed, as distinguished from those called Lutheran, originated in Switzerland under Zwingli, Calvin, and Melanchthon. They were called Reformed in Switzerland, Holland, and Germany; Presbyterian, in England and Scotland; Huguenot, in France; national names, for others in Bohemia and ungary.¹

This Reformed Faith was founded in Ukraine centuries ago. For the period 1570-1596 it is stated, "Approximately 100 Protestant congregations exist in Ukrainian lands..."² Books such as Geschichte der reformierte Kirche in Russland (1863) register many Reformed churches, even in Kherson and Odessa.³ The Reformed Faith did not come into Ukraine from the West alone, but also grew up naturally within the Eastern Church: the well-known Patriarch Cyril I Lucaris of Constantinople (1621-1638) not only had sympathy with the Reformers, but himself wrote a Reformed Catechism. It is morally and legally right that a Reformed church should exist in Ukraine. This fact was supported in July, 1998, by the Ukrainian court when the Evangelical Presbyterian Church was named "the legal and moral heirs" of the Evangelical Reformed congregation founded in the 19th Century.

The Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Odessa (EPCO) was registered on May 21, 1996, without pretensions to the present building, having a spiritual purpose of reestablishing the Reformed faith in Odessa. They had much difficulty in finding places of worship, especially due to the decree of the government at that time denying the right of its citizens to use any public buildings as places of public worship.

When the history was discovered, a joint request was made by the Evangelical-Reformed Church and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Odessa, that the building on Pastera #63 be returned to its rightful owners and to its rightful use.

Since many such properties had been returned to other groups, particularly those belonging to the large Orthodox population, it seemed only just that this same attention be turned to Evangelical Christians as well — especially since there did not exist for the citizens and expatriates of Odessa any Reformed or Presbyterian house of worship of any kind. Given the wanton destruction by the government during Soviet times of thousands of church buildings,⁴ it seemed the moral duty of the government to see that buildings were again supplied to its citizens for the worship of God in the various communions which theretofore existed in Odessa.

We feel that this action will surely help contribute to the moral recovery of the Ukrainian nation, and should signal to the watching World that Ukraine is acting responsibly as a democratic nation, defending the rights of all her citizens.

Patriarch Cyril Lucaris
(1621-1638)

¹ Frank S. Mead, Handbook of Denominations in the United States (Nashville:Abingdon, 1990), Ninth Edition, p. 210.

² Osyp Zinkewych and Andrew Sorokowski, ed., A Thousand Years of Christianity in Ukraine (New York: Smoloskyp Pub., 1988), p. 94.

³ H. Dalton, Geschichte der reformierte Kirche in Russland (1863).

⁴ Osyp Zinkewych and Andrew Sorokowski, ed., A Thousand Years of Christianity in Ukraine (New York: Smoloskyp Pub., 1988). This source documents and lists not only thousands of churches generally, bu lists them by name and city. Among them is a list of Odessa churches destroyed on page 269, and the following general note on page 267: "According to Soviet data, on the territories of Ukraine which became part of the U.S.S.R., 6.371 churches (out of 14.371 in 1914) were destroyed or changed into structures for other uses (jails, schools, clubs, warehouses) during the period 1917-1932... All church communities in Ukraine... were liquidated by 1937." It further explains the State's egoistic selection of destruction or conversion on the same page: "Most of the churches destroyed by the soviets were those built during the period of statehood of Kievan Rus'... Churches built in more recent years, especially those of stone, were converted to other uses."