The Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church (EELC) was established in 1917. When the Soviet Union invaded Estonia in 1940, most Christian organizations were dissolved, church property was confiscated, theologians were exiled and religious education programs were outlawed. World War II later brought devastation to many church buildings. In 1988, church activities were renewed.

LCMS World Mission began a working relationship with the Estonia Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1996. The two church bodies continue to grow in their relationship and seek opportunities to support and partner with each other. The Estonian church is encouraged by the presence of an LCMS career missionary family in the Baltics.

Today the EELC has about 200,000 church members and focuses on the development of leadership—both clergy and laity. New mission initiatives include outreach into new communities and religious instruction in Lutheran schools.

LCMS World Mission is partnering to support work in Estonia that makes Christ’s love known in Word and deed and expands Gospel outreach.

Mission project funding supports Pastor Oleg Sevastynanow who serves as a missionary and church planter in Narva, Estonia. Narva is the third-largest city in Estonia and is located on the eastern extreme point of Estonia, near the Russian border. Pastor Sevastynanow’s ministry passion is to reach the Russian-speaking people living in Narva. His weekly radio program and television program reaches thousands of people in this area. He has also planted a Russian-speaking congregation that meets in the Alexandria Cathedral. His congregation is small, but it is growing. It is a unique challenge to connect the Gospel to people who claim to be Russian Orthodox, but are not really connected to a church. As the congregation is not yet large enough to fully provide for Pastor Sevastynanow’s basic necessities, LCMS World Mission project funding will provide assistance for housing and food for him and his daughter.

Your support allows LCMS World Mission to continue mission outreach in this country. If more funds than necessary are received towards projects in this country, the additional funds will be used to support ministry in the same region. If you would like more specific information about these projects and ministry in this country or region, please contact us at 888-THE-LCMS (888-843-5267) or infocenter@lcms.org.

There are no current mercy projects in this country. For more information on mercy work in the LCMS, contact us at 888-THE-LCMS (888-843-5267) or infocenter@lcms.org.