The Presidential elections took place in Georgia January 4, 2004. The leader of the National Movement Party, Mr. Michael Saakashvili, has received the majority of voices and was elected President of Georgia. The Presidential Inauguration will be held January 25 in the Gelati Cathedral at the grave of the “King David the Builder”. The second part of the Inauguration will be implemented in the capital city of Tbilisi and official guests from different countries will attend the ceremony. Among them will be the US Secretary of State Collin Powell. Along with other Georgian dignitaries the Presiding-Bishop of the EBC of Georgia has been invited to attend the inauguration together with other Spiritual leaders of Georgia. After the ceremony Mr. Saakashvili will officially take up his duties. Unfortunately the former President Shevardnadze left heavy problems. These political and social problems were often identified with the Georgian-Russian tense relationships. Today most of the Georgian population supports the newly elected President. But this support will in future depend on the realization of multilateral social and economic reforms. Actually Mr. Saakashvili has to do an enormous job to transform the country of Georgia from the state of anarchy to the state of a modern democracy. Therefore Georgian officials and the entire society believe that the political and economical support of the West will be important for the rebuilding of the state. Obviously Georgia will fall into a deep crisis without external support because of its ruined economy.

The New Flag Approved

After the prolonged controversial debates the new official flag was approved by the Georgian Parliament January 14, 2004. The five crosses on the white background represent the five wounds of Christ. Curiously enough the flag and the symbol of the EBC Georgia had already been made up similar five crosses the so-called desert cross. The Baptist flag was flown during the November “Revolution of Roses” by members of the Georgian Baptist community in the city center of Tbilisi where the famous demonstrations took place.

Christmas with orphans

During Holy Night of December 24 a group of youth from the EBC Cathedral, led by the General Secretary, Rev M. Gaprindashvili, visited an orphanage in Tbilisi and delivered 120 boxes of gifts that have been collected by the members of the Cathedral Baptist Church. A month earlier Church members were given empty boxes to fill them with schooling materials, toys and sweets. Even though the congregation is very poor they generously contributed gifts for the orphans. The distribution of the gifts at the orphanage was joyfully celebrated by the orphans.

Christmas celebration

The Cathedral Church of the EBC Georgia celebrated the Christmas day December 25, which is different from the Georgian Orthodox Church’s Christmas celebration January 7.
Several hundred people came to attend the Christmas vigil. Most of them were youth and teenagers.
The service started with the Evangelical mass and the Holy Eucharist. The mass was celebrated very solemnly. The sermon was delivered by the Presiding Bishop of EBC Georgia. After the Eucharist the congregation was greeted by honorary guests: Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia Mr. Petre Mamradze and Orthodox Archpriest Basil Kobakhidze. The mass was followed by a Christmas meal with very delicious Georgian food served by the Church. Then we had drama and a music festival. The festival was led by comedians Imeda Mgeliashvili (Bible Society ofGeorgia) and Valeri Builishvili (Student of the School of Elijah).
In the morning, the worshipers prayed for peace and reconciliation in Georgia. At the gate of the Church they were blessed and anointed by the holy oil.

Will the Baptist Bishop Become the New Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox Church?

After the “Revolution of Roses” last November a number of supporters of the former government attacked verbally the Baptists of Georgia condemning them for their support of the Revolution. A group of Baptists did a relief work among those who had come to the capital city of Tbilisi to support the revolution.

The leader of the Labor party, Mr Shalva Natelashvili has been particularly angry with Baptists. In his recent TV interview he maintained that the new government of Georgia would like to replace the Patriarch of the Georgian Orthodox church by their pro Western candidate Malkhaz Songulashvili. He was not particularly explicit how a Baptist bishop can become the Orthodox Patriarch.

The Baptist Bishop teaches Orthodox Fathers and the Orthodox priest teaches Baptist Constitution

(The School of Elijah the Prophet)

The first session of the School was implemented in October 2003. The second session took place on 5 – 10 January 2004 and was much better organized. All necessary facilities were installed in time. For instance the dining and kitchen moved to better rooms. Thus despite of the cold weather students and the tutorial staff had enough comfort for the studying process. But other things have to be done to improve existing conditions. Two more rooms on the down flour might be completed, one for the tutorial staff and other for the classroom. The remarkable issue of session 2 was the teaching of the Constitution of the EBC Georgia by the Orthodox priest Basil Kobakhidze. The Baptist believers were confused by this exceptional fact. On the other hand they enjoyed lectures given by their Bishop in Early Church History and Church Fathers. The School was attended by 59 students and only one international student was excused due to the Christmas vacation in his homeland Denmark. The results of the 1st sessions gave us a firm conviction that the EBC Georgia has chosen the right way for the Theological education. We have a sense of hope that well-educated Baptist ministers will serve their local churches with an improved knowledge, faith and responsibility.

School of David

In the beginning of January 2004 the Rustavi Baptist Church (the Revd Giorgi Songulashvili) asked the EBC of Georgia leadership to help setting up a choir and a liturgical team at their church. That was how the idea of the School of David was conceived. Three sessions of the school were held from January 11 to 13. Students were sent from three different congregations. They learned for this time 14 new songs and took several classes in music. An energetic choir director, Mrs Nana Tevdoradze, led the school during those days.

It has been decided to work out a one year program to train people in music and liturgy. There are about 30 people who are keen to study at the school of David.

The Feast of Baptism

January 19 a feast of Baptism was celebrated at the Cathedral Baptist Church. The Liturgy was written by a female liturgist, Eka Kvirikashvili. (Student of the School of Elijah). The Evangelical mass was celebrated by the Presiding Bishop and consecrated by the Reverend Merab Gaprindashvili and Reverend Solomon Kotorashvili. During the mass the Baptismal pool was opened and 14 young people – boys and girls – were baptized by the Revd. Gaprindashvili. After the Baptismal service the congregation renewed their Baptismal vows. While renewing Baptismal vows people were sprinkled with hyssop. To the prayers of renewal congregation responded with the words from the Psalms: ?Purify me with hyssop till I am clean, wash me till I am whiter then snow.? (Psalm 51:7) Hundreds of attending worshipers joyfully left the Cathedral. ?It was one of the most remarkable services I have ever attended,? says Eliko Melashvili (51) member of the congregation. ?When I attended this service I realized the difference between the Russian and Georgian Baptists,? says a Moscow based American Baptist missionary, ?At services in the Moscow Baptist Churches people seem fearful and extremely serious, while in this congregation people were joyful and lively.?