We are located in Sverdlovskaya Oblast, an area about the size of South Dakota, just east of the Ural Mountains in Russia.  Out of the 4.5 million people living in our oblast, only 1800 are believers.  Our goal is to share the Gospel and to plant evangelical churches in almost 50 of the larger cities and towns throughout the oblast.  Here are some of the places we are currently working.

Alapaevsk: Founded in 1781, Alapaevsk is located north of Ekaterinburg. Known for nearby mines and numerous factories, the city has a population of about 45,000. Within the city, there are only 2 churches and 100 evangelical believers, among a culture of Russian Orthodoxism and a growing number of Muslims. A Russian pastor, Ilya, has been at work in the city for several years, attempting to start a small church.

Ekaterinburg: As the administrative center of Sverdlovskaya Oblast and one of the largest cities in the country with a population of 1.3 million, Ekaterinburg is considered the unofficial capital of the Ural area of Russia.  A closed city during the Communist era, Ekaterinburg is known as the location where the Romanov family was executed in 1918 and the home of Uralmash, the largest heavy machinery factory in Europe.  Today, four small Baptist churches -- pastored by Pavel, Anatoli, Sergei, and Dima -- are reaching out to the surrounding city.

Irbeet: The city of Irbeet, with a population of about 43,000, is located about 250 km northeast of Ekaterinburg. Founded in 1631, the city is now famous for its motorcycle factory and shows.  Valera, a pastor who came here from Ukraine, serves in Irbeet. 

Kamensk-Uralski: Thanks to industrial production, Kamensk-Uralski is one of the fastest-growing cities in the region. Located in the southernmost part of the oblast, the city is more than 300 years old and has a population of about 190,000. Pastor Yosef is working here to share the Gospel.

Kamishlov: With a population of about 30,000, Kamishlov was founded in 1668 and is located due east from Ekaterinburg.  Russian pastor Andrei commutes from a nearby village to work in the bigger city of Kamishlov, as well.

Krasnoturinsk: Three hundred fifty km north of Ekaterinburg, is the city of Krasnoturinsk.  Established in 1758 as a copper mining settlement, the city currently has a population of about 65,000 and is home to several large prisons. Please pray that we will be able to begin work in this city.

Krasnoufimsk: Located in the southerwestern edge of the oblast, Krasnoufimsk has a population of about 44,000 and was founded in 1736 as a fortress to defend local manufacturers. Today Ukrainian missionary, Nikolai, pastors a church just outside of town, while a Russian missionary, Alexei, is working to start a church in the center of the city.

Loseeny: A small village on the outskirts of Ekaterinburg, Loseeny is home to an orphanage that our team has been working with for several years.

Nizhny Tagil: One of the larger cities in this area of Russia, Nizhny Tagil was founded in 1722 in conjunction with the construction of a copper smelting plant.  It remains a large industrial center, and today has a population of about 390,000. Please pray for our work in this city, which is just beginning.

Talitsa: Founded in 1732 near a large liquor factory, Talitsa is located 220 km east of Ekaterinburg on the Trans-Siberian Railway. A small city of just under 20,000, Talitsa currently has no permanent church or resident pastor, but an American church is working to plant a church in the city.