The Desna Cup story and LifeWay’s long connection with it
This coming Sunday, we are closing our building, leaving our church property, and heading to join a handful of local churches for a group worship service at an event called the Desna Cup. The worship time is at 10:30 a.m. and the basic instructions are highlighted for you in this week’s newsletter.
Some of you, for the last several years, may have driven by Saghalie Middle School on a mid-August weekend and wondered what kind of event was going on with all the cars, sports, games, musical concerts and food. The Desna Cup not only has an interesting history; it sends a powerful message to our community. Let me give you the rest of the story, which has much to do with us—yes, us, at LifeWay.
Twenty-two years ago, our church was invited to Bryansk, Russia—about 300 miles southwest of Moscow—for the first time to help a group of believers with hosting a children’s camp. We were met there by the person who would eventually become the main leader of Federal Way’s Desna Cup: Leo (or Lonia) Lisitsyn. He and his younger brothers and sisters, along with their parents, immigrated from Bryansk about the same time we started going to Russia. But it was his uncles, aunts, cousins, and Christian friends in Russia with whom we worked for all those years. Leo Lisitsyn’s family members run Camp Yolochka, the Christian camp in Russia that we highlighted in a video during last Sunday’s service.
While their family members in Russia were doing new outreach ministries in the Bryansk region for all those years (kids’, youth and family camps, church planting, missions conferences, leadership training events, drug and alcohol rehab centers, neglected children and family ministries, sports outreach), the American side of the Lisitsyn family (Leo and his siblings) planted a church here. In time they took over (by permission, of course) the Living Nativity that LifeWay put on for 20 years; they have since expanded the event as a Christmas outreach—AND they are using their love of sports as an outreach into our community.
What has developed is the Desna Cup weekend in Federal Way, where soccer and volleyball teams compete in a tournament, surrounded by concerts in a festival atmosphere, food everywhere, and the gospel. This year is the first time that a small group of four churches is joining together with Desna to have an outdoor worship service, to be an example to our city for Christ. We are privileged to be part of this.
LifeWay has—and personally, I have—a special part in this whole story. I am proud that we are joining with what they call “Russian Christ Church of Federal Way” (not to be confused with the Christ Church on Dash Point Road!). Their pastor is Andrea Lisitsyn, one of the finest young men you could ever meet. The keynote preacher for the day is Jeff Vanderstelt, a phenomenal gospel communicator from Soma Church.
Plan to come a little early on Sunday morning to Saghalie Park. Chairs will be set up for everyone. Meet and greet the other churches, worship with believers we love from these local churches, and let’s honor God. After the service, there will be plenty of kid-friendly blow-up bounce toys, a large food court where you can purchase some great food (including Russian shashlik BBQ and blini, or crepes). Then enjoy watching some sports games.
By the way…you may wonder where the word “Desna” comes from. Desna is actually the name of the river that runs through the region and city of Bryansk—AND it runs right next to Camp Yolochka, where we have served all these years. I personally have swum in the Desna River many times.
And now you know!
See you Sunday at Desna Cup at 10:30 a.m.!
