On January 24, 2010, Panevezhys Living God Christians Church celebrated its 25th anniversary. Despite a 25 degree cold, bright and spacious hall was filled with members of the local church and guests who came from Latvia and friendly churches and Christian organizations in Lithuania.
The celebration was also attended by leaders of the Union of Pentecostal Churches of Lithuania, Bishop and pastor of the Vilnius New Life Pentecostal Church, Rimantas Kupstys and his wife Emilia, and the First Deputy Bishop, President of the Vilnius Theological College, pastor of the Christian Church in Elektrenai “Source of Life” Ivanas Shkulis with his wife Olga.
After a very joyful and inspiring worship led by youth of the church there were said words of congratulations and gifts given from the guests and participants. Pastor of the Pentecostal Church of Riga, Janis Sadovskis conveyed words of congratulations from the Bishop of the Latvian Pentecostal Fellowship Janis Ozolinkevich. Pastor Janis read Book of Revelation 12:10-11: “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
The wish of the pastor was that we would all become warriors of prayer; because it is in prayer heroes of faith are born. Pastor Janis also shared the experience of holding joint prayer of the Churches of Latvia, and shared a revelation in which he saw the Churches of the Baltic countries, praying together for revival, and expressed his desire that this would take place soon.
First Deputy Bishop Ivanas Shkulis congratulated the church on this special occasion. He noticed that the Bible does not say anything about such date as 25. But he noted that the 25-year anniversary of Panevezhys church is a special milestone in the evangelical movement in Lithuania. In Lithuania, there is a church that already exists about 160 years. This is Baptist church in Klaipeda. Pentecostal Church in Birzai soon will be celebrating the 100-year anniversary. Pentecostal church in Vilnius is almost 90 years. Pentecostal church in Klaipeda is around 60 years. In 1970 year Vilnius Pentecostal Church “Bible way” has been founded, which this year will celebrate its 40 anniversary. And in the next 15 years in Lithuania, not a single evangelical church has been planted. And after the founding of the Church in Panevezhys in 1985, the Churches in Lithuania began to appear only in 1989 during a national revival and spiritual awakening in Lithuania. Therefore, establishing of Panevezhys church in the history of evangelical movement in Lithuania - is a special milestone. And in this I see the special grace of God and His special plan for this church.
Also brother Ivanas said that he personally has special experience with the church in the past, when he had chance to participate in the first meetings of the church, which took place in Piniava, at pastor’s Povilas Volkovas apartment and also during special events and changes in the life of the church. He also emphasised todays special warm relations with the pastor Ramunas and his wife Ingrida. From the Word he read Epistle to the Colossians 1:9-10, and wished to the church 1. to know and to live worthy of God, 2. in all try to please God rather than men, 3. bear a good and visible fruit for the Lord, 4. grow in knowledge of God.
Bishop of the Union of Pentecostal Churches of Lithuania Rimantas Kupstys in his congratulatory message thanked God for those who have faithfully and loyally do the work of God in their time, through whom God has created what is now called the Church of the Living God in Panevezhys. He conveyed greetings from the Bishop Ivan Panko and his wife Valentina. Ivan Panko was one of those who visited the future first pastor Povilas Volkovas, who then was living in Latvia and invited him to come to Lithuania, where so much work needs to be done. He assisted in equipping the pastor’s purchased house in Piniava. He also was the one who encouraged the pastor to continue serving to the church, when there was a conflict in the church, and it was on the verge of closure. Thanks to God for these people of faith. This invisible, but very important part of the work may be compared as the foundation of a building or the roots of the tree. Bishop Rimantas Kupstys wished to the Church always stand on the solid rock and the cornerstone - Jesus Christ, and to be like a tree planted by streams of water, fed from source of living water - the Word of God and bear fruit for the Lord.
In his closing speech on the theme "The winners of the spiritual war," the bishop recalled the reality and relevance of the spiritual war, and its participants, our enemies and allies, their strategy, weapons, ammunition; how to win; who and what is the guarantee of our victory, and what reward awaits of the winners, those who will remain loyal till very end. For those who are tired in this fight today, there was read the Word of encouragement Romans 8:31-32: “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”
Part of the activities celebrating 25th anniversary of the church there were organized fee events for the residents of the city of Panevezhys. On Saturday, January 23 in the Music Theatre they did show drama "The Gate of heaven and the flames of hell." And on Sunday 24 January children's choir and orchestra from Vilnius “Valio” held concert "Let as be the lights of God".
