Sharing the Gospel, Serving the Church, and Growing in Boldness! What a blessed time we had visiting Moraga and Walnut Creek with our youth choir in early May!
We began the day with an outreach event at Civic Park in downtown Walnut Creek. The choir sang several songs, and Pastor Vasiliy Khripunov presented an evangelistic painting exhibit that drew attention from passersby. From there, we split into groups of 8–10 and spread out across the city to evangelize—handing out gospel tracts and talking with people of all ages, from children to seniors.
For many of our youth, this was their first time sharing the gospel, and what a blessing it was! Though some were nervous at first, their boldness grew—and by the end, many didn’t want to stop. Some had deep, meaningful conversations. Others experienced rejection. But we trust that God will continue working in the hearts of all who heard the gospel or received a tract.
After a short lunch break, we made our way to Spring Church, Морага,, pastored by Aleksei Kharlamov. We participated in the service by leading the congregation in worship, singing several choir pieces, and listening to a sermon from our very own Pastor Dmitriy, who also led us in communion.
Pastor Dmitriy preached on “The True Gospel” from Mark 10:17–27, showing what sets the real gospel apart from false hopes and shallow religion:
- The true gospel is accessible (v. 17a)
- The true gospel corrects false ideas about God (vv. 17–18)
- The true gospel reveals the heart (vv. 19–21)
- The true gospel offers real hope (vv. 21–22)
- The true gospel leads to dependence on God (vv. 23–27)
Pastor Dmitriy reminded us that the true gospel is not about human effort, religious status, or good intentions. It’s about recognizing our deep need, trusting fully in Christ, and surrendering to God’s grace. Like the rich young ruler, we’re often tempted to cling to what we have—but only full dependence on Jesus leads to eternal life.
We came to bless the church through fellowship and service, but we left being deeply blessed and encouraged ourselves. Our teens had the incredible opportunity to take the gospel to lost souls, to spend the day in Christian fellowship, and to worship with believers from another congregation.
Praise God for such a meaningful and fruitful day—we’re looking forward to more opportunities like this!
Julie Sheremet, GFC Youth
