History

The beginning

The first Adventists in Pleven district are “Slavonic” – a group of Slav Adventists coming from Austro-Hungaria before the year 1910 in the village of Brashlyanitsa. This is one of the first groups in Bulgaria – in 1909 it had 5 members and it increased to 9 members, but in 1928 it did not exist any more, due to the death of some of the members and emigration of the rest. However, their traces remained through the new souls joining the group in Gorna Mitropolia, Varbitsa and Koilovtsi. The group in Gorna Mitropolia numbered 9 members in 1937. A member of this group, s. Mara Gadgeovska, baptized in 1928, died recently at the age of 92. She was a role model for many with her consecrated life and numberless experiences with God.

In Pleven itself and in its ditrict there worked br. Alfred Thomas, Vasil Bozhilov Hristov who died too young, Boris Bonev, Stefan Konstantinov, and Otto Shtaubert. However, in the town itself a group could not be set up.

Following 9.09.1944, Kiril Shemkov worked in Pleven and there was established a group of interested people, but it fell apart after his internment to Belene.

The first member of the church in Pleven is s. Lilyana Nikolova, baptized on December 12, 1970 together with her mother and brother in Rositsa river near Stambolovo by pastor Andrei Georgiev. About the year 1970 several people from different towns and villages converted to the Lord: s. Lilyana Nikolova accepted the truth from her mother, s. Zdravka Mavrodieva is from Gabrovo, br. Aleksander Georgiev accepted the truth in the town he studied. Meanwhile, through s. Liluyana’s work, and as a result of the Bible studies held by br. Nikola Stanchev, who was transferred to Pavlikeni and was in charge of Pleven district, the truth accepted s. Ivanka Petkova, s. Lozina Trohimova, and s. Kumana Bozhinova. There was difficulty finding a place for worship – they worshiped in their houses, went to Kailaka park in good weather, or went to G. Mitropolia. Thus a group was formed, which later started worshipping in Lyuba Mincheva’s home in Tsonyo Matev str. Bible studies began to be held and the first four people to be baptized were Zhivko and Goranka Mitevi, Penka Kiritsova, and Tsvetan Georgiev.

At that time problems with authority started appearing – the meetings were often discontinued by militia officers, the members were called to the State Security office and compelled to sign written statements that they were not going to gather for worship. This persecution continued for 10 years. When the authorities would stop the worship service, usually before a holiday, the church would start gathering at several places in different houses, and in a couple of weeks, when everything settled down, they would resume church worship. It is worth noting that none of the members was made hesitant or afraid of the threats and of all the operations intended to destroy the church. The threats were especially directed at the church pastor. Nevertheless, every week Nikola Stanchev used to come to Pleven and continue doing his work.

On December 10, 1977, Pleven’s Liberation Day, the tenth member of the church was baptized, and at the commemoration of 100^th anniversary of Pleven’s falling under the Ottoman yoke Pleven surrendered being a town without a Seventh-Day Adventist church. S. Margo Debarlieva, baptized then, was an exceptionally devoted and sincere Christian. She learned to read at the age of 52, so that she would be able to get acquainted with the Bible. She had used to be in contact with different Christian churches, occultists, and she ended taking women to the Orthodox Church. But being well-versed in the Bible helped her appreciate the truth, and she joined the church which holds God’s message for our time.

A really big problem at that time was lack of Christian publications. Pastor Nikola Stanchev, together with some church members, organized book printing. In Kozarevetz the pages of the books were being put in order during informal meetings, and then they were brought to Pleven, where a well-skilled book-binder made them into books. Thus the church all around Bulgaria was supplied with these so much needed publications. There were printed about 1000 copies of “Patriarchs and Prophets,” 1000 copies of “Kings and Prophets,” 1000 copies of “The Acts of the Apostles,” 1500 copies of “The Adventist Home.” “The Great Controversy,” God sent the Man,” “Hope without Illusions,” and some other smaller books were copied. What is more, from the whole country there came parcels with books torn up from use, which, after binding, continued to be useful.

In 1989 the church membership was 19 people. The pastors having served the church until then were Aleksandar Marinov and Nikola Stanchev.

The Church Comes in the Daylight

After the democratic changes, from the beginning of 1990, the church started meeting in the club of the Union of Democratic Forces (a political party) at 12 Karlovo str. Even before a pastor was appointed, there began series of lectures by guest speakers. There were held evangelistic meetings after which Bible studies started. The first pastor, officially appointed to Pleven, was Nikola Tanev, but he was substituted by Yosif Peshkirev for a while due to illness. A group of medical students started coming to church. They were among the first 10 people baptized in 1991 and they laid the foundation of the Health Department of the church, which now is one of the most active departments among the Bulgarian Seventh-Day Adventist churches. 7 more people were baptized, among whom there were doctors as well. The time came for the great evangelistic meetings of pastor Zigfrid Lautherer in ’92 and ’93 and the new wave of baptisms.

Time passed, pastors changed: Bonnie Bonnev, Emil Gadgealov, Yaroslav Yankov, Trifon Trifonov, Plamen Radkov Petrov. Each of them has his own share in the development of the church with their different gifts – from the initial establishment of the church after the evangelistic meetings to its unification and the introduction of the new technologies in service of the gospel preaching. The last few years were a period of intense missionary work. A lot of evangelistic meetings, seminars, and lectures were held in a number of towns and villages. Music turned out to be an especially successful means of reaching people’s hearts. A choir and mandolin band were set up and they made a lot of charity performances at Christmas and Easter as well as taking part in concerts together with other choirs and bands in the town.

On the path traced out by music, the health message also followed the way – there were held health seminars in many towns and villages presented by the lecturers from the church Health Department Dr Anelia Nikolakieva and Dr Zheliasko Mihailov. The topics were popular, delivered in a simple language. As a follow-up there were free examinations, blood pressure measurements, much advice… The next step was a Bible study and presenting before the people the biblical truths and our God-given hope. In all these ways the church sought to cooperate in solving the difficult problems of our society, problems of health and poverty, problems of loneliness and every single man’s need to feel God’s love.

Perhaps the people most in need of the work of the church were the convicts in the prison in Pleven. In 1999 Emil Gadgealov started Bible studies with several people in the prison, where there are only recidivists. The visits continued Yaroslav Yankov, Trifon Trifonov, Plamen Petrov. At the eve of every holiday there was a musical performance with small gifts. About one hundred people now come to the lectures, the great aim being their integration into the church after their release in order to break off from the vicious circle of crime.

“Still other seed fell on fertile soil”

In Bukovluk – a village mostly with Rom population – pastor Nikola Stanchev began Bible studies in Dimitar Pushev’s house in 1982 with mainly children as listeners. After 1989, evangelistic meetings were held with the help of the church in Kustendil, the ministers of the church in Pleven also presenting a series of lectures followed by Bible studies. However, a special part for the development of the church played br. Iliya Ruskov. He started working at the people’s houses, giving Bible studies at different places. Although he has an artificial limb, he used to visit the village in cold and heat until the whole village came to know him. In 1991 Sergei Pushev was baptized, and many more followed after him. In 1995 the group was transformed into church. Today, the church in Bukovluk consists of about 60 members, and it has a lot of friends of the church and works in 8 villages in the district. The church building disposes of 120 seats and a pool where all the baptisms of the district are performed.

In Lovech the advent news also came from Pleven – in 1991 the first evangelistic meetings took place, followed by Bible studies and visits of church ministers to the newly-formed group. The first people to be baptized joined the church in 1992, and in 1995 the members were already 18, therefore they were organized in an independent church.

God invites His people to rise and take the good news to those who are in “darkness,” “without God and without hope in the world.” And He has prepared people’s hearts, they are standing on the threshold of God’s kingdom and are waiting to be invited to enter it.

Now, when we think about the humble beginning with only a few faint lights in this big district, and the state at present, we are filled with gratitude to God who advances His work. For sixteen years after the big political changes, the number of Adventists in our district has increased about twelve times. Although there is a lot more to be done, The One who has started the good work also has enough power to finish it.