Community Listing
Social
American Women's Organization
The AWO of Moscow has over 200 members and helps expat women adapt to life in Moscow through social, cultural and educational activities. The club also supports charitable organizations in Moscow. Due to the winter holidays, we will only be having one AWO meeting on January 17th. The meeting will take place at 10:30 at the Hard Rock Cafe on Stary Arbat. Hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season!
Australian and New Zealand Social Women’s Group (Auski’s)
The Auski group meets at least once a month for lunch, usually on the second Wednesday or whatever date is most convenient for whoever is hosting. Primarily a social support group, we are a relatively small but very social and welcoming group. The Auski group is open to all Australian and New Zealand citizens and their spouses. A limited number of associate memberships are available. There is no charge for membership.
For more information please call Joy Harris: on 255-4915 or 722-611 3 or email: joykatheryn@hotmail.com
Metis
A group that works to overcome discrimination and hardship faced by mixed-race children in Russia. Gathering at the Central Children’s Russian Library, Oktyabrskaya Square, #1.
We are looking for sponsors: we need money to invite some artists, and to buy presents. Our children can perform songs and poetry, but we don’t have a teacher who will lead them. Anybody is cordially invited to a programme of events to celebrate Christmas and learn more about the work of the Metis Charity.
Contact: Emilia Tynes-Mensah. metis2001@mail.ru
Music
Moscow International Choir
Moscow International Choir is an amateur choir, who meet every Tuesday night, currently at St Andrew's Church on Voznesensky Pereulok, at 7.00 pm. They sing a mixture of classical and popular music, and have two seasons with concerts at the end of each season, in December and May. The choir is always looking for more members of all ages, nationalities and singing levels. The choir also organizes social evenings and dacha days in the summer. It is a wonderful way to meet like-minded people of all nationalities. The Moscow International Choir will start its new spring season on 16th January 2007. First rehearsal starts 7:00 pm, St Andrew's Church. New singers are welcome, no experience necessary, just come along.
For more information please write to the moscow.international.choir@gmail.com
Contact: Chantal Cooper 200-5205, 8-917-552-8339
Sport
Expat Over-30's Footbal (Soccer) League
If you're a keen footballer and 30-years-old or older, why not join our fun (but a bit serious) league. With 8 sponsored teams of various levels, professional referees and a great social scene, it's a great chance to meet new friends and get fitter at the same time. Our outdoor summer pitch location (centre of Moscow) is perfect for families, and we provide free shashlik, salads, beer and soft drinks for players, friends and family.
For more information, please email Nick Rees at: nickrees99@yahoo.com
Religion
St.Andrews Anglican Church
January 2007 schedule
Sundays:
8:30 Holy Communion
11 :00 Sung Eucharist with Sunday School and Creche
18:30 E vening Prayer
Weekdays:
8:30 Morning Prayer
18:30 Evening Prayer (including Saturday)
Wednesdays:
19:00 Holy Communion
19:45 Bible study
Thursday Night is Concert Night at St Andrew’s!
Classical Concerts begin at 7:30 PM Tickets at the door.
St Andrew's Anglican Church Voznesensky Pereulok 8, Moscow (Metro – Okhotny Ryad or Pushkinskaya) Phone/Fax: 629-0990 Web www.standrewsmoscow.org
Moscow Congregation for Progressive Judaism
5th, 12th, 19th and 26th of January, 2007 – at 7:00 pm
Friday night service (Russian-Hebrew) at 7.00 pm.
Venue: Moscow Jewish Community House, Ul. Volochaevskaya, 14/1
Phone: (495) 632-5598
Contact person: Nelly Shulman, International Christian Fellowship
Sunday School, 10:00
Sunday Worship Service, 11 :15
B. Nikolopeskovsky Pereulok, 12a
ICF
is an evangelical church dedicated to strengthening and spreading faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are a Christian (or if you're just interested) we warmly welcome you to come to our Sunday morning service. Our contemporary worship services are conducted in English with simultaneous translation into Russian. Most of our members are expatriates from many different countries and diverse denominational backgrounds, so you're sure to feel at home.
For more information, contact the ICF office at 507-0635.
Postcard from Belarus Foretelling the Future
By Anne Coombes
 At midnight on New Year’s Eve, here in Belarus, young girls will be secretly gathering together in darkened rooms around flickering candle flames. With a mirror placed either side, they’ll gaze deeply into the reflected images, hoping for a glimpse of their future husbands. They’ll be trying not to giggle as it’s said that if you don’t concentrate properly, a devil will reach out from the flame and grab you! Although they might try to deny it, few women here can truly say they’ve never tried to foretell the future in this way.
Understandably, we like the idea of finding out what the year ahead holds for us. There are many ancient rituals passed down through families which reveal how to see your future; at the very least, they provide a few moments of fun as the clocks chime in the New Year. To foretell who will survive the coming year, each person must take a piece of bread and place it outside the front door. If your slice disappears, it doesn’t bode well. On a more cheerful note, everyone can write their hopes for the year on a sheet of paper then set fire to them as midnight begins to chime; if your note is still burning as the clock strikes 12, your wish will come true.
Several techniques focus on discovering the identity of your future husband or how soon you’ll be married. One involves pouring molten wax into water. As the shape solidifies, it gives a clue to your fortune in the coming year; most young girls hope for the figure of a man to appear. Similarly, you can screw up some paper, set it alight and, afterwards, hold the burnt remainder up to see what shadow it casts. Alternatively, each girl in the group can plant an onion; if yours is the first to grow roots, you’ll be the first to marry.
Patience is required. Some rituals clearly require the participants to be living in the countryside. If you can acquire a chicken, you then place a mirror, a bowl of water and a bowl of grain on the floor. On releasing the chicken, look to see where it pecks first: if it goes to the mirror, your husband will be vain, if to the grain, he’ll be rich and if to the water, he’ll be a drunk. Another way for girls to foresee their destiny is by placing their rings in a pot of grain. Each then takes a handful. If you have only grain, you’ll stay single for 12 months. Anyone choosing a gold ring will marry a wealthy man, whereas silver indicates a simple but happy marriage. Rings made of base metal show hardship within wedlock. No doubt, the best way is to ensure that everyone has their best jewellery with them.
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