History of Zion Church

Chronicle

1. 1992

   • January 19, 1992The family of missionary Kim Sang Gil arrived in Almaty.
   • January 26, 1992The first worship service was held in missionary Kim Sang Gil's apartment (Almagul, Zharokov St). It brought together the pastor's family (four people: Kim Sang Gil, Lee Sun Suk, Kim Hanna, Kim Jongseon) and the family of Eduard Vasilyevich Kan (three people: Eduard Vasilyevich Kan, Zinaida Pavlovna Ten, Irina Kan). This was the beginning of Zion Church. Services were held in the apartment for about three months.
   • April 1, 1992Services began in a hall rented in the Statistics Department building at Zharokov St and Abay Ave.
   • May 1, 1992Zion Church was started in Kaskelen, with services held every Saturday.
   • December 1, 1992Zion Church moves to the Mining Institute at Abay Ave and S. Kovalevskaya St.

   

2. 1993

   • August 17, 1993A house at 18 Zhamakayev St was purchased to build the church.
   • December 13, 1993A second house, at 20 Zhamakayev St, was purchased for the church building.

3. 1994

   • October 10, 1994Zion Church in Kaskelen is handed over to missionary Oh Sok Din.

4. 1997

   • March 1, 1997The houses at 18–20 Zhamakayev St were demolished and construction of the church building began. Chamden Church in Bucheon (South Korea) provided financial support for the construction.

5. 1998

   • January 18, 1998A worship service celebrating the church's 6th anniversary and the opening of the new building.
   • June 21, 1998Zinaida Pavlovna Ten and Elena Vasilyevna Kalyakina are appointed preachers of the church.

6. 2001

   • March 1, 2001Launch of the “Silver-Haired Academy” charity program.

7. 2002

   • March 17, 2002Preacher Boris Kim leaves to found Antioch Church.
   • July 2, 2002Missionary Kim Sang Gil stepped down as pastor of Zion Church. Missionary Kim Chang Sik was appointed in his place.

8. 2003

   • August 1, 2003Missionary Kim Chang Sik steps down as pastor, and missionary Kim Sang Gil is once again appointed pastor of the church.
   • November 1, 2003Missionary Kim Chang Sik is sent to Astana.

9. 2011

   • December 11, 2011The church's first presbyters are elected: Vladimir Kalyakin, Venera Kim and Galina Pak.

10. 2012

    • January 15, 2012Zion Church (Pastor Kim Sang Gil), Antioch Church (Pastor Boris Kim) and Agape Church (Pastor Andrey Chen) merge into one church. Pastor Kim Sang Gil steps down; Boris Kim is appointed senior pastor, serving together with Pastors Zinaida Ten and Andrey Chen.
    • January 22, 2012During the celebration of Zion Church's 20th anniversary, a ceremony is held to ordain a pastor (Zinaida Ten) and presbyters (Vladimir Kalyakin, Venera Kim, Galina Pak, Lidiya Kim, Evgeniy Kim) and to appoint elders (Vera Ryseva, Galina Kim, Natalya Sushko, Natalya Shchelkaeva).

11. 2014

    • July 6, 2014Pastor Boris Kim and Antioch Church separate once again. Pastor Zinaida Ten is appointed senior pastor, serving together with Pastor Andrey Chen.

12. 2020

    • January 26, 2020During the celebration of Zion Church's 28th anniversary, a ceremony marks the retirement of Presbyter Venera Kim and of Senior Pastor Zinaida Ten, and the appointment of Andrey Chen as senior pastor of Zion Church.