THE FIFTH FIELD EXPEDITION WAS HELD IN THE RYBINSK DIOCESE WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF THE LIVING COMMUNITIES: CONTINUED PROJECT (OCTOBER 7-12, 2023)

7-12 of October in the Rybinsk diocese, Ivan Zabaev and Valeria Elagina conducted the fifth field study of church social work and parish practices as part of the “Living Communities: Continued” project with the support of the Presidential Grants Fund.

The researchers managed to interview rectors, priests, parishioners and parish workers of four parishes in Rybinsk and one parish in the small old town of Poshekhonye.

In addition to the mandatory recording of popular social projects, inner-community practices of mutual assistance and features of local liturgical life, one of the strategies for evolving the ‘living community’ model was developed with the concept of gift exchange.

In general, researchers within the current research project have identified three modes of action that are in harmony with the environment of communities, designated as ‘living communities’:

1) rooting on the ground;
2) maintaining diversity;
3) gift exchange.

These three strategies will be presented to study participants and target audiences during final project seminars scheduled in February 2024.