No ministry...but life!
Interview with BPI student Pēteris Tervits (see his profile), 2008.

Please, tell me about your family.
If in my old age I will manage to write a book, one long and interesting chapter will be about how I met my wife Uļjana. It was a time when everything in Latvia was happening very fast, and we got married after four months of friendship. But during these four months in 1991 lots of things happened in Latvia...There was an order given to leave the building of the Supreme Council where Uļa used to work because of a bomb threat, but she left there something very important, and so she went back to retrieve the fabric for the wedding dress that she left behind. So in our marriage certificate we have USSR coat of arms, attestation that it happened in the Republic of Latvia, and Moscow district (which is now Latgale district) coat of arms. Such were the times...
But God united us and thanks to Him. We have enjoyed His grace and gifts, and the greatest gift of all is our children - Kristīne who is already fifteen, first grader Anna Helma and six year old Armands.

What is your greatest joy as a family?
For being! For being together and that it is good to be together!

How do you feel as a son of Jānis Tervits? Is it an asset or liability that so many people knew your father?
What helps me the most is the fact that I know my dad! Possibly it also helps that right now I cannot ask him questions that he would definitely have answers to. If I would have such a possibility, our telephone bills would be huge, because often I would want to ask something, and he would definitely answer extensively and fully.
What bothers me is that I hear often - Tervits would have done it this way, and therefore we have to do it this way, too. And sometimes those are completely mistaken statements, because maybe in the past he would have done it this way, but who knows how he would do things now... Without changing his basic values he was a person who was willing to change because he wanted to change others.

What understanding or life example that you gained from your parents you have found useful in your own family, ministry?
This could be another book. One example would be that as I see it my parents did not have "ministry" or "ministries". They had life! Yes, life of a servant, but received with joy and lived with joy!

Tell me about your present ministry in the church and share your future plans.
Oh, this could be two books - one about what is happening in the church right now, another about the plans. I hope that very soon we will finish renovations in our church, and it will be even more inviting than up till now. And I believe that we will never be a kind of church that tells God, "Our church is good enough now do not improve or renovate us anymore." I think we realize and are learning to recognize in what areas God wants to change our church, so that it would speak more to people. "Choir festival Priekule 2009 » which will take place in August 7-9, 2009 will be a time when we will invite everybody to be together with us and to help.

How do your studies at BPI help in your ministry at Priekule church?
If they did not help, there would not be any point in studying! Of course, they help. Personally I feel like a little airplane that is fueled by the big airplane during its flight. And notice that it is very different than to come up to a gas station, to stop, to turn off the engine and calmly putting in gas.

You are passionately involved in organizing Latvia Baptist Song festival. How did your journey to music and desire to help in this festival begun?
Music in Baptist families is nothing unusual. My journey to music began by running away from music school and sliding downhill on my cello. With great enjoyment I have sung in different choirs, especially church choirs. I already mentioned that singing in Āgenskalns baptist choirs under Arvīds Hiršs and Ilmārs Hiršs leadership was very valuable for me. Just now singing together with Āgenskalns choir during the congress I felt how easy it is. I think that DNA that was put into Āgenskalns choir through very hard work has remained (thanks to those conductors who worked with the choir later, and could appreciate and use previous accomplishments). Another special time in my life was Liepāja Crescendo musician's concert under the leadership of Aivars Vadonis. During this concert God embraced me with music. Not through music! With music! Bible says that God is life; my experience was that God is a loving music. I do not want to try to prove anything or force anything on anybody, but it is worthwhile to do things so that some other person can experience and feel how God can use music to speak to people.

How can we pray for you and your family?
Pray from your heart! And I know that there are people who pray! Pray and do, pray and support. Thanks to everybody who have supported us in many different ways. Thanks to my Priekule church, Āgenskalns church, Liepāja Pāvils church, Latvian Baptist Union, Sisters' Union, Aivars and family, uncle Arturs and many, many others...