MISSION OAK, Calif. -- More than 130 Church members of the Mission Oak Ward, California Sacramento East Stake, and their friends gathered recently for an activity designed to celebrate the intertwining of American and Slavic cultures.

Borscht was just one of the many traditional Slavic dishes contributed to the event by ward members, many of whom belong to Sacramento's growing Slavic community. Members also ate other Slavic entrees, sides dishes and desserts and an assortment of Russian candies.Flags from 16 Slavic cultures were represented. Among the guests at the event were musicians in the Ukrainian band Pohliad, who delighted those in attendance with numerous selections, including the Ukrainian and United States national anthems.

David Green, ward mission leader, called the evening a great success. "We were able to see the gospel bring people and cultures together, and language blocks really didn't matter anymore," he said.

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