Visiting Congregations

From April 6 through April 17 (with small interruptions) I have been blessed with visits to different parishes of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church.  I had two companions on this trip: Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod Pastor Neal Schroeder and Resurrection Lutheran Church Chairman, Brother Oleksandr Khyliuk. We have visited ULC congregations in Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Tokmak as well as we had a possibility to visit with pastors from Kherson, Bereznehuvate, Kyiv, Malyn, Radomyshl, Kremenets, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk and other Ukrainian towns and villages. Pastor Neal Schroeder was a preacher in our churches in Kharkiv, Zaporizhia, Tokmak and Kyiv.   His interesting and inspiring sermon was built on words from Exodus (16:1-17). We thank the Lord for all our brothers and sisters in faith, for their hospitality and commitment to the Gospel. It is joyful to see how the God’s Word is being fulfilled, “As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth:  It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:10-11).

Picture:  After the worship service in Tokmak.

Pastoral Conference in Kyiv

March 23. Pastoral Conference of the Kyivan Eparchy (District) was held in Kyiv. Pastors from different congregations of  northern, central and eastern cities of Ukraine have gathered in Kyiv at the ULC Office. The Conference has begun with devotion of Pastor Vadym Kolesnyk, ULC Missionary to Cherkasy. Pastor of Malyn Lutheran Church has presented an essay Transplantation of Human Body Parts After Death: pros or contras?  After discussing the essay, pastors have decided to request ULC Doctrinal Committee to form a special statement on the issue of transplantology which is being discussed quite actively in the Ukranian society.   After that pastors have shared news from their parishes and their ministry experience. The Conference was closed late in the evening by prayer of Pastor Vadym Zinchenko, Head of the Kyivan Eparchy.

Picture: Pastor Dmytro Didkivski presenting his essay.

Murder Threats

Numerous murder threats were received by our parishioner from All Saints Lutheran Church in Kharkiv, Ms. Zhanna Tytarenko. Sister Zhanna is a journalist working for the "Spravzhnia Varta (True Watchmen)" internet newspaper in the eastern Ukraine. Recently she was making journalist investigations regarding secret dissapearence of people, possible tortures in Kharkiv police departments, and other violence crimes. More can be read here (in Ukrainian): http://varta.kharkov.ua/authors/titarenko/1091040.html
Please keep our sister in your prayers. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble".  God says, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver you and you shall glorify Me". (Psalms 46:1 and 50:15).

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

Due to the Julian Calendar the Ukrainian Lutheran Church begins to celebrate Christmas on January 6.  To those of you who begin to celebrate our Savior's birthday today - Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  May the Lord Incarnate continue to gather you around the Cradle of the Church - His Word and Sacraments!