Update from Ukraine

Every Tuesday for more than a year, the Global Missions team has been honored to be a part of a Zoom meeting with a group of our pastors from Ukraine. They come together to encourage and pray for each other as well as share what is happening in their respective cities.

The majority of our Ukrainian pastors were able to attend the European Leadership Conference in early March this year, and their sense of family and camaraderie has grown. Since the beginning of the war, many of them had not been able to travel and minister together. The conference was an opportunity for them to be together, to fellowship, and to be loved on by their fellow leaders around Europe. Since the fghting has ceased in many of the cities where they currently live, they have been able to travel to each other’s churches to minister and fellowship with one another.

Several of the pastors recently traveled for a meeting with each other at a couple of the national churches. While visiting, one of our pastors in Kyiv mentioned that his church ministered as usual without any problems while he was away. The pastor he visited said it was wonderful getting to spend time with the group that came, and if there had not been a curfew, they would have stayed up all night talking and catching up. One of our pastor’s wives commented on the quietness at the meeting as she was used to hearing explosions from the shelling. She and her husband had come from a heavily attacked region in Ukraine. When they returned home, her husband (the pastor) and others were outside working around the church when an area 30 kilometers from them was hit. She later asked him what they did, and he replied, “We just kept working.”

Another group from Nikolaev traveled to Yellow Waters. They were greatly impressed with the youth there, so much so, that several in the group did not want to leave and go home. The following week a group from Yellow Waters traveled to Nikolaev to train them on their children’s program, Awana. The pastor from Yellow Waters shared how the Awana program has benefted them. That week alone, they had 18 frst-time children join and fve of those came the next day for the main service.

One of our amazing female pastors was so excited that her church was able to have its frst service in their building since the military action began. The pastor from Yellow Waters also was thrilled to have his brother home from the war for a little over a week. He continues to ask prayer for his brother, but also for all those who are fghting on the frontlines.

Every week our team is blessed by these men and women of faith. During these Zoom meetings, different ministers from the United States as well as other regions outside of Ukraine have given short devotions, encouraging words, and blessings for our pastors. However, throughout the chaos they experience daily living in Ukraine, these pastors have not only blessed us but have continually challenged us. Their faith is unshaken even when their lives have been turned upside down. Please continue to remember our Church family in prayer throughout this strategic region in Eastern Europe.