LHF - The Word at Work; Vol. 29 No. 2

Ukraine

Lutheran Heritage Foundation:

THE WORD AT WORK

Volume 29 Number 2 ■ March/April 2022

LHF TRANSLATOR CONTINUES TO SHARE THE GOSPEL IN WARTIME Rev. Slavik Horpynchuk, bishop of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church and project coordinator for LHF projects in Ukraine, is continuing to preach the Good News from safe cover while war rages in his home country.

While the flock of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Kyiv is scattered, Rev. Horpynchuk is using social media to broadcast daily prayers and sermons.

“Bishop Horpynchuk is first and foremost a pastor, especially in such perilous times,” said Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise, LHF executive director. “Although the homes and lives of Ukrainians lie in the balance, Bishop Horpynchuk conveys a calm reliance upon Christ alone that is encouraging to all of his people.”

30 years ago, LHF’s work of translating and publishing the good books of our Lutheran faith began in response to the fall of the Soviet Union. For the first time in 7 decades, doors opened to sharing the Good News in countries like Russia, Ukraine and Latvia, and LHF was founded to provide materials, written in the language of the people, that could introduce new believers to Christ.

5 years ago, Rev. Slavik Horpynchuk, bishop of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church, was a keynote speaker at LHF’s 25th anniversary celebration. There, he recalled receiving his first Bible when he was in his 20s and cautioned that it was vital to continue printing books that share God’s Word, “because we do not know when this

Rev. Slavik Horpynchuk

door will close.”

Just 6 weeks ago, Rev. Horpynchuk peacefully preached the

Ukraine cont. on page 4

INSIDE:

TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTING REFORMATION BIBLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTERE BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTING REFORMATION BIBLE-BASED CHRIS TERED BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING TRANSLATING REFORMATION BIBLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTEREDPAGE BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING 2: PAGE 3: INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTING PAGE 4: REFORMATION B LHF executive director pens newBOOKS Devotion from missionary in Russia: Matching gift opportunity BLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTERED TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTING REFOR book on Soviet persecution “Trust in the Lord” DOUBLES your mission gift!

TION BIBLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTERED BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DISTRIBUTIN REFORMATION BIBLE-BASED CHRIST-CENTERED BOOKS TRANSLATING PUBLISHING INTRODUCING DIS

LHF EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PUBLISHES BOOK ON LUTHERAN CHURCHES SURVIVING SOVIET PERS

The Gates of Hell Published by Lexham Press Hardcover, 496 pages $29.99

Before accepting the Call to serve as executive director of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation, Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise was an LCMS missionary in Russia for over 13 years. During that time, he was captivated by the stories of brave and suffering German-Russian Lutherans who lived in the atheist, communist Soviet Union of the mid-20th century.

During those years, Lutheran pastors were executed, imprisoned or sent to work

camps in Siberia. Sunday school teachers were also imprisoned, churches closed and religious books burned (see book excerpt below).

Over the past decade, Rev. Heise gathered their stories and is now sharing them in his new book, The Gates of Hell, a compilation of dozens of stories highlighting ordinary Christians who remained faithful to death.

“As we see from current events, our

Russian and Uk still have much ed Rev. Heise.

The book wi May from Lexha from major boo Barnes and Nob While suppli is available in h $25. To order, g or call the LHF o

- An excerpt from The Gates of Hell, by Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise THE LUTHERANS IN Marxstadt could not reconcile themselves to the fact that they had lost their church. At first, they protested at government gatherings, but to no avail.

People then started gathering in small groups on the streets. Whenever they became too obstinate, the police would drive them away. Their numbers grew larger as the ladies gathered on the streets to meet their husbands when they finished work at the main factory, Vozrozhdeniya (“Rebirth”).

Scattered groups of the irate began to linger on the streets after work. On June 5, a typical warm, summer workday, a group attempted to reclaim the church. At a signal, some men began running toward it.

The crowd got larger and larger. A key was produced, but no one could open the door.

However, a small window was partially open, and a young boy was lifted up to the window and slid through into the church. Other boys followed him, and soon the door was opened and people streamed into the church.

The news spread to the villages, and more people flocked to the church. Some ladies began to break up the stage that had been constructed in place of the altar, tearing it apart without hammers or axes. Others went to the kitchen to prepare food. Pictures of the 2

members of the Politburo of the Communist Party were ripped off the walls and banners with quotations from the works of Stalin were torn down. A woman touched the keys of the organ and a familiar sound rang out and soon

died away. It is likely that this was none other than Rev. Kluck’s wife, Bertha. She had been the church organist, and her daughter remembers her saying she wanted to see what the Communists had done to the organ. Some of the children set about dismantling the red star from the church’s cupola, as well as taking away the red flag from the church tower.

The building soon began to look like a church again, as the altar was restored while the objects for the palace of culture were taken

away. But many began to the horn for the factory They could use the help they had not come. Had While they wondered, a into to church, shouting They’re coming!” But workers who were com on horseback, with m nists behind them. Th central square where t Soon cars came and a men. More cars conti time with soldiers.

The Communist P placed, and apparentl them of the plan to re accounted for the tro well as the fact that th barred from leaving the p anger, the workers did b of the factory and push t aside, but when they got into the horsemen and a The horsemen and Com square all night while th rounded up hundreds. M but they were all impriso sentence of five years.

N SECUTION

krainian Lutheran ancestors to teach us today,” reflect-

ill be offically released in am Press and is available oksellers like Amazon and ble. ies last, The Gates of Hell hardcover from LHF for only go to www.LHFmissions.org office at (800)554-0723.

o ask each other why had not sounded. of the workers, and yet d they been detained? a group of youth came g, “They’re coming! t it was not the factory ming. It was the militia many armed CommuThe troops closed off the the church was located. arrested some of the inued to stream in, this

Party had its spies well ly some had informed etake the church. That ops arriving quickly as he factory workers were plant on time. In their break down the gates the militia guarding it t to the square they ran armed Communists. mmunists guarded the he Soviet authorities Many were not guilty, oned with at least a

A word from missionary Rev. Leif Camp in Russia:

“TRUST IN THE LORD” Rev. Leif Camp is LHF’s project coordinator in Russia and a missionary in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ingria.

Grace and Peace from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I apologize for taking so long in writing this prayer letter, especially as I know many are concerned.

Consider this: first we faced the Covid pandemic/plague; and now we face war and rumor of war, or rather “special operation.”

As Christians, we all know that all of these are simply a fulfillment of prophecy, and such have been and will continue until our Lord’s glorious return.

Please put your minds at ease, peace, rest in the Lord and trust in the Lord. I write these words not only to you, but for myself as well. As fearful as these times may seem, 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

As Christians, we are not to make decisions out of fear or panic when the world seems falling apart. There is the question of “What has God called me to do in these times?” To evacuate? To “follow my heart’s desire?”

That is a question of discernment, of course, and not the first time I have faced that question. One aspect of discerning God’s direction (besides prayer, searching His Word, prayer, soul searching and prayer) is to first put aside my own fears, insecurities and desires, and with a sound mind consider the situation and what the needs truly are of my neighbor—so to speak. So let me lay out these considerations: Very suddenly and unexpectedly, the Church has taken some serious hits and is facing a crisis. First, almost all foreign missionaries that were helping, teaching, coordinating, were evacuated—and several

against their will, being ordered to evacuate by the authorities over them.

Second, the financial sanctions leveled against Russia have cut off much of the funding that was coming through the Church’s legal entity in Finland, where funds were saved for safe keeping. As a result, our relatively new bishop, Rev. Ivan Laptev, is faced with a huge crisis and has some very difficult decisions to make about cutting programs, staff and so forth. For instance, we will finish the current resident term at our Theological Institute [where students study from LHF-translated textbooks], but after that, the resident program will be suspended, instructors laid off, and staff cut to a minimum. The future of the distance program is unclear—as for lack of funds to pay for the Russian instructors.

And here I am. Bishop Laptev has asked me if I am going to evacuate but has not called me to evacuate—not ordered me to evacuate. In other words, he would understand if I do, but would like me to stay for he would like my help.

And this is moment where I now find myself: the “oh, crap” moment. Some of you might understand what I mean—the moments in our Christian walk of faith, when we see that God is calling us to do something that means sacrificing what we would rather do for something we see is a greater need.

And when in discernment and prayer we realize this, our first reaction is “Oh, crap.”

My call has been to serve this Church as a pastor and missionary. Nothing in the current situation prevents me from continu continu-

Camp in Russia cont. on page 4 3

Match opportunity: Camp in Russia

ONE GIFT, DOUBLE THE IMPACT! If you haven’t sent a mission gift to LHF in the past 12 months, there’s great news! You qualify for an exciting dollar-for-dollar matching gift opportunity, DOUBLING the impact of your mission gift without spending an extra dime. Here’s how it works:

cont. from page 3

ing to do so—from continuing to fulfill what God has called me to do. In fact, the needs of the Church, the need for someone to teach, minister, mentor and so forth have in the last two weeks multiplied.

Yes, I face uncertainty, I will face financial difficulty, I might face some harassment, and who knows what else. As difficult as these things will be for me to face, this is what God at this point is calling me to do. I admit, I am afraid, and part of me wishes God would call me to evacuate—but that fear is from my human flesh and weakness. This is not the first “oh, crap” moment I have faced, and God has led me through and been with me through all those other moments, He is and will be with me now. Such is my prayer and hope, and in my better moments, my confidence.

Maybe it is an unfortunate happenstance that I just finished reading the Book of Jeremiah in my personal devotions, but reading the prophets does make this clear: Disease, conflict, natural and man-made catastrophes are all a result of our sin, our living in a fallen world, and God uses all of them to call people to repentance, to return to Him and to trust in His forgiveness and mercy.

All of us as Christians in these times are called to trust first in our Lord and Savior, and then when the times make those around us anxious, fearful, angry and even aggressive, we can call people to repent and come to the peace that our Lord has established, peace and comfort that exists above and beyond this world’s passing turmoil.

Ukraine

■ Any gift up to $5,000 will be matched, dollar-for-dollar, but only until Dec. 1 or until the limit of $160,000 has been reached. This means your $25 gift (providing 5 new Christians with a book about Jesus) will double to $50 (10 people with books)!

■ Gifts from churches and organizations (i.e., women’s groups, Bible studies, Sunday schools, etc.) are also eligible for the LHF Match if they haven’t given a gift in the past 12 months. Share this info with your congregation!

■ No extra paperwork is required; your gifts will automatically qualify for the match.

■ Grants and bequests are not eligible for the LHF Match.

cont. from page 1

Word and delivered the Sacraments to his parishioners in Kyiv. Today, his flock and others of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church are scattered as they flee before the tanks and missiles.

Once the fury of war dies down, LHF expects that few books will remain in good condition for the Ukrainian people. “Please pray for all of us, but especially for Kyiv, for Hostomel where our storage is located and where very fierce battles take place,” writes Rev. Horpynchuk. “I even do not know whether we still have the storage and books. Maybe we will have to begin all things from the scratch again and reprint all the books.”

An aggressive plan for printing Ukrainian language books, such as A Child’s Garden of Bible Stories, was already underway before the invasion started. LHF’s goal is to have as many books as possible – thousands of books! – ready to print and distribute as soon as the situation allows. These books will also be needed for Ukrainian refugees who have fled to other countries.

Every $5 you can send allows LHF to provide a Ukrainian family with a child’s Bible storybook, Small Catechism, or devotion book. Please consider how you can be God’s hands in delivering the precious Word of God to a hurting people.

LUTHERAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION 51474 Romeo Plank Rd.

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Macomb, MI 48042

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1-800-554-0723

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info@LHFmissions.org

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www.LHFmissions.org

“The Word at Work” is the official publication of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation. Permission is hereby granted to excerpt from this publication for not-for-profit purposes. The Lutheran Heritage Foundation is a Recognized Service Organization of The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod. LHF translates, publishes, distributes and introduces confessional Lutheran materials throughout the world so that people can be brought to Christ. LHF is not subsidized by the LCMS or any other church body. It is entirely supported by individual donations and grants. (“Word at Work” staff: Rev. Dr. Matthew Heise, executive editor; Jennifer Bagnall, managing editor and graphic design; Anna Bagnall, staff writer)