Ukraine: LHF Books Go "Like Hot and Tasty Pies!"

– Rev. Dr. Slavik Horpynchuk Bishop of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church and LHF translator

In Ukraine, we had very big problems with Covid in the fall and in the beginning of the winter, including some of our church members and my own family. Since the health care system in Ukraine is in rather bad shape, many people still fear getting Covid and avoid any gatherings they can. Yet, churches can have public worship services, with the government allowing churches one person per every 43 square feet.

The spread of the Gospel in the usual way - from the church pulpit and street evangelism - has definitely been held back. However, it seems the Lord used this pandemic to make pastors “younger” - and by this I mean He’s pushed most of us who were too slow to the place where many people (especially younger people) spend their time: Internet social media, like Facebook and YouTube.

LHF books are always popular, in good times and in a pandemic. People especially want and need the printed Word when they are isolated in quarantine, which we have experienced here. As we say in Ukraine, the books go as hot and tasty pies - almost immediately!

In these very difficult times, LHF workers in the United States encouraged us and provided support so we were able to publish The People’s Bible: Deuteronomy, which proved to be very popular in the time of pandemic! We have no spare copies left; all the books are gone. Now we have many requests for Luther’s Small Catechism because, as the number of catechumens grow, so does the need for this textbook.

Such books will help strengthen the faith of our members and visitors, and that makes us grateful to our loving Lord for LHF, that in a time of such great need, they come to help Lutheran churches in Ukraine with such great resources!