5 minute read
Reaching out in Londonderry
Billy McIlwaine, clerk of session in Waterside Presbyterian, explains how the Londonderry church has welcomed Ukrainians fleeing their homeland.
The mission statement of Waterside Presbyterian Church is: “Waterside Presbyterian Church exists to communicate the good news of the love of God shown to us in Christ Jesus; to bring individuals to a personal faith in him; to encourage and build up believers in their faith; to care for and support one another and to reach out in the love of Christ to a world in need by the enabling of the Holy Spirit and to the glory of God.”
Little did we know that we would be reaching out to refugees from Ukraine. In July 2022, one of our members was contacted by Alister Torrens, a native from Garvagh, now working as principal lecturer in a theological college in Ukraine. Alister invited us to sponsor one and possibly two families who were fleeing from their homeland. Some had spent the previous six months in underground shelters in Mariupol after their homes had been destroyed.
As a vacant congregation we don’t know what the future holds for us and our Ukrainian friends are in a similar position…
We responded immediately to the request and after waiting for all paperwork to be completed, we welcomed the families in September. One couple in our church who had recently inherited their father’s bungalow, refurbished it and gave it to one family while another couple rented suitable accommodation for the other family.
All their basic needs were met, including filling oil tanks and providing groceries etc. Two and a half years later, we are now supporting 50 Ukrainians, ranging from three-month-old Mark to two grandmothers, living in 11 homes. One of our members ensured that all of the children and young people gained places in local primary and post-primary schools and arranged places with GPs and dentists, while another retired teacher invites some of the ladies to her home for language classes. Some adults have found employment locally.
The families, for the most part, come from the Evangelical Reformed Church of God’s Covenant whose pastor was trained in a Presbyterian theological college. They have become fully involved in the life of our church and have refreshed our members in so many wonderful ways. They help in the Boys’ Brigade and their boys have joined the company.
As the language barrier still exists for some, the church committee purchased headphone sets and employed an interpreter, who is given the hymns, Bible readings and sermon notes for each week in advance to translate, so that everyone has a better understanding of our worship. A few of the ladies teach in Sunday school on a rota basis and others have become active members in our PW group.
The kirk session gave the families use of our lecture hall on Saturday evenings so that they could spend an hour in Bible study and prayer in their own language and then have recreational and fellowship time together for the rest of the evening, with pool and table tennis proving to be very popular with all age groups.
They have become fully involved in the life of our church and have refreshed our members in so many wonderful ways.
Our members and our Ukrainian brothers and sisters have enjoyed a ‘meet and greet’ dinner and fun night, 10 pin bowling together, a chocolate making day and a trip to watch the Belfast Giants. During Christmas 2023, June, Tanya, Andrii and others organised an evening depicting worship in Ukraine at the festive season. At our ‘Carols by Candlelight’ service, one of our readings was in the Ukrainian language and on Christmas morning, a group of their young people provided a mime ‘Light into darkness’ for us all.
During the last year, the families have been reaching out to other Ukrainians in the North West and on Palm Sunday evening our church was full. We had their pastor, Herman Panko, taking the service during his five-day stay in Londonderry. It was a wonderful experience with locals singing in English, together with others singing in Ukrainian, to the songs Amazing Grace and Pass Me Not, O Gentle Saviour.
During last autumn, the organisation ‘Friends of Ukraine’ folded due to lack of funding and we decided that the next step in our outreach to all Ukrainians in the city area was to offer our premises for three language classes each Saturday morning, providing a crèche for their children while they studied. The ladies in our Thursday club knitted blankets and in November, under the leadership of Peter Jennings, the congregation and our friends sent a 40-foot trailer full of emergency supplies to Ukraine.
As a vacant congregation, we don’t know what the future holds for us and our Ukrainian friends are in a similar position, but together, we shall continue to worship our God, reach out to others and trust our Sovereign Lord to guide us along his chosen path for us all.
