100% of Your Donations Continue to Support Ukrainians in Need SELCU Pastors Serving Ukrainians Since March 2022, Lutheran Church Charities has been working cooperatively with pastors of the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) to provide humanitarian relief which combines the clear proclamation of the gospel. It is estimated that since the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, more than half of Ukraine's 44 million populace has either left the country as refugees or become internally displaced persons within the country. A New Van Helps Pastor Yura Timerkan Serve His Community in Bashtanka, Ukraine  Congregations and pastors of the Selbständige Evangelisch-Lutherische Kirche (SELK), a partner church of the LCMS, have also been actively involved in supporting Ukrainian refugees and work in Ukraine. The Bugenhagen Foundation in Berlin provided 30,000 Euros for the purchase of a VW van to assist SELCU Pastor Yura Timerkan in his parish and community work in Bashtanka, Ukraine. This past week, Pastor Timerkan completed a trip to Homberg, Germany, to fetch the van and visit his family, wife, four children, and his mother. Pastor Christian Utpatel of the St. Peter Congregation in Homberg reported the following: “I have no words to express my deep respect for this young brother, Yura Timerkan. He is not conscripted; he could have stayed here legally with his mother, wife, and children. But with great joy, bravery, realistic planning, a lot of trust in God, and encouragement for us who stayed behind, he left. With him went three church members who were here somewhere in Germany and who are returning. And we stuffed all the empty seats and every conceivable crevice in the VW van - and actually managed to get everything in that needed to be taken with them. There was a devotion with prayer and Ukrainian chants, and we all cried as I sobbed and laid my hands on him and commended him to the protection of our God.” SELCU Pastor Sergey Bevz and Congregation Members Continue to Serve Their People  In Dnipro, Ukraine, and farther east, SELCU Pastor Sergey Bevz and his congregation members continue to travel widely and provide both humanitarian aid and the gospel message to those whose cities are being ravaged by the Russian invasion. His most recent report includes this story: “The atmosphere in Izumi is hard to describe in words. Broken city; no light, gas, internet, communication, enough groceries, meds, and much more. There are traces of death, destroyed houses, and bridges. People have put up with it all. As soon as we stopped downtown, one woman asked if we had a ‘humanitarian.’ She was upset and says she didn't get enough from those who came before us. Goes home empty-handed. In a minute, she holds in her hands some of God's blessings. Crying, hugs ‘us’ and says, ‘I'm so happy to see you; how would you know how much!’ Of course, ‘us’ means ‘our people.’” Your Donations are Immediately Helping Ukrainians in Need! Please prayerfully consider donating to help Ukrainians by showing the Mercy, Compassion, Presence and Proclamation of Jesus Christ to those who are suffering and in need!
Thank You for your support in being the hands and feet of Jesus to those suffering! Comments are closed.
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