GELCU news

04/10/2023

LWF Public Statement on the War Against Ukraine

As the Thirteenth Assembly of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) meets in the city of Kraków, Poland, it is keenly aware that there is a war going on in the neighboring country, Ukraine.

The LWF Assembly condemns the brutal attack of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, which is contrary to international law. We are appalled by the destructive power the aggressor is exerting to achieve its imperial goals.

Thousands of men, women and children have lost their lives; many more suffer physically and mentally because of the horrors of the war. Cities, towns and villages have become uninhabitable, environmental damages are incalculable and it will take decades to rebuild them. Once again, the sexual violence against women, children and men has become a weapon of war. This war, moreover, does not have only a local dimension, but has global impact as it is conducted by a nuclear superpower and has huge economic and food security consequences for many people all over the world.

We strongly condemn the imperialist ideology that the aggressor uses to justify its attack. We oppose all attitudes that consider some states entitled to include others into their “spheres of influence,” be it in Africa, South and Central America, Asia or Eastern Europe. We are shocked by the fact that some Christian churches adopt this ideology and misuse their authority to justify aggression.

Once again, there is an existential threat of nuclear war. We are alarmed by the intimidations coming from the government representatives of the Russian Federation, while keeping in mind that, in this case, there are no “two sides escalating the conflict,” but only an aggressor that threatens and a victim.

We therefore ask the LWF member churches to continue to pray for peace – not only a ceasefire, but a peace that would be just. We recall the Statement on Peace and Justice from the LWF 1984 Assembly in Budapest, Hungary. We ask the LWF member churches to include in their prayers also those living in Russia and Belarus who are being persecuted for their anti-war and anti-imperialist stances. There can be peace only if all the neighboring countries, Ukraine, Belarus and Russia, are free and democratic, respecting human rights.

We stand in solidarity with all who suffer from the war, including our sisters and brothers from the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine. We support the LWF member churches who are helping the people of Ukraine and who have opened their hearts for all those who had to flee the war, not forgetting the refugees from other parts of the world.

We, at the same time, do not forget the vast suffering caused by wars and conflicts all over the world. The same mechanisms of evil are at work there as in the case of the war against Ukraine. We, therefore, as an LWF Assembly stand in solidarity and pray for the victims of all armed conflict in the world.

The LWF Assembly calls on:

Russia to end its war against Ukraine and to cease weaponizing the food supply chains, especially to countries in the Global South;
the international community to invest more in developing and supporting just and peaceful means, including mediation, to prevent and overcome conflicts;
the international community for bolder efforts to address conflicts and crises in other parts of the world, including through concerted humanitarian aid and peacebuilding processes;
the LWF member churches to pray and work for peace and justice in all communities, regions and in the world.

03/10/2023

The 1st of October GELCU and CREC congregations celebrated Thanksgiving Day. More pictures via link: https://nelcu.org.ua/en/thanksgiving-day-2023/

14/09/2023

Important meeting in LWF assembly

13/09/2023

Nina Knutas suffered injuries in Zmiivka

Nina Knutas, the head of the Lutheran congregation in the village of Zmiivka and a member of the Presidium of the Synod of GELCU, suffered injuries from shrapnel during shelling by the Russian occupation forces. She was taken to the hospital, where the traces of shrapnel were removed, and Nina was diagnosed with moderately severe barotrauma.

"At the beginning of September, she returned with humanitarian aid from the congregation of Petrodolynske back to her home village of Zmiivka. She could no longer stay there, knowing that there were still people suffering and in need of care. Today, Nina got under fire and was taken to hospital with multiple wounds. We thank God that her injuries were not life-threatening and there is no need for further hospitalization. We pray for her prompt recovery and safety!" - writes Oleksandr Gross, the pastor of the congregation in Zmiivka.

Even before, during the previous shelling, Nina's house was damaged, the pastor's house was destroyed, and the church building suffered damage. The situation in the village remains very dangerous.

08/08/2023

Russian troops today destroyed Pastor`s house and damaged historical Lutheran Church in Zmiivka village (Kherson oblast, Southern Ukraine). We ask to prau for liberation of the Left Bank of Dnipro that may save a village from shellings.

02/08/2023

Hasty and unadvisable decision. Open letter to the LCMS
We were surprised and outraged to learn that on July 30, 2023, at the convention of the Lutheran Church – Missouri Synod, an agreement was signed on the altar and pulpit fellowship with the so-called “Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine”.

Our surprise was caused by the lack of clarity on the Church body the agreement had been signed with. In 2018, the Synod of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine expressed no confidence in Sergei Mashevsky, who was a bishop at the time, and elected Pavlo Shvarts to this position. Therefore, Sergei Mashevsky is not eligible to sign any documents on behalf of GELCU. Therefore, our Church is not related to this agreement.

Such Church body as the “Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine” is not registered in our country, and its creation has not been announced to the public. De facto, it is a group of five GELCU congregations that do not recognize the legally elected leadership of the Church and continue to see Sergei Mashevsky as their “bishop”. At the same time, these congregations are still among the founding members of the Church and do not take any steps to withdraw from their membership, at the same time continuing to use the real estate in the ownership of GELCU. Sergei Mashevsky himself continues making attempts to reinstall himself as a pastor of GELCU through court proceedings.

In any case, whether you consider Sergei Mashevsky as the head of GELCU in its entirety or that he signed the agreement on behalf of a group of congregations supporting him, such actions evoke outrage.

Read more: https://nelcu.org.ua/en/hasty-and-unadvisable-decision-open-letter-to-the-lcms

Photo: Screenshot from LCMS official YouTube channel

09/05/2023

The Synod and the conference for the presidents of Councils

According to the new edition of the Constitution of GELCU, congregations are represented at the Synod exclusively by the presidents of Councils. Therefore, it made sense to combine the regular Synod meeting and the conference for the presidents of congregations’ Councils. In total, the presidents of Councils (or legally approved proxy representatives) of 17 congregations were present at the Synod and conference. GELCU consists of 24 congregations.

The Synod was held on June 5 on the premises of the church center in Odesa. It began with a solemn worship service in St. Paul's Lutheran Church conducted by Bishop Pavlo Shvarts. In his sermon, he reminded the participants of the Synod that no one is and cannot be a savior for others. The real task of the Church is to lead people to their true Savior - Jesus Christ.

Rev. Michael Hübner, the General Secretary of the Martin-Luther-Bund, was the guest of honor at the Synod. This organization was founded to help the Lutheran churches of the German tradition outside of Germany and has been a partner of GELCU for many years. After the service, Pastor Hübner gave a short speech of greeting. He mentioned many difficult pages in the history of the Church in the 20th century, but at the end, he reminded those present: "As a Synod, it is your privilege to participate in the future that God gives through His Son Jesus Christ. You are members of the Body of Christ, the Church, which bears witness to Jesus not only through faith and love but also through hope for the future!"

The Synod meeting was held in the large hall of the Pastor's house on the territory of the church center. This hall is currently hosting Oleksandr Surilov's exhibition "Heritage of the Black Sea Germans". On the agenda were mostly reports and solving legal issues. Also, the Synod adopted a new provision for the preaching ministry taking into consideration modern realities and the experience of the Church.

The next day, the presidents of Councils of congregations gathered for the conference in the church center of the Petrodolynske village in the Odesa region. An important part of the program was a study of the letter of the Apostle James in small groups. The participants shared about the situation in their congregations and informed the possibilities of improving congregational work and the development of the ministry.

22/03/2023

LWF expands operations in Kharkiv

Repair broken homes, supply relief goods, and care for traumatized people; these are the plans for The Lutheran World Federation work in Kharkiv, Ukraine. On 11 March 2023, LWF Ukraine country representative Mark Mullan and LWF Ukraine response coordinator Josef Pfattner, together with Bishop Pavlo Shvarts of the German Evangelical Church of Ukraine (GELCU), an LWF member church, met with the mayor of Kharkiv, Mr. Igor Terekhov, to discuss the needs and possible interventions by LWF.

LWF plans to open an office in Kharkiv and shift its humanitarian work towards the frontline city in the East. The city is the second largest in Ukraine and located only 40 kilometers from the border with the Russian Federation. "In Kharkiv, you see the full destruction of the war," Mullan said. "The needs are massive." LWF already supports heating points in the city, where people can warm up, have a hot meal and charge their devices. Bishop Shvarts also has his office in Kharkiv. The humanitarian work of the Lutheran congregations in Ukraine and LWF World Service complement each other, Pfattner says.

LWF met with local partners and the mayor of Kharkiv, Mr. Igor Terekhov. "During the first year of the war, Kharkiv suffered significant destruction. Another shelling of energy infrastructure facilities left the entire metropolis without electricity just yesterday," said Terekhov about the situation in Kharkiv.

The mayor asked LWF to support the renovation of apartments so that people could return to their homes. In addition to 1.8 million inhabitants, Kharkiv hosts half a million internally displaced people and there are 100 centers in Kharkiv alone to support them/for them.

The LWF delegation also visited the Youth Council of Kharkiv, a local implementing partner, to see some of the most destroyed parts of the city. In addition, the LWF team is looking into possible psychosocial support and livelihood work in the long term. "More than 1000 businesses closed in Kharkiv in the past year; unemployment is very high," Mullan said. "Many people had a business before the war and would only need help to get it back up and running."

In Ukraine, LWF World Service works together with the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine, in Chernihiv oblast, and in Kharkiv.

LWF/C. Kästner-Meyer

17/03/2023

Medical and psychological support for vulnerable people groups

On February 16-19, the Ukrainian Catholic University in Lviv held the first induction session of the one-year program "Medical and psychological support for people from vulnerable categories". The training is aimed at helping people in need of special care and attention.

As part of the induction program, the participants met with organizations that provide care to vulnerable people. For example, they visited the "L'Arche" center, an organization located at the "Nazareth" Workshop at the Church of the Nativity of the Holy Virgin. In this center ‘friends’ – as they call people with special needs - receive help and care.

The participants also visited the Dzherelo Center, which provides assistance to children with special needs. And the last place of the visit was the center based at the UCU itself. Here, ‘friends’ - young people with special needs, can spend time with the center's staff, which helps them to cook or shop.

Then the induction session began. The participants were introduced to the training program, which consists of two semesters: 560 lecture hours, and 300 hours of practice. During the first lecture, the participants looked into the topic of "Intrauterine development. Birth". The participants also were introduced to art and dance-movement therapy.

We wish all participants success in their studies and God's blessing.

Heorgii Masiuk (Kharkiv)

16/03/2023

New preachers

In recent months, two people joined the ranks of GELCU ministers. On November 11, 2022, Maxim Perevoznyi was blessed for the ministry in the congregation “Salvation” in Shostka , and on February 19, 2023, Alexander Napreienko was blessed in the congregation of St. Martin in Kyiv.

A preacher is a volunteer, who has been delegated the authority to carry out the ministry of preaching in their congregation. This is an important ministry, especially in the context of the shortage of pastors in the Church. We would like to introduce our new preachers.

Maxim Perevozny was born in Shostka in 1978, studied at school No. 2, and entered Sumy State University in 1995, where he received a master’s degree in Industrial Electronics in 2000.

In 1998, through Baptism, he became a member of the Church of Evangelical Christian Baptists in the city of Shostka. He moved to the Lutheran Church in 2019, becoming interested in the doctrine and the freedom in faith and practice it provided. “The combination of tradition and modernity that I find here is a benefit,” writes Maxim. Since 2021, he had been studying at the Theological Seminary of the Federation of ELC.

From 2000 to 2003, Maxim studied at the Ukrainian Bible Institute at the Campus Crusade for Christ Mission in Kyiv. From 2003 to 2009 he worked at various production facilities in the city, also as a workshop manager. From 2009 to 2021, he ran a computer store in Shostka, specializing in the sale and repair of computer equipment.

Alexander Napreienko was born in 1969 in Kyiv.

In 1993, he trusted in Jesus Christ and became a member of an evangelical church. He was a church administrator, Bible group leader, and preacher. He also was engaged in a mission among the Roma population in Kyiv and the Transcarpathian region. In 2002 he was ordained and served as a pastor in an evangelical church in Kyiv.

In 2006-2008 he studied at the Kyiv Theological Seminary. From 2008 to 2019 worked in the missionary society "Light in the East" as the head of the department of ministry to the blind and book ministry. Oleksandr also organized evangelism outreach to the villages and cities of Ukraine. In 2015 he graduated from the International Institute of Counseling "Coram Deo".

From 2017 to 2020, he served as a pastor in the Kyiv Christian Church and was involved in the ministry of drug and alcohol rehabilitation, as well as in the ministry to the homeless "House of Mercy" in Kyiv. In the process of serving the homeless, he met with the Lutheran congregation of St. Martin.

“We have developed friendly relationships and close cooperation. It was these relationships and cooperation that gave me the incentive to become a part of this congregation and serve here as a preacher. I wish with all my heart that God be glorified through the life and ministry of the congregation of St. Martin,” says Oleksandr.

Oleksandr is married and has four adult children and a grandson.

04/03/2023

On January 24-26, 2023, the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations delegation made an official visit to the Vatican. GELCU was represented by the president of the Synod Rev. Oleksandr Gross. More info: https://nelcu.org.ua/en/the-visit-of-the-uccro-delegation-to-the-vatican/

24/02/2023

A prayer for the anniversary of the full-scale Russian-Ukrainian war 02/24/2023

Almighty God, our Merciful Father!
We turn to You in times of pain and suffering.
A year of the war is over,
but our country still suffers from unceasing pain and harrowing wounds.
It was a year of loss and death.
Have mercy on us, Lord!

We beg You for peace.
Not for peace on the terms of the tyrant,
not for humiliating peace.
We beg You for fair peace for Ukraine.
For the kind of peace that You give in Jesus Christ to all who come to You with faith.
Look over us, God!

You created us, and in Your hands is the destiny of the whole world.
Your ways are beyond tracing out, and Your thoughts are unsearchable.
The time of this war for us is a time of darkness and gloom,
a time of hopes and expectations.
The time of prayers heard by You,
and the time of unanswered pleas.
The time when we saw You very close,
and the time when it seemed that You had left us.
But You are with us in Jesus Christ, who conquered sin and death.
We believe in it and trust in You.
Give us peace, Lord!
Amen.

Dmytro Tsolin (Lviv)

30/01/2023

Conference for ministers of GELCU in Radomyshl

A conference of GELCU ministers was held in Radomyshl on January 18-20. Maksym Perevozny (recently blessed for the preacher’s ministry in the “Salvation” congregation in Shostka) and Oleksandr Napreienko from the congregation of Saint Martin in Kyiv (soon to be blessed for a preaching ministry), attended the conference for the very first time.

Participants of the conference have been actively working on the elements of the standard liturgy in the Ukrainian language. Dmytro Tsolin, a professor at the Ukrainian Catholic University and a volunteer of the GELCU group in Lviv, provided invaluable help in this process. A specialist in ancient languages and an expert in the Ukrainian language, he helped verify the texts from theological and philological viewpoints.

Another important part of the conference work was the updated draft of the regulations on the preacher’s ministry. The previous regulations were drafted and adopted in 2011, but required some changes and updates. The regulations draft will be forwarded to the Synod of GELCU.

The participants decided to continue revisions of regulations on Baptism, Communion, confession and confirmation at the coming conferences. Participants also shared their experience of diaconal work during the war, studied the texts of the Holy Scriptures, and discussed ideas for their ministry and plans for 2023, including the significant date of the 50th anniversary of the Leuenberg Agreement, which established the pulpit and altar fellowship of Reformed and United churches of Europe.

During the informal time, participants had a walk through the picturesque surroundings of the historical and cultural reserve "Radomyshl Castle" which was built on the site of a former cotton mill and took a quiz, that put their knowledge of the Bible, the Lutheran faith, as well as the history and modernity of GELCU to the test.

28/12/2022

Festive Pelmeni: Children from Odesa prepare a traditional Ukrainian dish in their temporary home in Romania.

The Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession in Romania, with the support of LWF, has repurposed its recreational homes, as well as several guest houses and youth centers, to host people who fled the war in Ukraine.

Many volunteers helped the families with meals, everyday necessities, legal support, and school. They also organized recreational activities, birthday parties, hiking trips, and outings to famous places in Romania to help the new arrivals integrate and get a feeling for their temporary home.

LWF supports member church projects in 7 countries, including Ukraine, helping those affected by the war. This kind of support is possible thanks to the solidarity of LWF member churches, related agencies, and other partners.

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27/12/2022

This winter bring a very difficult Christmas to Ukraine, as people struggle with the cold, the failing infrastructure and the threat of ongoing missile attacks.

Bishop Shvarts in Kharkiv recalls the message of hope on Christmas. "For a believer it is also an opportunity to understand and probably feel that the Lord is near. Despite everything that is happening around us - he is near.”



https://www.lutheranworld.org/news/ukraine-christmas-wartime

People in Kharkiv and Ichnya, Ukraine, are struggling with the effects of war. Under challenging circumstances, they prepare for Christmas. Bishop Pavlo Shvarts reminds people to look towards the light.  

26/12/2022

Christmas celebration in Lutheran an Reformed congregations in Ukraine

24/12/2022

Christmas fair in Odessa

On December 23, a traditional Christmas fair opened in the St. Paul Lutheran Church in Odesa. For three days residents of Odessa and guests of the city could enjoy the festive mood. Even though the courtyard of the church is decorated more modestly compared to the previous years, it still creates a feeling of warmth and coziness.

At the fair you can buy traditional Christmas and German food: sausages and pastries, as well as decorations, toys, and much more.
During the opening of the fair, Pastor Oleksandr Gross said: "We have thought for a while whether we should hold the fair or not, given the circumstances. But still, came to the conclusion that now more than ever, people need joy and hope. And this is our ministry."

The congregation of St. Paul has prepared a rich cultural program. Two classical music concerts a day, including a big Christmas concert on December 25 are waiting for their visitors. And, of course, the congregation holds two festive holiday services on Christmas Eve on December 24 and on Christmas morning on December 25. The fair closes on December 26 with a charity concert of organ music.

"During World War II, Winston Churchill, in response to attempts to cut the cultural budget, said: 'If we don't invest in culture, then what are we fighting for?' I think these words are more relevant now than ever. And we are happy to contribute to the cultural life of the city," said Veronika Struk, organist and deputy head of the congregation of St. Paul.

The presentation of Oleksandr Surilov's author's exhibition "Heritage of the Black Sea Germans" took place as part of the opening of the fair. The author has collected a large variety of materials about the rich history and modernity of the German community in the region.

"Black Sea Germans played a huge role in the development of Odesa and the entire region in general. Among them were prominent administrators, engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs, who made a great contribution to all spheres of society. And I am very glad that we can perpetuate their memory," Oleksandr Surilov said at the presentation. The exhibition is located on the first floor of the Pastor's building.

According to the decision of the Council of St. Paul's congregation, the collected funds will be sent to support the Armed Forces of Ukraine, whose feats of courage make this fair possible.

23/12/2022

Сhristmas message from the bishop of GELCU

«And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.» Luke 2,10-11

Angel of the Lord speaks these words to shepherds, who saw the Glory of God. But they also relate to us today.

“Fear not” – is a plea to trust God’s messenger and to heed God’s message. This message is filled with joy because it proclaims the Saviors birth.

More than 2000 years ago, ordinary people, just like us, who witnessed the cruelty of occupants and social injustice, were first to be invited to see the Savior, whom the whole world so desperately needed. Today God has the same message to His Church: “Fear not”. Despite the painful experience of war, losses, fears for our lives and the lives of our loved ones, and uncertainty about the future, God is still near us. God is near, as the Advent texts remind us. But in this joyful anticipation we receive yet another message from the author of the Psalm, which we read for Christmas:

«Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein… he cometh to judge the earth: he shall judge the world with righteousness, and the people with his truth» Psalm 95,11.13

Rejoicing in God’s presence and His justice, we continue praying for:
- an end to this war
- protection of our warriors and healing of the wounded
- those, who relentlessly serve others: rescue, medical, and utility service workers, volunteers, and all those, who in any way are involved in helping others
- those, who lost their loved ones and won’t celebrate Christmas together with them
- people, who live under constant shelling or try to settle in the new place
- all those, who are struggling daily with the effects of war and aggression against the civilian population
- a just peace to prevail, for the crime to be called out and punished

May you have a blessed Christmas!
May the Lord grant the power of hope to everyone, who believes in Him!
The bishop of the German Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Ukraine

Pavlo Shvarts

21/12/2022

The bishop of GELCU in Estonia

The bishop of GELCU Pavlo Shvarts made an official visit to Estonia.

On November 23, during the Synod of the EELC, archbishop Urmas Viilma awarded bishop Shvarts with the First Rank Cross of Merit of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church on behalf of the Consistory of the Church.

“For me, this award, before everything else, is a symbol of the help that the Estonian Church and people were to us in difficult times. It is like living in a modern parable about the Good Samaritan, where a nation, however small, does not pass by in times of danger, but on the contrary, helps those in need in every possible way. I think we, as a people and the Church, have a lot to learn from the Estonians," thanked the bishop.

On November 24, together with Urmas Viilma, the bishop took part in a meeting with Ms. Siigne Risalo, the Minister of Social Protection of the Republic of Estonia, and Rev. Katri Aaslav-Tepandi, the Chief Chaplain of the Department of Mental Health of the Ministry of Social Affairs. Minister Riisalo gave a comprehensive overview of how Estonia has helped the people of Ukraine since the beginning of the Russian aggression and the escalation of the war, and how the work with war refugees who fled to Estonia from Ukraine was organized. Chief Chaplain Katri Aslav-Tepandi spoke about the challenges and work of chaplains with Ukrainian refugees. The archbishop gave an overview of how EELC congregations and Lutherans supported Ukrainian war refugees and what help they provided to brothers and sisters in Ukraine through GELCU. Pavlo Shvarts, for his part, shared his experience of serving in small congregations and the importance of targeted assistance, which helps to build direct relationships with people.
The bishop also visited the Evangelical Lutheran congregation of Tartu. This congregation has been actively supporting the Evangelical Lutheran congregation of the Holy Ascension in Kharkiv during the war with their prayers and financial support.

Thanks to the support of fellow believers from Tartu we were able to:

- help Kharkiv residents, who had to leave the city;
- buy the necessary medicines and food;
- resume work with children in the congregation starting from May.

"Estonia is a vivid illustration of the salt in an evangelical sense, which, despite its small amount, gives the dish flavor. Despite the small size of the country and its population (which is smaller than the population of Kharkiv city), the people of Estonia are loyal friends of Ukraine and sacrificially share what they have with us. My hope is that the people of Ukraine will not only remember the support from large countries but also those, who have been loyal allies of Ukraine for a long time and have helped to the best of their ability," said Pavlo Shvarts.

21/12/2022

On November 19, the Synod meeting of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine was held in the premises of the Lutheran church of St. Catherine in Kyiv.
The Synod delegates decided the following:
• To condemn the aggression of the Russian Federation and made a statement for a just peace for Ukraine;
• To condemn the actions of the previous bishop of GELCU Serhii Mashevski;
• To re-elect Pavlo Shvarts for a second 5-year term, and appoint Oleksandr Gross as the vice bishop;
• To elect the new Presidium of the Synod: Oleksandr Gross, Lydia Tselsdorf, Nina Knutas, Ihor Shemihon, Natalia Melkher (the Presidium elected Oleksandr Gross as president of the Synod);
• To elect a new Internal Audit Commission, and assign them to carry out the internal audit of the reports of 2021 and 2022;
• To adopt new Regulations on the pastor’s ministry.