"Pastor's Love For God is Impossible Without Care About God's Sheep and Lambs"

In January 2004 the Resurrection congregation celebrated the 5th anniversary of your ministry in Kyiv. It's quite a term, especially if we take into account the history of revival of the Ukrainian Lutheran church. What results of your ministry can you share with the readers?

Thank you for the question. Yes, our Church and Thoughts of Faith together celebrated the 10th anniversary of the renewed worshiping in Ukraine. I was especially glad that that this great event almost coincided with the 5th anniversary of my ministry in the Resurrection congregation. I am deeply grateful to God for this wonderful call He gave me, to preach the Word and administer (distribute) Sacraments in the Resurrection congregation. The Lord blessed our congregation. As far as the results for the 5 years of my ministry is concerned, I can only say that it is God who works here using us as "clay pottery", as His instruments. It is appropriate to remind the words by apostle Paul from his epistle to Corinthians, "What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe - as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything but only God, who makes things grow" (1 Cor. 3:5-7). The same is in our congregation. God made it grow and continues to do so for His glory. We are just his servants doing what we are to do. So, we have people faithful to God and their lives are filled with the Gospel and with love to the Lord and to their neighbours. This is the greatest result that we can boast as Christians.

-The Resurrection congregation is the most numerous in the ULC. The plausible reason for that seemes to be a good cooperation between the pastor and the Church Council. Please, tell us about this work in your congregation.

As a matter of fact, the number of members in the congregation cannot serve as an indicator of effectiveness of pastor's ministry, or his collaboration with the Church council. The number of members of a congregation is rather one of God's blessings for the congregation where He gives the command to spread the Gospel in this or that particular town or a village. However, cooperation of the Church council and the pastor (in our case we should say pastors, since we have assistant pastor - Reverend Oleh Okruhin whose ministry our congregation highly appreciates) is also very important. We have good and devout Church Council headed by Serhiy Nikolayenko. It includes brothers Anatoliy Dmytrenko, Dr. Victor Petrenko, Oleksa Yashchuk and Petro Rybalchenko (the latter was elected to the Church Council at the last election meeting of the congregation). Each of them actively and often helps me as the pastor of the congregation. We meet systematically to discuss various issues in the life of the congregation. The Church Council does not only help the pastor, but also the Committees of the congregation. We have 5 Committees: Humanitarian, Altar, Educational, Building, and Evangelization. By the way, due to active support of our Church Council and members of the congregation there appeared three full-fledged congregation, one - in Oleksandria, two - in Radomyshl and another mission station in Kyiv. I would like to say that the work of our Church Council can be characterized by the words from the Holy scripture, "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Cor. 10:31) and "Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17).

- Each participant in the worship service is enchanted with wonderful singing of the church choir. Tell us,please, about the choir of the Resurrection congregation.

You know, brother Volodymyr, it is one of the blessings of our congregation. In my answer to your previous question I cited the words from Colossians 3:17. In the same place verse 16 the Lord Holy Spirit teaches us, "Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God". Music, Christian song is very important not only in the life of a congregation, but also in the life of each Lutheran. Bach and Mendelssohn serve a good example. Each student in Ukraine knows of them without paying any attention that those people were devoted Lutherans thankful for salvation that God gained for them on the Calvary and confirmed by his glorious Resurrection. In the same way each Sunday our choir glorifies our merciful God and Savior. The choir is a true blessing of the whole Ukrainian Church.

- What do you believe is the most important in pastor's ministry?

This is above all love to God and faithfulness to God and His Word. And this entails love to people whom you are called to serve and take care of. The dialogue between the Savior and apostle Peter serves as a paradigm of serving. Gospel by John 21:15-17 reads, "When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you". Jesus said, "Feed my lambs". Again Jesus said," Simon, son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep". The third time he said to him," Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you". Jesus said, "Feed my sheep". Pastor's love to God is impossible without care about God's sheep and lambs. And vice versa the love to sheep and lambs is impossible without love to God.

- Pastor V'yacheslav, in addition to pastor's duties, you serve as the Bishop of the ULC, editor-in-chief of the Banner monthly, Vice President of the Lutheran Heritage Foundation for Ukraine and Belarus. It is a huge workload. How do you manage to cope with everything?

We have the Almighty God. He gives us strength. Without Him we could accomplish nothing. As it is said in James 1:17, 18, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created". The Lord blessed me with faithful friends and brothers in ministry starting from the members of the Synodical Council and laymen from the Resurrection congregation and to pastors and laymen from the farthest congregations in Ukraine and even abroad. Due to the fact that the Lord gave us a wonderful faithful team of workers on the God's field, God brings good fruit. Two more things are especially important: the prayer and the family. The Lord always answers our prayers. It is essential and powerful instrument not only in the life of a pastor but also of each Christian. The family is a blessing from the Savior. I am very grateful to Him for my wife Angela and our four children: Katrusia, Vladyk, Yaroslavchyk, and Sviatoslavchyk that the Lord bless us with. Their support and love are very important for my ministry and life.

- We wish you God's blessings, strength, health, new achievements in preaching the pure Word of God, in strengthening the Ukrainian Lutheran Church for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Dear Volodymyr, I sincerely thank you for these good wishes. I also wish you and all the readers of the Banner generous God's blessings.

Pastor Vyacheslav Horpynchuk was interviewed by Volodymyr Cherevko.

ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS

Ukrainian Lutheran Church - 2004
www.ukrlc.org