On August 26, 2003 Graduation Ceremony of the Ukrainian Lutheran Theological Seminary of Saint Sophia took place in Ternopil. 5 graduates received their diplomas of bachelor and master of Divinity: deacons Oleksiy Onufriychuk, Pavlo Oskolov, Serhiy Romaniuk, Victor Paschenko, and Vadym Zinchenko. Now graduates will have their practice in congregation and later on they will be called and ordained in the congregations of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church. At Vespers due to the Graduation Ceremony Rector David Webber preached. At the worship service Rector Webber was assisted by Adjunct-Professor Oleh Yukhymenko and Professor Roger Kovaciny. Seminary workers as well as Saint James and John Lutheran Church members and Ternopil Oblast officials came to share joy at the Graduation Ceremony. Bishop V'yacheslav Horpynchuk and Dr. John Lawrenz ("Thoughts of Faith" mission society) were special guests that greeted graduates on this special day in the life of the Church and in their own lives.

Pastors' Conference in Puscha Vodytsia
(Banner) The ULC Pastor's Conference dubbed "Pastor's Guardianship Over Sick and Dying People" was held in Puscha Vodytsia, nearby Kyiv, on July 23-24. The key speaker on the Conference was professor of the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary Reverent John Schuetze (USA).

Youth Forum of the ULC
(Banner) The Youth Forum of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church took place in Puscha Vodytsia, nearby Kyiv, on July 5-8, 2003. Representatives of the ULC congregations and guests from the USA, who taught the Vacation Bible School, took part in the Forum. Participants were engaged in various activities, Bible classes, performances, and song contests organized by pastors Yuriy Fizer, Serhiy Somin, Oleg Stecjuk, and Oleg Okruhin.

On June 23 Vacation Bible School of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church opened its doors to children. Above 500 children study this year at the VBS in Kyiv, Ternopil, Krements, Sevastopol and Kam'yanets-Podilskiy. Young American students from the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod in cooperation with young Ukrainian Lutherans teach the Bible, Music, Drawing and English. Pictures: School life moments in Kyiv.

On May 31, 2003 the Ukrainian Lutheran Church Choir, Women's Choir, Youth Choir and Children's Music and Drama Studio "Little Angels" presented Lutheran music and drama in the Kyiv Teacher's Palace. Bible reading, Lutheran hymns and Psalms as well as some national music and Bible-based drama "Esther sanctifies the Name of the Lord" were presented to thankful people that were gathered there. Everyone was able to get Lutheran literature and information about the Ukrainian Lutheran Church. Emilia Zinchenko was producer of the presentation with Vadym Solodkiy as music director, Alia Akbergenova as concert leader and Liudmyla Zinchenko as master of ceremonies.

On May 28, 2003, Ukrainian Lutheran Church delegation (Bishop V'yacheslav Horpynchuk, Treasurer Vasyl Korshak, Eparchy Heads: Taras Kokovskiy, Pavlo Bohmat, Ihor Ratushniy) took part in the 5th All-Ukrainian Conference of the Ukrainian Bible Society. The Conference was begun by songs performed by the Ukrainian Lutheran Church choir (Vadym Solodkiy, Director). The Conference reelected Rev. Anatoliy Hlukhovskiy to be the President of the UBS and Rev. Vasyl Lutsyshyn to be the Vice-President of the UBS.

On May 25, 2003, Rev. Oleh Yukhymenko was installed to be the Pastor of Vorobiivka congregation and an Adjunct-Professor of the Ukrainian Lutheran Theological Seminary of Saint Sophia. Vice-Bishop Andriy Honcharuk was conducting installation ceremony. His assistance were Head of the Galician Eparchy, Rev. Taras Kokovskiy, Rector David Jay Webber and Professor Roger Kovaciny. Bishop V'yacheslav Hoprynchuk also greeted Rev. Yukhymenko through the letter.

On May 19, 2003 President of Ukraine Leonid Kuchma awarded Bishop of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church V'yacheslav Horpynchuk with the order "For Services" , the third degree. The ceremony was held in Mariinsky Palace in Kyiv. Bishop V'yacheslav Horpynchuk considers this high award from the President as an acknowledgement of the contribution that is made by the whole Ukrainian Lutheran Church to spiritual growth of the Ukrainian people and strengthening of the Ukrainian state.

A regular meeting of the Synodical Council of the ULC was held in Kyiv on April 29, 2003. The Synodical Council called Rev Oleh Yukhymenko to serve as a pastor of Vorobiivka congregation of the ULC and adjunct professor of the Seminary. The Council adopted a Permanent Diaconate Program proposed by rector of the Seminary professor Jay Webber and considered other issues.