ULC NEWS

October 2005

October 30, 2005. Bishop Vyacheslav Horpynchuk has presented Dr. Robert Doolittle and his wife Elaine with Diploma of Recognition issued by the Ukrainian Lutheran Church. Dr. Robert Doolittle and his wife have finished their second term of being lay-mentors in Ukraine and have already returned to their home in Florida, USA. Ukrainian Lutherans will miss this family whom they have liked and will continue to pray to the Lord for them.

Picture: During Diploma presentation.

October 30, 2005. Ukrainian Lutheran parishes celebrated Reformation Sunday. Kyiv Resurrection Lutheran Church members have watched “Luther” movie and then they celebrated Liturgy. Deacon Serhiy Kudryk has preached a very nice sermon. After the worship service all people could enjoy a concert proposed by the adult and children choir of the Resurrection church. The concert was finished by prayer for Ukraine. Special applauses were addressed to soloists: Maryna Zhukova-Senytska, Aliya Akbergenova and Mykola Danylov, who had a very successful debut.

Picture: During Reformation celebrations.

International Activities of Religious Organizations: Situation and Problems
On October 28 the State Department in charge of religious affairs at the justice Ministry of Ukraine conducted the conference dubbed International Activities of Religious Organizations: Situation and Problems. It was headed by its director Ihor Bondarchuk. This event was the first one after the reorganization of the State Committee in charge of Religious Affairs.

Representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchy, Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church, Rome Catholic Church, Ukrainian Autocephalos Orthodox Church, Protestant churches and Moslems acquainted those present with accomplishments and problems in this sphere. Vasyl Korshak told about international activities of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church.

Kyiv City Council of the Churches and Religious Organizations.

On October 26, 2005 the Kyiv City Council of the Churches and Religious Organizations held its first meeting at the premises of the City Administration. The Ukrainian Lutheran Church also belongs to this Council. Bishop V’yacheslav Horpynchuk and Secretary Ihor Rudzik represented the ULC at this meeting. The agenda of the meeting included issues on situation with allotment of land plots for the construction of cult buildings in the Ukrainian capital. A new directory Kyiv: Religious Organizations was presented at the meeting. It containes all the information on the churches located in the city of Kyiv.

Meeting of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations
On October 25, 2005 in Kyiv at the Church of the 7th Day Adventists there was held a meeting of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. It was chaired by the head of the Ukrainian Union Conference of the 7th Day Adventists Volodymyr Krupsky. Pastor Vadym Zinchenko and Secretary Ihor Rudzik represented the Ukrainian Lutheran Church at the meeting. The participants in the meeting approved changes and amendments to the active Charter of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations.

It was resolved to form a separate body at the Council - the Commission on
social issues. The Council approved an appeal to the Ukrainian people calling “everyone to
pray for Ukraine, its people, peace, concord and understanding in the society”.

October 12-16, 2005. Tavrian Eparchy congregations were visited by Bishop V’yacheslav Horpynchuk and Pastor Neal Schroeder, WELS CICR representative. Bishop Horpynchuk and Pastor Schroder had meetings with pastors and laymen of the parishes in the southern Ukraine. On Sunday they participated in the liturgy. Pastor Schroeder preached a wonderful sermon “Send invitations for wedding” (Rev. 22:10-17).

Picture: During liturgy in Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Kherson.

October 6-9, 2005. Bishop V'yacheslav Horpynchuk and Pastor Neal Schroeder, official representative of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod have visited Galician Eparchy. Rev. Horpynchuk and Rev. Schroeder had meetings with the Ukrainian pastors, participated in the liturgy that was held in Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kremenets as well as had pastoral meetings with parish members.

Picture: During liturgy in Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kremenets.