As the fifth year of war begins in Ukraine, the Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC), along with citizens of Ukraine, continues to experience hardship and suffering. Families have had to flee to safer locations, homes have been destroyed, and some pastors have had to relocate to areas away from the war zones.

WELS, through the Board for World Missions and gifts from WELS members, gives funds to this sister church that are used, in part, to provide food, fuel, transportation, medicine, and clothing to members—and others in their communities—in need.

Vyacheslav Horpynchuk, bishop of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church, shares that the need has been great since Ukraine had its most severe winter in recent decades. “We provided all our congregation members in need with extra warm blankets to survive the cold in apartments with no or with very little heat,” he says. “We also continued to provide all the needy with thermal wear. All of them send their gratitude for your generous help. Thank you!”

Through it all, the Ukrainian Lutheran Church continues to reach out with the gospel. While some congregations have lost members who have fled from the war, there are four new mission sites. Some ULC members also have taken refuge near Poznan, Poland, opening up the opportunity to start a mission there as well.

“The ULC pastors continue to preach the gospel, help those who are in desperate need, and offer encouragement and friendship to many people,” says Roger Neumann, WELS’ liaison to Ukraine. “So many people suffer from depression and anxiety, not certain if they will survive this ordeal or what their futures will be like. The pastors bring them the reassurance that the Lord loves them and will continue to bless them.”

Learn more at wels.net/ukraine.