At the beginning of November 2024, Pastor of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine (GELCU), Ihor Shemigon, along with Kyiv congregation members Olga Vyhran and Snizhana Fediuk, visited Finland. The visit was made at the invitation of Pastor Niko Seppa and Vicar Tatu Ryuti of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (ELCF).
Ihor Shemigon:
“Finland greeted us with warm, sunny weather and breathtaking landscapes. During the week, we introduced the parishes of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland to the church ministry in Kyiv and the activities of the public organization House of Mercy. Kyiv. The primary goal of the visit was to establish long-term partnerships. The Ukrainian group visited Suomussalmi, Oulu, Kristiinankaupunki, Lapua, and Tampere.
In each of these cities and towns, we gave presentations about the lives of Ukrainians during the war. These presentations included performances of Christian songs in Ukrainian.
In the town of Suomussalmi, our visit coincided with the weekend. In addition to the presentation, I delivered a sermon during the liturgy at the Suomussalmi church, with Vicar Tatu Ryuti serving as our translator.
In Oulu, we reunited with an old friend, Pastor Timo Suutari, who has supported our country for many years. Timo introduced us to members of several church communities in the city who also care deeply about Ukraine.
Many Ukrainians live in Kristiinankaupunki, a nearby town. The local diaconal service supports our compatriots with food and clothing. Vicar Martti Toivanen, in addition to his pastoral duties, is also a judo master and trains Ukrainian teenagers. In the evening after our arrival, we had the opportunity to witness one of these training sessions, cheering for and supporting our young athletes. The following morning, a spiritual gathering was organized for our fellow citizens, followed by a liturgy in the Kristiinankaupunki church in the afternoon. This was one of the rare liturgies in the history of the ELCF conducted in both Finnish and Ukrainian. We were also hosted in a former pastor’s residence built in an authentic style.
On the last day of our visit, we met with Matti Salomäki, Bishop of Lapua. After a brief presentation, we discussed the potential for future collaboration.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our Finnish friends for their warm hospitality and look forward to future meetings!
We would also like to thank the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine and the State Service for Ethnic Policy and Freedom of Conscience, whose support made this trip possible.”
