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Concerts resumed in the Odessa Lutheran Church
For the first time since the beginning of full-scale war in Ukraine, a concert was held in the premises of St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Odessa. On May 15, the Chamber Orchestra of the Odessa Opera House performed within its walls, under the direction of the Honored Artist of Ukraine, conductor Igor Chernetsky, and the leading soloists of the ...
18.05.2022
Representatives of GELCU spoke at “Berlin Day of GAE”
On May 7th, Bishop of GELCU Pavlo Shvarts and Synod President Alexander Gross took part in “Berlin Day of Praying”. This online event was organized by the Society for Gospel Propagation (Gesellschaft zur Ausbreitung des Evangeliums, GAE). Pastor Gross spoke about the beginning of the war and the problems of Odessa region communities, about the ...
10.05.2022
The Bishop of GELCU visited Vienna and Bratislava
On 3-5 May, with the support of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe, the bishop of GELCU Pavlo Shvarts paid working visits to Vienna and Bratislava. The first two days in Vienna had a full schedule. The GELCU’s history doesn’t only go back to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Russian Empire, but also to those evangelical ...
08.05.2022
History and prospects of communion with the Reformed churches
Perhaps our readers have some questions concerning Reformed churches that GELCU has a fraternal relationship with: Church of Christ the Savior and the God’s Covenant Church in Rivne, Holy Trinity Church in Ivano-Frankivsk, and St. Andrew’s Church in Pidhaichiki of Ivano-Frankivsk region. Geography of CREC churches in communion with GELCU ...
03.05.2022
Bishop of GELCU met with representatives of the World Lutheran Federation
On April 27, 2022, Bishop of GELCU Pavlo Shvarts met with representatives of the Lutheran World Federation Sylvia Raulo and Pierre Beaurenaut. During a brief introductory meeting, the bishop spoke about the situation in different parts of Ukraine, as well as the idea of providing targeted assistance, the need for systematic and long-term ...
02.05.2022
Every day that the Lord God gives you is a great and precious gift
More than a month ago, the village Andriivka near the town Makarov (Bucha district of Kyiv region), was under Russian occupation. The shelter ‘Harbor’, located in this village, was founded by the NGO “House of Mercy” - a partner of the GELCU. The subsidiary of St. Martin’s congregation in Kyiv was also based on the shelter. Sergey Berezin served ...
30.04.2022
The bishop of GELCU visited congregations of Central Ukraine
Am 23. – 24. April besuchte der Bischof der GELCU, Pavel Schwarz, die Gemeinden in Kiev, Belaja Tserkov und Alexandrija. On Saturday, April 23, the bishop conducted church service with the Holy Communion in Aleksandriia (Kirovohrad region). This small congregation in a little town hasn’t cared by permanent pastor since its foundation. For ...
25.04.2022
Serving our neighbor with new friends
Tragedies can unite people and point them to the common cause of serving their neighbor. The war with Ukraine, unleashed by the Putin regime eight years ago and having reached grave dimensions in February, caused destructions of horrific proportions, loss of life, and refugee flows from the war zone. Even though the Ukraine National Defense ...
22.04.2022
The bishop of GELCU met with the president of the Conference of European Churches
20 April in Lviv took place a meeting between Bishop Pavlo Shvarts and the president of the Conference of European Churches, Rev. Christian Krieger. During the meeting they discussed the current situation in Ukraine and perspectives of the following cooperation between CEC and the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations to ...
21.04.2022
Celebration for refugees in Odessa
On 15th of April, a worker of the ‘St. Paul’s rehabilitation center’ – a non-profit partner organization of GELCU – received a call from the ‘Shoulder to shoulder’ charitable fund, with a short message: “Women and children from Kherson are on their way”. They quickly contacted Iulia Zabara – a director of the hotel in the Pastor’s house at the ...
19.04.2022
Easter in GELCU congregations (photo)
Revelation 1:18: "I was dead and, see, I am alive forever and ever! I also hold the keys of death and hell". GELCU congregations celebrate the Resurrection of Christ against the backdrop of war St. Paul`s, Odessa https://youtu.be/hU-KE0FrEaE St. Catherine’s, Kiev (with the anglican Christ Church) St. Martin`s, Kiev ...
18.04.2022
Easter message from the Bishop of GELCU
Revelation 1:18: “I was dead and, see, I am alive forever and ever! I also hold the keys of death and hell” Dear brothers and sisters, We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ against the backdrop of the war. Its acute phase began shortly before the time of Lent, and we were reflecting on the suffering of Jesus during our own ...
17.04.2022