Lutherans in Ukraine hold convention, reelect Bishop Yurchenko

by Rev. Oleksiy Navrotskyy

Participants in SELCU’s 2019 convention.

UKRAINE – From September 30-October 2, the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine (SELCU) held its annual convention. A total of 15 congregations, five mission stations, four social ministries, and the Odessa Theological Seminary were represented by 12 pastors and 12 lay delegates, and two non-voting seminarians.

The convention began with a divine service led by SELCU Bishop Alexander Yurchenko. In his sermon, the Bishop called on convention participants to “increase mission efforts in each congregation and to recognize the great need of the Ukrainian people who suffer from uncertainty and the fear caused by the conflict in eastern Ukraine.  For the Gospel of Jesus Christ brings hope and confidence to the hearts of the lost, and it is our privilege and our vocation to bring the Good News to our citizens, especially in such difficult times in our homeland.”

During the convention, Bishop Yurchenko was reelected to another five-year term. The convention also held elections for the Board of Synod, and it reconfirmed Rev. Oleg Schewtschenko to be the coordinator of Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary (Odessa). Participants of the conference congratulated the reelected Bishop and new Board of Synod and thanked them for standing for election. The participants then prayed for the new Board of Synod and asked the Lord to bless the pastors chosen to lead the synod.

After elections, the pastors and delegates of SELCU reviewed the achievements and challenges of the Ukrainian church over the past year. Special reference was made to the mission work being carried out by SELCU congregations, pastors, and missionaries. It was noted that, even when the three current seminarians are placed into congregations next year, SELCU will still be experiencing a shortage of qualified minsters to shepherd existing congregations and develop new mission fields.

Lutheran Church–Canada (LCC) has been a partner of SELCU from its formation in 1996. LCC not only provides theological education for future SELCU pastors via Concordia Lutheran Seminary in Odessa, but also annually supports a variety of Ukrainian mission projects together with Concordia Lutheran Mission Society. These projects include prison ministry; Vacation Bible School ministry and youth programs; continuing theological education for pastors; the Days of Faith Theological Conference in Koblevo and the English language Christian Study Center; the mission and ministry in Nikolaev; and other mission projects.

In the last two years, SELCU was happy to host many treasured guests from LCC: President Timothy Teuscher who participated in the SELCU Convention in 2018; LCC Mission Executive Rev. Mark Smith who visited SELCU in the spring of 2019, leading a seminar for the ministerium and visiting the congregations; LCC pastors Rev. Kurt Reinhardt and Rev. Roland Syens who served as the main speakers at the Days of Faith Conferences in 2018 and 2019; Rev. Dr. Jim Gimbel, president of Concordia Lutheran Seminary (CLS) in Edmonton, also visited Odessa Seminary and SELCU Synodical office in 2018 strengthening the partnership between CLS and the Ukrainian seminary; and Rev. Dr. Torgerson who has been faithfully serving as the rector of Concordia Theological Seminary Odessa.

The support given by Lutheran Church–Canada members are bearing great fruits of faith, love, and joy among the Lutherans of Ukraine. We can say with certainty that the Kingdom of God has reached Post-Communist Ukraine and is still growing.

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Rev. Oleksiy Navrotskyy is a missionary for Lutheran Church–Canada and the Synod of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Ukraine.

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