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| According to John Shep, Thoughts of Faith, ELS, and now ELCA, Marvin Schwan spent $15 million+ to provide a neat way for WELS/ELS clergy to have free vacations around Europe and Russia. |
At its Jan. 12-13 meeting, the WELS Board for World Missions (BWM) agreed to assume oversight of the Ukrainian Lutheran Church (ULC), a 900-member church body started in the 1990s.
The Evangelical Lutheran Synod (ELS) had been the primary mission partner of this Ukrainian church body, but by mutual agreement between the three church bodies, WELS through its Board for World Missions will now assume that role. The ELS will continue to maintain its Gift of Life program, which provides humanitarian aid and pro-life counseling in Ukraine.
Gifts from foundations, grants, and individuals will provide the dollars to help support the work of this church, with minimal funding needed from Congregation Mission Offerings. WELS will not send any permanent missionaries to Ukraine but will provide training, workshops, and counsel to the ULC in areas such as stewardship, leadership, and discipleship. Rev. Larry Schlomer, BWM administrator, says the goal—as it is with all world missions fields—is to help the Ukraine become self-supporting and self-administrating and able to stand on its own.
“By bringing them under the BWM, we’re able to use the expertise and experience that we’ve gained in working with many churches through the growing pangs of becoming their own independent church body,” says Schlomer.
Besides being able to financially support its ministry, Rev. Dr. Vyacheslav Horpynchuk, bishop of the ULC, says this also means the church has to grow in its ministry practices, including outreach, laypeople involvement, and continued education of its pastors. “This is what we need to do, and this is why we are so thankful to the WELS that they came and helped us—providing not only financial help but also providing guidance and wisdom,” says Horpynchuk. “This is what we need.”
Horpynchuk is grateful for the support and this new relationship, especially at this time of political unrest and violence in Ukraine. The ULC’s headquarters are in Kiev where much of the protests are taking place, and Horpynchuk says attendance has been low in the downtown congregation he serves because people are afraid. “It moves us to pray more and to be more dedicated to the Lord,” he says. “People in the church are becoming more compassionate and more caring of each other.”
He continues, “Sometimes you feel isolated. You feel threatened. Brotherly care and encouragement is extremely important. We know that the Lord never fails. We know that the Lord never leaves us alone. We know that his people never leave their brothers and sisters. And this is what we see now is taking place with WELS, and we are thankful to the Lord for your love and your care.”
The Ukrainian Lutheran Church consists of 907 baptized members in 22 congregations served by 21 pastors and two vicars. It is part of the Confessional Evangelical Lutheran Conference, a group of 24 member churches (including WELS) that provides a forum for confessional Lutherans around the world.
Learn more at www.wels.net/missions.
