Ukrainians take ‘a real step of faith’ as they gather for national seminar
A lot of things at this year’s National Ukrainian Seminar were the same as they’ve been for the past 10 years. There was gospel preaching, heartfelt worship, fellowship and baptisms.
The main difference this year was the location — Berdyansk, a port city on the Sea of Azov. In years past, Christians gathered on the Crimean Peninsula, which now flies the Russian flag.
The 72 participants — down from 300-plus in recent years — took “a real step of faith” by attending, said organizer Sasha Prokopchuck, “because we all met in a town that is 50 miles away from the place of military conflict.”
Valeriy Kachuk serves communion during the 2014 National Ukrainian Seminar.
The main difference this year was the location — Berdyansk, a port city on the Sea of Azov. In years past, Christians gathered on the Crimean Peninsula, which now flies the Russian flag.
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The 72 participants — down from 300-plus in recent years — took “a real step of faith” by attending, said organizer Sasha Prokopchuck, “because we all met in a town that is 50 miles away from the place of military conflict.”
Prokopchuk, minister for the Transfiguration Church of Christ in the besieged city of Donetsk, Ukraine, said that the purpose of this year’s seminar was to “give Christians the opportunity to forget about war and troubles for four days — and find peace in God’s Word, in prayers and in fellowship.” Another purpose was “to inspire all church leaders and Christians to continue preaching the Gospel.”
Because of the ongoing conflict between Ukrainian forces and pro-Russian separatists, many Christians in eastern Ukraine are in need of support — financially and spiritually, Prokopchuk said.
Valeriy Kachuk is one of them. The native of Kazakhstan, who studied at the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver, has served as a missionary in Kharkov, a city in eastern Ukraine, since 2007 and has translated at the seminar for visitors from North America. Married with a 3-year-old daughter, he currently seeks additional support for his work.
Valeriy Kachuk serves communion during the 2014 National Ukrainian Seminar.
Kachuk spoke at the seminar on Ephesians 2:8, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”
“Every session was packed full of great information,” he said. “The wealth of knowledge in one room was priceless.”
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