WAR IN THE UKRAINE
Beloved Members of St. Gregory's.
I, like so many around the world, have been horrified by the brutal war in Ukraine. Evil, as I preached about last Sunday, is that force that seeks to damage, diminish, and ultimately destroy life. Evil is profoundly wicked and immoral. It seeks to coerce and control others. It enslaves the children of God by robbing us of our God-given freedom to live, love, and create. What is happening in Ukraine is evil.
Our prayers for peace are powerful and profound. We pray for the people of Ukraine and for President Zelensky and all those in authority. Jesus teaches us to pray for our enemies and those who would hurt us or others, so we pray for Vladimir Putin and for repentance and a rendered heart. We pray for the Russian Orthodox Church and the witness to Christ's way of love by the Christian communities in Russia and Ukraine. We pray with Jesus, whose heart aches and breaks at this violence and warring madness.
I've been praying that St. Gregory's would be an instrument of healing, justice, and peace. Here are two ways the Holy Spirit is moving in my heart in response to these prayers.
First, the Holy Spirit prompted me to reach out to Anne Patz, who grew up as a member of St. Gregory's. She has been serving as a missionary in Hamburg, Germany for the past ten years, with a special ministry to the refugee and immigrant communities. Over the years, Anne has spoken several times at Coffee Hour at St. Greg's to share the story of her calling and ministry. Anne's house church partners with Sunrise International Ministries, which have already begun caring for the Ukrainian refugees in Poland and are preparing to serve those who will be arriving in Germany. After speaking via Zoom with Anne, we determined that funds from St. Gregory's can be sent to Sunrise International Ministries and marked for Ukraine refugee ministry. Anne will ensure that the funds go directly to refugee support. She will provide St. Gregory's with a follow-up report, as well. Next week I will record a conversation with Anne to share in next week's What's Happening. The link for Sunrise International Ministries to donate funds is below. I've also included a link to Episcopal Relief and Development, another faithful and effective means to support Ukrainian refugees.
Secondly, Anna, a neighbor who lives just several houses from St. Gregory's, is from Ukraine. Anita and I presented a prayer shawl from St. Gregory's as a gift. We prayed for her family who was traveling to Poland this past week. The next day she stopped at the rectory to tell us that she slept all night with the prayer shawl wrapped around her. We offered St. Gregory's as a place where she and the Ukrainian community in the Boca area might gather for prayer and support.
Join me in praying that St. Gregory's will be an instrument of peace, justice, and love as we bear the image of Christ to our neighbors near and far.
In Christ,
Andrew+
Sunrise International Ministries
https://www.sunriseinternational.org/financial-support/
Episcopal Relief - Ukraine Response
As we were about to send out this week's
"What's Happening," I received this
email update from Anne...
Hi Father Andrew…
Just wanted to give you a little update about the giving for Ukraine…
Jason (my Housechurch leader) and a team of YWAM people from the Netherlands traveled to a YWAM base in Ternopil, Ukraine to drop off supplies. This YWAM base has been housing many neighbors and is also a stopping point for many people who need a hot meal and a rest on their way to the border. They also are delivering the supplies to other regions that can’t get supplies, including Kyiv.
The need for supplies is pretty great, so Jason and his team are now trying to make several trips to Poland to buy supplies and then back to Ternopil to drop them off. They are then helping with driving the supplies to other cities that have less. Purchasing the additional supplies was not expected, so they are basically charging the supplies to their credit cards, and then will be reimbursed from any money that is donated.
Jason was planning to come back on Saturday, but he just messaged me to say that he will stay a little longer to help purchase a van for the base so that the team there can make larger deliveries.
So, right now the money you will be giving will be going towards supplies, such as food, batteries, gasoline, baby supplies, as well as, the purchase of a van.
One very encouraging story Jason shared this morning was as follows:
We came to a checkpoint. Which is always a little unnerving. A soldier stopped us. It’s dark everywhere. He says …where are you from in English. So we tell him. He said twice…but why are you here? I told him Jesus loves Ukraine. We were bringing food and things to Ternopil and to encourage people. He had this huge smile on his face and said…”Man, that is so cool”
I will send further information as I get updates.
Sincerely,
Anne