Jerusalem Offering for Ukraine
In 2022, Converge Heartland began supporting front-line pastoral families in need. These families were vetted by Ukrainian Baptist Union leadership, and support recommendations were made with contextual accuracy. Together, we committed to supporting some life-giving ministry projects and 20 pastoral families for two years. By God’s grace and through your generosity, Converge Heartland has given nearly $400,000, and we will fulfill that promise! The result has been sustaining at-risk church ministries and pastoral families and a multitude of new believers who are now multiplying into new churches. Praise God! Yet the war is intensifying, and there is still more for us to do.
Verified Needs
The Converge Heartland District has remained in regular contact with Odesa Seminary and the leadership of the churches in the Odesa Oblast. Pastor Thomas Slawson, one of four Russian-speaking ministers serving at Faith Baptist Fellowship in Sioux Falls, formerly served with me in Siberian Russia and has just returned from a site visit to Ukraine and Moldova. While he was there, he visited with Aleksander Dimov, the President of the Odesa Oblast’s Union of Baptist Churches, along with his colleague, Volodymir Pomazkov. Both of these dear brothers will be at this year’s Cultivate Conference to share about the impact our support has made in Ukraine and the great need that continues in their country.
Converge Heartland Churches have a unique heart and capacity for this work and for maintaining ministry relationships throughout the Black Sea region. These relationships are informing us that Ukraine’s need for support remains great.
Beyond continued pastoral family support, Dr. Aleksander Geychenko, President of Odesa Theological Seminary, has appealed for aid in light of the forthcoming winter and the severe decline of public utilities that provide light, communication, and life-sustaining heat. Without exaggeration, he says that infrastructure repairs to bombed utility plants will take years. The challenge for many Odesa regional ministries is affording alternative solutions such as large generators and fuel—and we can help.
Ukainian Pastors Converge Heartland Supports
A Jerusalem Offering for Ukraine
Friends, God has used our District to provide support for our Ukrainian counterparts. They are so thankful and know we have stood with them in their time of need. Through our communication with their leadership and congregations, they know that our support has come from hard-working farmers, teachers, public servants, hard-working men and women, children, small churches, large churches, and God-fearing people who have refused to be passive when their Ukrainian brothers and sisters are in need. This is why we are confident in calling on you for continued support of our Ukrainian partners.
Through the end of 2024, we are raising an additional $100,000 for Ukraine Relief. This will continue pastoral family support for one more year and help meet the urgent infrastructure needs of front-line ministry partners in the Odesa Oblast region.
The need is such that we are requesting churches and individuals to continue in your financial support of Ukraine. If you support a pastoral family, will you continue to do so for at least one more year?
Though online giving is available, we will also take up a Jerusalem Offering at the Cultivate Conference on September 26, 2024. Please prayerfully come prepared with a contribution as we would like to present our Ukrainian guests with a significant love gift to take back to the Odesa Oblast churches.
Whether you can give regularly or through a one-time gift, know that your generosity is making a difference in the lives of many Ukrainians.