Rev Neil M Ross
Most Ukrainians are in thrall to the idolatry and superstition of the Orthodox Church. Only the gospel will bring them to experience the fulfilment of the Saviour’s words: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8.32). In continuing our work in Odessa, we desire that the Lord would so bless our limited efforts that many would be brought to a saving knowledge of the glorious Liberator Himself. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8.36).
In pursuing this objective we continue our visits to Ukraine. After our last Synod meetings, I visited our Odessa congregation accompanied by elders Mr Kenneth MacLeod and Mr Edward Ross. Our good friends Mr Igor Zadorozhniy and Mr Dmitriy Levitskiy met us at the airport and took us to our respective lodgings – Mr MacLeod and Mr Ross to Mr and Mrs Zadorozhniy’s home, and me to Mr and Mrs Levitskiy’s flat. We are exceedingly grateful for their warm and generous hospitality.
During our stay of 10 days we had much work to attend to – most importantly the church services on Sabbath and weekdays, including those of a communion season. We also took aid to the hospital; held meetings of the Kirk Session, Deacons’ Court and the Field Committee of the Eastern Europe Mission; had several consultations with our lawyer, Mr Popov; sourced and purchased a new computer printer/scanner/copier for the work there; and met government officials in connection with further establishing our presence in the Ukraine. In our activities we were very much dependent on Mr Levitskiy’s invaluable interpreting skills, and on Mr Zadorozhniy for transporting us around the city.
We were able to hold the services in the newly-completed meeting room in Mr Zadorozhniy’s home. Previously they met in his living room, but now two rooms have been made into one, and it is furnished with a reading desk on a small dais, a communion table and upholstered metal chairs to seat 20 or more people comfortably, and has had air conditioning installed for the very hot Odessa summers. Altogether, it is a remarkable step forward, and we are much indebted to Mr and Mrs Zadorozhniy for providing such a place for the time being, and to both them and Mr and Mrs Levitskiy for all the work they have done in preparing it.
It was encouraging that the church services were attended by, not only the few who gather regularly, but also by several visitors from the city who are acquainted with them, including four who had never attended previously. The communion Sabbath was indeed a solemn holy day, and we felt, we believe, some measure of the gracious presence of the Lord in seeking to comply with the dying command of the great Head of the Church, “This do in remembrance of Me”. The Kirk Session has decided to hold an election for an elder in the congregation by late autumn, God willing.
No further progress has been made in registering our Church. However, our registration as a charity is being processed by the Department of Justice. As we are not yet registered as a Church, the charity will be registered in the name of Mr Zadorozhniy, who will be the Church’s contracted representative to run it until the Church itself is registered.
Mr Zadorozhniy continues to send out 100 parcels every month, each parcel containing a Ukrainian Bible, the Westminster Confession of Faith and other items. There is an increased interest in the Confession of Faith, judging by the number of requests and questions addressed to him. Several evangelical groups, from places such as Kiev, Rivna, and Makeyevka in the Donetsk district have requested scores of copies to distribute among their people. These are being sent out steadily as time and funds permit.
A Ukrainian translation of The Mother’s Catechism is being prepared for the people of the Carpathian region. Our Russian translation projects – Shaw’s Exposition of the Confession of Faith, Sermons by Rev D Macfarlane, and tracts on Pentecostalism and Seventh Day Adventism – are progressing well; indeed the tracts were ready for printing at the time of our visit.
Both Mr Zadorozhniy and Mr Levitskiy believe that interest in the Reformed faith is growing in certain places. Not only is there a greater demand for the Confession of Faith but letters from some recipients show that they much appreciate it; one of them said, “It is like rain in a hot summer”. It is a sad fact that many denominations from abroad which work in the Ukraine are liberal or charismatic, and therefore people belonging to them fail to get the spiritual food they evidently desire.
Another encouraging development is that our Church has been able to purchase a piece of land which is very conveniently located where a main street meets the street where Mr Zadorozhniy lives. Our hope is that, as funds become available, the Church will be able to build a depot for the new charity and literature distribution work. Eventually, when the Church is registered, God willing, it will be a most suitable site for a church building.
On our visit to the Odessa Children’s Hospital we brought a gift of money with which we intended to purchase medicines at the hospital pharmacy and present them to the department for sick babies. We were met by our old friend, Dr Torbinskaya, who energetically runs the department on a shoestring. We readily acceded to her request that on this occasion we would purchase a large refrigerator for storing medicines. A few days later, having bought it on our behalf, she showed it to us at the hospital, declaring that it would be a tremendous help to them in their work, and warmly expressed their heartfelt thanks to the Church.
Finally, we pray that the Lord will keep the Odessa congregation and that their regular services will be beneficial to all who attend. May the Lord also undertake for Mr Levitskiy in his studies as a divinity student, and for Mrs Levitskiy as she continues to translate the Psalms into metre. As in other countries, nothing but the sowing of the good seed of the kingdom and the work of the Holy Spirit will result in fruit to the glory of God. Truly, as Mr Zadorozhniy remarked to us, “The Ukraine is like an unploughed field waiting to be tilled”. May the Lord send forth labourers to that work!