In Kyiv and Kharkiv, LWF President Stubkjær and General Secretary Burghardt, express solidarity with people and churches of Ukraine
(LWI) – We stand in solidarity with the churches and the people of Ukraine: This was the key message of The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) President Bishop Henrik Stubkjær and LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr. Anne Burghardt, as they visited Ukraine this week. “Keep proclaiming Christian hope, in words and deeds.”
Highlights of the program were visits to two congregations of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine (GELCU), one of the newest LWF member churches, and to humanitarian work of the LWF Ukraine country program in Kyiv and Kharkiv. On Sunday 12 May, they joined a festive service in St Catherine’s Lutheran church in Kyiv. In Poland and Kyiv the LWF delegation was joined by Mr. Morten Dahlin, Danish Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Time of aggression and war
“We have come during a time of aggression and war,” LWF president Stubkjær said to the congregation in Kharkiv. “We are here to show you that you are not alone, and to learn and see with our own eyes how the war affects you.”
The delegation also met with the head of the Office of the Ukrainian President, Mr Andrii Yermak, and the Major of Kharkiv, Mr. Igor Terekhov. In a discussion with representatives of the All Ukrainian Church Council, they discussed the challenges of the war with faith communities in Ukraine.
“Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion, LWF has stood with the churches and people of Ukraine through prayers, advocacy for a just peace, and through humanitarian and diaconal work”, said LWF General Secretary Burghardt. “We are particularly concerned by the instrumentalization of religion in this conflict. LWF wants to represent a Christianity which protects human dignity”.
Meet people, hear stories
The delegation also included Rev. Dr Ireneusz Lukas, LWF Regional Secretary for Europe, Josef Pfattner, Regional Program Coordinator for the LWF Ukraine response, and Cornelia Kästner-Meyer, LWF Senior Communication Officer. In Ukraine they were met by Bishop Pavlo Shvarts, German Evangelical Lutheran Church of Ukraine, and Mark Mullan, team leader of the humanitarian LWF country program.
“It was very impressive to meet the people and hear their stories”, the LWF president said. In Kharkiv, the delegation spoke with people whose homes had been renovated by the LWF Ukraine country program and saw the very recent destruction by missiles and drones in the residential areas of the town.
“We have seen how important the work of our church and our country program are, as they give food and blankets for the people displaced by the war and rehabilitate homes, but also as they proclaim a Christian hope, in words and in deeds”, he added.
