United Methodists Await Word from UMCs in Ukraine after Russian Invasion

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UPDATED FEB. 25

As Russia invaded Ukraine Feb. 24, church leaders in Europe waited anxiously for word on the safety of United Methodists in both countries.

“What a horrible day to experience,” said the Rev. Dr. Ullas Tankler, regional representative for the General Board of Global Ministries, in an email. “Right now, I am connected to Ukraine leaders via messages.” He didn’t specify what the messages might have said about the safety of Ukranian church members.

Dr. Tankler said one of the churches is in Lugansk, a region invaded by Russia that has seen fighting between Russian separatists and Ukranian forces. There is also a mission to international students in Kyiv, the capital, which has been shelled.

According to the country profile on Global Ministries’ website, Ukraine has a population of “almost 46 million people with 25% under the age of 25. … The percent under age 25 is significant because these [people] were born after 1990 when the Soviet Union dissolved. Although Ukraine is more pluralistic than Russia or Belarus, almost 65% of its population is not affiliated with any religious group.”

Meanwhile, a map of the Eurasia Area shows more than 60 United Methodist congregations in Russia, Ukraine, and Baltic states. Russia encompasses four provisional conferences: Central Russia, Eastern Russia and Central Asia, Northwest Russia, and Southern Russia.

The Russia conferences along with the Ukraine and Moldova Annual Conference are under the jurisdiction of Bishop Eduard Khegay (Eurasia Area). On the day before Russia invaded Ukraine, Bishop Khegay issued the following statement on Facebook, which he offered to United Methodist Insight:

“WAR AND PEACE. Methodist communities in many countries of the world pray for peace in Ukraine. Our community in Lugansk needs prayer support. Residents of this city hear the sounds of guns; mass mobilization of men under 55 is going on. The situation is complicated and disturbing.

“As Christians Methodists, ‘we believe that war is incompatible with the teaching and life of Christ. Therefore, we reject war as a tool for national foreign policy and insist that the main moral duty of all nations is to resolve by peaceful means every division that arises between them or within them’ (Book Discipline OMC, ¶165B).”

Bishop Khegay ended his message with quotes from authors, including Russian novelist Leo Tolstoy from “War and Peace:” “War is not courtesy, but the most nastiest thing in life, and you must understand it and not play war.” Then he quoted Matthew 7:7, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and they will open to you.”

“Ask [God] for peace for Ukraine,” Bishop Khegay wrote.

Bishop's pastoral letter urges prayers for peace

On the day the invasion began, Bishop Christian Alsted, whose Nordic and Baltic Area is part of the Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference along with Russia and Ukraine, sent out a pastoral letter about the Russian threat and hopes for peace, starting with John 14:27 in which Jesus bestows peace on his disciples. Bishop Alsted wrote:

“There is war in Europe, Russia has invaded Ukraine, which is a free independent democracy. War and violence are evil and always entail considerable human costs. The Christian message points to the path of reconciliation and never to war and violence, as a solution to conflicts. In the face of this evil, we pray for a logic different from the one based on geopolitical competition. We pray for a change of hearts and minds of leaders, we pray for de-escalation and dialogue instead of violence and war.

“The Social Principles of the Methodist Church say: “We deplore war and urge the peaceful settlement of all disputes among nations. From the beginning, the Christian conscience has struggled with the harsh realities of violence and war, for these evils clearly frustrate God’s loving purposes for humankind. We yearn for the day when there will be no more war and people will live together in peace and justice.

“Our central conference consists of Nordic, Baltic and Eurasian countries, including Russia and Ukraine. The Christian Church is not nationalistic and our relations with our brothers and sisters in other countries are not limited by nationality or culture. We have deep relations with Methodists in Ukraine and in Russia, and although we are influenced by our culture and the political realities, we must never allow this to hinder or break our unity in Christ.

“We stand with the United Methodists in Ukraine in prayer for protection, reconciliation and peace. We pray for pastors, leaders, and congregations in the United Methodist Church in Ukraine; may God grant that their witness of reconciliation and peace will bring strength and hope to the Ukrainian people.

“We pray for Bishop Eduard Khegay, bishop of both Russia and Ukraine, may God give him the wisdom and grace that he needs in his ministry and leadership under these challenging circumstances.

“In the Nordic and Baltic episcopal area, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania all have borders with Russia, and in addition Latvia and Lithuania have borders with Belarus. In the Baltic states in particular, the invasion of Ukraine causes great concern.

“The United Methodists in the Nordic countries stand with the Methodists in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania in prayer for protection and peace. May the Church's testimony of reconciliation and peace in Christ offer hope and strength to the people in the Baltic countries.

“In the coming week we will enter the season of Lent, which in the church is a time for prayer and soul-searching. I call on all our congregations to intercede for the people of Ukraine, and for the leaders in the world, who have the power to bring an end to war. I call on all our congregations to pray and fast for reconciliation and peace in the world. May God, in his grace, open our eyes to the things that make for peace, may He protect us all from the escalation and spreading of war, and may we follow Him on His path of truth and peace.

“May Christ have mercy on us all.”

UMCOR preparing for humanitarian aid

Roland Fernandes, top executive of the General Board of Global Ministries, also issued a plea for peace in Ukraine on Feb. 24. He stated:

"The United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR), the humanitarian relief arm of Global Ministries, is in communication with partners in the region and actively exploring the coordination of humanitarian response in Ukraine. Support UMCOR’s international disaster response efforts by making a gift to Advance #982450."

Online prayer vigil set

Late Thursday the Love Your Neighbor coalition issued plans for a prayer vigil for Ukraine to take place Saturday, Feb. 26, starting at 9 a. m. Pacific Time, which will be 7 p.m. in Ukraine and 8 p.m. in Russia.

"We will gather by zoom for a brief worship, to hear prayers and share prayers for our world," said LYNC co-chair Mittie Quinn in a press release. Click here to register for the prayer vigil. You will receive the zoom information upon registration:

Cynthia B. Astle serves as Editor of United Methodist Insight, which she founded in 2011.