Note from Skvyra, Ukraine

Dear brethren,

Skvyra Church of Christ greets you.

The average attendance for Sunday worship in January- April of 2018 was 8-14 people 2-5 at Wednesday Bible class. At our Wednesday Bible class we studied the Gospel of Luke. We also had children classes on Sundays with 2-4 children. Inessa taught children class and her Mama Nadia helped sometime with crafts.

In the beginning of this year we had nice highlight activity 3 day campaign of work with children. In March of 2017 we had such campaign that we had about 30 children visiting Bible classes that have been taught by Walter. Children and parents liked that very much and January 17 -19 of 2018 we had same campaign where Walter Rayburn and Chris Moran taught Bible classes. During those 3 days children had possibility to learn Bible stories, to sing Christian songs, to play games, to get acquainted with Skvyra congregation Church of Christ.

Also during those days Walter and Chris taught series of evening Bible classes for the church members and visitors. Chris also preached on Sunday service.

We know that all this work was done each day after teaching series of classes in the Bible institute in Bila Tserkva and they did their very best to
> encourage our church and children. Walter and Chris also did benevolence for some members that were not able to cover medical bills. Walter also passed funds for replacing heating radiators for the heating system at Church building in Skvyra. So all our congregation express our great thanks for hard work and support of our congregation. We invite Walter and Chris to visit us next time when they have next visit to Ukraine.

At January 14 of 2018 our dear sister Maria died. She was 91. She was one of the oldest member at our congregation.  Since she was baptized in 2001 all the time she visited all church meetings. Maria was always positive and always smiling. She was really good example for all of us. She was born in
far 1926. In 1933 it was great famine in Ukraine artificially made by Soviet government and millions of people died. So Maria in age of 7 years lost both of her parents and hardly survived. In 1941 World War II came to Soviet Union and Maria with her aunt stayed in same village under the German occupation. After the war in very young age she as many other young people worked hard at the wood plant loading the wood lambs and pushing loaded with wood train cars to the nearest train station. All this job was done for slice of bread and bowl of soup…It’s hard to imagine that Maria passed through all those trials in her life and in her 91 she was keep smiling. Each day in the morning when I passed near her house I saw her staying near window reading the Bible. Even she was 91 but visited all worships and Bible studies. Few years ago when she was better health condition she took care about other elderly people helping and encouraging them. It’s a great loss for our congregation and we missing Maria so much.

This winter was hard for us because was so long time with snow and very cold weather. From January we had often snow and frost. Till the end of March we had low temperatures. Last snow melted in the end of March. Some of the members had complication with health during that period. Valentina Chernienko was at hospital because of heart problems. Ira Palienko had problems with walking and also was in hospital in Kiev.  My mam Lidia had problems with heart and with high blood pressure and she also had treatment in hospital in Bila Tserkva. Now she is better but still have problems with high blood pressure. Inessa’s mother had surgery recently and still recover after the surgery.

Two weeks ago Vladimir Ilnitsky broke leg and can’t walk. It’s not good when he is on dialysis and has diabetes. In two weeks doctors will check his leg with x-rays if it’s recovered. It’s problem for Vladimir and his mom to go to dialysis because before they used public transportation to get to Bila Tserkva to dialysis. But for now they need to rent taxi because Vladimir can’t walk and it’s very expansive for them. He asked me to write you if anybody of you can help him with money on renting taxi on this period ($200) because they can’t cover this cost.

Now about some good news. This year we have “baby boom” at our congregation. April 4 in family of our members of Valeriy and Larisa baby boy was born. They named him Mark. It’s another boy in their family. It’s nice to see this young family in our church few weeks after birth. Larisa came with her new born baby to the church. Everybody were happy to see them.

My wife Inessa also pregnant now. We are waiting for a daughter. Baby delivery time is going to be in the middle or end of May. So please pray for Inessa and our baby the going to be born. We will keep you updated about this.

8 of April our brother LT visited us. He was traveling as usually to the Bible institute and one of Sunday visited our church. We were happy to see him again. He preached at our congregation when it started in 1994 and he still visiting us ones per year since that time. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful brother.

We still have some time students and teachers of Bible institute visiting us. Two weeks ago we had brother Taras and sister Masha from Kramatorsk. Taras preached good encouraging sermon.

Now is spring and we prepare for replacing of heating radiators and pipeline for the heating system. Starting to prepare for the next winter. The work is planned for the second part of May.

In the end of this letter I want to express thanks for all of you for support of our work, for prayers. Let god bless you and your families.

With love in Christ,

Andrew Pomaz, the preacher of
Skvyra Church of Christ