Breathing the spirit of peace in the air, we face challenges ahead. Our homes are under attacks of flying murder machines launched by an aggressor who is doomed to fall because of his pride. Conscription is enforced cruelly with deaths and injuries in detention by the army, with prison sentences for mere exercise of human right to conscientious objection to military service. Quakers, Friends of Ukraine, sought in prayer the divine guidance to overcome the evil, doing what is good, and right, and harmless. We are thankful to Michael Eccles, Executive Secretary of the Europe and Middle East Section of the Friends World Committee for Consultation, for joining our meeting for worship.
Introduction:
Friends, welcome to our meeting for worship.
I am thankful to Michael Eccles, Executive Secretary of Friends World Committee for Consultation, Europe and Middle East Section, for joining us today.
Next half an hour we will seek for peace and inward light, waiting for the move of spirit in the stillness of silence. You could turn on your microphone and say your ministry, if you feel led by the spirit, but let the silence fill the pauses between ministries. Our meeting for worship will be recorded and published because the Gospel says that the light must shine in darkness (John 1:5).
Yurii Sheliazhenko:
Friends, last week every night a big part of Ukraine including Kyiv can’t sleep quietly because of air raid alerts, because of attacks of Russian drones.
This Tuesday morning, several minutes after alert, when I was saving documents on my computer and preparing to hide in shelter, the horrible sound and flash of explosion nearby shocked me. My windows were broken.
I am thankful for divine blessing that I am alive, and my prayers are for those who lose lives every day because of the continuing war of aggression.
Unfortunately, not only Russian drones and rockets kill Ukrainians: we heard about new deaths in detention by military recruiters. Suffering from injustice of invaders, we can not be relieved by the wrong treatment of each other.
I ask you to hold in the light an Evangelical Christian Valentyn Adamchuk sentenced recently for three years of prison for conscientious objection to military service, it is a great injustice common these days, and I hope his appeal will be successful. He is free for now, but we need to hold in the light Dmytro Zelinsky and all other prisoners of conscience.
We also need to pray for recovery of Stepan Bilchenko, a conscientious objector and nuclear physicist who works in Lviv National University, abducted by military recruiters and found in vicinities of Zhytomyr with severe head injuries after attempt to forcibly transport him to military unit.
We need to care and keep praying for the end of the war.
There are good plans and discussions worthy to support and contribute.
We know it is not easy when Putin is stubborn and cruel in his effort to bring more death and destruction to Ukraine. But all those who persist in evil, feeling they are stong, eventually found that their days are numbered. And Putin’s tyranny and crimes also will come to end. His shameless pride brings him closer to fall into the abyss, as the Biblical wisdom of Proverbs 16:18 suggests.
Let’s wait in faithful worship for divine guidance to achieve just peace by nonviolent action, to do what is right and live in peace with everyone (Romans 12:17-18).
Serhii Yamkovenko:
Friends, the Lord said: seek My face, and I will give you peace (Psalm 27:8). As you are close to Me, so quickly will I be your peace and give peace to all who seek Me (John 14:27). Let us come closer to Him.
Kristen Richardson:
Добрий день, Друзі [Good day, Friends]. I am working my way up to being able to offer ministry in Ukrainian. I do my lessons every day.
Glad to see Liudmyla.
Liudmyla Holchanska:
Good day! Доброго дня!
Michael Eccles:
It’s very nice to be with all of you today, Friends.
Conclusion:
Friends, I am grateful to you for the inspiring time of worshipping together for peace in Ukraine and in the world.
We need to uphold in the light all those who suffer from wars and other injustices, including persecutions for refusal to kill.
I hope with faith and blessing of divine guidance next week will be joyful and peaceful.
Next Meeting for Worship will be held on the first day of next week, the next Sunday at 5 pm Kyiv time.