Two Conversions in Ukraine

I want to share with you the latest news from Ukraine and the Ukrainian churches of Christ. Fierce fighting in Ukraine still continues. The Russian military still continues to push forward along the front lines. Every day they push back Ukrainians 200-500 meters. The Russians are using air bombs and unfortunately Ukrainians have no effective anti-aircraft defense guns. Also, the Russians are destroying critical energy infrastructure in Ukraine. During the last month the Russians have destroyed thermal power plants, railroad stations and electricity grids. Russia has scaled up its relentless aggression against the civilian population and civilian infrastructure in Ukraine in recent days.

The damage to civilian infrastructure has led to a fight for survival for Ukrainians who have been learning to live in perpetual mortal danger and – quite literally – growing darkness. The Russian missiles are not accurate and therefore many civilians are dying every day. The Ukrainian authorities have been forced to introduce planned power outages to prevent Ukraine’s remaining energy infrastructure from being overloaded, causing disruption to civilian life. 

It is a disaster for our country because the next winter is round the corner and it will be a huge challenge for our government and for our people. The electricians will try to repair the damages but as of now more than 50% of Ukraine’s power infrastructure has been destroyed. Unfortunately, the world is tired of the war in Ukraine and the funds that are being allocated to aid Ukraine are far from enough. Therefore, we are preparing for the worst. We still are trusting the Lord and pray that He would protect Ukraine. It is time for the churches of Christ to sow the seeds of the Word of God. To our great joy, we have good results: one of our graduates Oleg Fofanov is conducting great work in the vineyard of the Lord.

Last week, thanks to Oleg’s efforts and God’s grace, two ladies have been added to the body of Christ. Also, in the cities of Bila Tserkva, Chernivtsi, Kramatorsk and other locations, our brethren are distributing humanitarian aid  packages. While they give out humanitarian aid packages they preach the gospel to the refugees. In our Bible Institute we continue to teach Bible classes. Last month the Book of Daniel (the teacher was Vladimir Paziy) and the Gospel of Luke (the teacher was Dmitry Galyuk) were taught. Also, we conducted a magistrate education course (the teacher was Jerry Bates); the course was on planning and development of the church. This is a great opportunity for our graduates to receive new knowledge and become part of our staff. I am grateful for your prayers and the help that you give to Ukraine every day. This is a very heavy psychological burden for everyone who is inside the country. Every family, every child needs a prayer and support. May the Lord be with you and keep you, 

Your brother Dennis Sopelnik

Two years of war in Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

It's already the middle of March 2024 and the cruel and merciless war in Ukraine continues. Two years of the constant terror and bloodshed. People learned to function in stress. The social programs' funding gets less and less money. The people got poorer considerably. With these events in the background we appreciate so much the most valuable help from our American brethren who sacrificially give towards the needs of  refugees. This way we spread the Gospel and the people also receive a chance to be saved.

The Bible Institute faithfully continues its ministry. In February and March we had the following subjects - Minor Prophets, part 1, The Wisdom Literature (Instructor Dennis Sopelnik) and the Book of Job (Dmytro Galyuk). After each course the students have to take the written test and also the oral part of the testing. Our online studies definitely don't substitute the personal presence but it's the only safe option of keeping the studies going.

We keep working with the refugees in Leipzig as well. For us it's a wonderful opportunity to have fellowship with Ukrainians and share the Gospel with them. We don't have a lot of opportunities for the evangelism here so we try to use every chance we have.

I'd like to request your prayers for our bothers Dennis and Valentine who are in military now. Our student Dennis got married recently and he was allowed a short leave for the occasion. He was on the front line position with 0 distance to the enemy, it means he occasionally was 100-200 meters away  from the enemy trenches. A lot of fellow soldiers who had been drafted with him lost their lives. We keep him in our prayers at all times and it was God's good will to keep him alive.  And one of our Instructors Valentin is also in the military serving as  an officer in the headquarters. He aged considerably in the recent six months. His physical health deteriorated due to the constant stress and lack of sleep.  Both of them, as well as thousands of our defenders,  need your fervent prayers.

I'm very thankful to all of our preachers who try and help the needy. As an example I will tell about a very interesting event that happened in Bela Tserkva. Our brother in Christ and the local preacher Konstantin contacted one humanitarian fund. Those people came with their own pizza baking equipment and literally in the back yard of the church building cooked and gave away free of charge a lot of pizza. All the refugees who are in the city were told about the upcoming event and hundreds of people had a joyful feast. Of course, it was only a one time  event that doesn't resolve the humanitarian catastrophe but the people got a little hope for rejoicing. I wish you could see the eyes of the children who were given free pizza. They swallowed their slices in seconds!

The world has always been cruel, and only the love of God helps and keeps it in existence.

May God keep each of you.

Your brother,

Dennis Sopelnik

Challenging times in Ukraine

In my report I would like to share with you the news of the latest developments in regards to Ukraine and the Bible Institute of Bear Valley. The New Year was not peaceful; the entire territory of Ukraine was pounded with missiles that were launched by the Russians. Because of the artillery shelling we experienced blackouts; no electricity, no heating, no gas, no running water. More than forty of the innocent civilians were killed in the recent attack. The enemy tries to destroy infrastructure (so far, $100 billion in infrastructure damage and counting). It’s very harmful especially now when we are having sub-zero temperatures outdoors. This is why we are very grateful for your aid and the donations that you contribute to  congregations and to the entire Ukrainian nation.

The classes in the Bible Institute have started in the beginning of January. Currently, we have four students who are taking the classes. The current curriculum is the Book of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth. The instructor is Denis Sopelnik. Next, the students will be studying the 1st and 2nd Book of Kings which will be taught by Vladimir Paziy. One of our students (Victoria Radkevich) did finish her studies in December. She completed all the classes, and in May she will receive the Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies degree.

Unfortunately, the military mobilization campaign in Ukraine is in the next phase, and many Ukrainian men are pressed into service. There have been cases when Ukrainian military recruiters used harsh tactics to fill ranks. The troops’ losses in Ukraine are huge and many men are trying to stay at home and not venture outdoors. This is why we are utilizing on-line studies.

At the moment, my family and I are living in Germany; we are helping the local church congregation in the city of Leipzig. We continue to conduct Bible classes for the Ukrainian children and their parents. Last Sunday I was preaching in English for the first time; I was mainly reading my sermon outline on a piece of paper. I hope that soon I will be able to say a few phrases in German, too.

I am very encouraged that our instructors and graduates are able to conduct worship services in Ukraine (in Bila Tserkva, Chernovtsy, Uzhhorod, Kiev, Skvira and other cities). In these cities the local Christians are distributing humanitarian aid, while sharing the gospel with the refugees.

We are very thankful to the American churches which are continuing to help  Ukraine and the Bear Valley Bible Institute. We  persevere in our efforts to prepare the future ministers, even in these difficult times.

Your brother, Dennis Sopelnik

God still works in hard times

Dear brothers and sisters,

In my report today I would like to show how God works through the difficult times. Sometimes we don't know what to expect tomorrow but still we can completely trust God and His love. The studies continue in the Bible Institute. Thank God we have Internet and we can do everything on-line. Of course, it's no substitute for the real fellowship but we have this good opportunity to work distantly during the war times. Last month our Instructors were Denton Landonfor the Genesis and Dmitro Galyuk for Exodus -
Deuteronomy. Also the Masters' Program was resumed in December after the long break.

The last time we had the program it was during the pre-quarantine time in the whole world. We have a group of 6 students-preachers. Almost all of them are the graduates of the Bear Valley Bible Institute who now serve as Ministers in different congregations (Uzhgorod, Bela Tserkva, Poltava, Chernivtsy, Brovary). Currently they are taking the course called Introduction to Research Papers Writing.

During November and December we had a few baptisms initiated by our Instructors and graduates. One of them took place in Warsaw. Our Instructor Vladimir Paziy who is currently in Poland had studied with a man and recently baptized him for the remissions of his sins. There was one more baptism in Chernivtsy.

As I've written before my family and I are currently in Germany and we are trying to stay useful to the local congregation. Every Sunday after the services we invite and get together with some Ukrainian refugees for fellowship, tea party, time of crafts and tell them about the Church and Jesus Christ. We have had a few of such meetings by now and there are some regular visitors. We are grateful to Amerikraine fund for this ministry and the opportunity to help people out. And I'd like to thank all sponsors who work constantly towards the goal of keeping the ministry of the Bear Valley Bible Institute in Ukraine and training the preachers. At the present time we are working on the schedule for the next school year. If some of our American brethren like to teach a course we'd really like that. Please send me a personal message and we will discuss details. May God keep you,

Your brother,

Dennis Sopelnik

Praying for peace in Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters,

I'd like to share with you some news from the Bear Valley Bible Institute and some  changes in my family life.

About a week ago the students returned to the online studies after the evangelical practice and vacation. Currently they are studying the gospels of Matthew and Mark. I'm the Instructor, and the course will last a week and a half. The students had an opportunity to help the local congregations with delivering the humanitarian aid and establishing the contacts with the people who were receiving it. It was a good experience for them  as well as learning to preach and demonstrate patience in ministry. Vyacheslav and Alexander worked in Dnipro while Maksim and Vadim helped the congregation in Bela Tserkva. Victoria was in Kiyv and Chernihiv where she helped her husband in ministry.

About 3 weeks ago my family left Ukraine, spent some time in Warsaw and now we are in Germany, in the city of Leipzig. This city has the congregation of the Church of Christ where we worship alongside our brothers and sisters. We decided to make this difficult and responsible decision to secure the safety of our three children. We were physically and emotionally exhausted to constantly live in a state of stress. While in Warsaw I had an opportunity to preach and teach a lesson in the middle of the week. We noticed that there were many Ukrainian speaking preachers there and we decided to move to a different location where our presence will be more beneficial in our opinion. The congregation in Leipzig is multicultural, brethren speak Ukrainian, English, German and Spanish. There are some families from Ukraine here, people who we've known for a long time.

It looks like there are not too many news but the last three weeks were very tiring. We can't wait for the return of peace so we can safely go back to Ukraine.

We are grateful to all who continues supporting the  Bible Institute, the Instructors and my ministry.

May God keep you safe.

Your brother,

Dennis Sopelnik

Making adjustments in Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters, as well as the congregations,

We are very grateful for your prayers and your help that you constantly send to our country and the congregations of the Church of Christ.

The winter time is approaching and we are praying that we will have the opportunity to live through the colder time of the year. The warfare continues and, sadly, thousands of people die daily for the ambitions and desires of the handful of people with the power.

The Ministry of the Bear Valley Bible Institute.

In September Jim Sherman taught "Family Life", Terry Harmon taught the course on Homiletics and currently Vladimir Paziy is teaching "How we got the Bible". The studies are taking place on-line and we are trying to adapt to the new realities. In December we plan on starting Masters' program and we already have 6 students.

The Ministry of the Church in Bila Tserkva.

Last Sunday two people were baptized. It's a joyful event for the Church and for the Lord. An elderly couple from Kharkiv region stopped in Bela Tserkva fleeing from the war. During the previous year we helped them out, sent them food and helped in resolving their social problems. Some brothers would take them to the doctors' appointments, helped them make their living place more comfortable. They got attached to the church and experienced our love and care. They started attending the services regularly, studying with us the Word of God. As the result these two babies in Christ got on the way of salvation.  We pray that they will be an example for the group of other refugees who also attend our services regularly. Every Wednesday we keep on distributing the food packages and preaching the Gospel to newly resettled citizens of our city. This is a  good  opportunity to meet people and establish some friendships.

May God keep you safe and take care of you,

Your brother Dennis Sopelnik.

Classes forced to move online in Ukraine

Greetings, dear brothers and sisters,

News from the Bible Institute.

God has blessed us with the new academic year at the Bear Valley Bible institute -  Ukraine. This year there 5 students on the program. All of them and their families are from the territories where the active warfare is taking place. We are trying to provide some financial aid for them and pay their rent. By taking care of the physical needs we let the students study and devote themselves to the educational process without distractions. We are grateful to the brethren and congregations in the USA who provide the opportunity for our students to be get training and become the qualified preachers in Ukraine.

If you remember the history of our Institute in Ukraine it was founded in Kramatorsk and from 1997 to 2007 it rented a place from a private college and started training preachers. That was the time period of church growth in the Donetsk region. Almost every city would have a congregation and there were dozens of baptisms every month. Then the Institute moved to the city of Gorlovka and it started a new chapter in the history of the Bible Institute. And the building in Kramatorsk that we used for 10 years is now destroyed by missiles. Unfortunately Satan destroys what's dear to us and has value for us.

The first subject that our students had was Hermeneutics (taught by Dennis Sopelnik). Now Jim Sherman is teaching The Scheme of Redemption and Family Life. These are important courses necessary for the future ministers of the church.

We are also starting the Masters' program for our graduates.  We have 6 students as of right now and we are in the process of developing the schedule for them. This will be the first recruitment of the last 5 years. We are in constant need of Ukrainian Instructors and for this reason it's very important for us.

News from Bela Tserkva Church of Christ.

We are trying to spread the Gospel with the help of food packages distribution.  A lot of people are signing up for their turn and we are using the contacts as the opportunity. Also we ship the food packages to the terrorists that were reclaimed after the occupation. Mostly to the people we know personally and the people who are connected to our Christians. This is also a good way to demonstrate the Lord's love.

Last Saturday we had a seminar for our students and the church members on Apologetics. It was conducted by our American brother Michael Houts who works for the NASA. It was very interesting and educational.

Our government is preparing us for the hard winter. Most likely there will be shortages of natural gas, electricity and water because the Russians keep destroying the infrastructure of our cities with the missiles' strikes.

We ask you to keep praying for us and for our Instructor Valentin who is serving in the Military Forces of Ukraine. Please also pray for the speedy return of peace to our country.

Last month I had to have a knee surgery connected with meniscus tear. Please pray for me as the post surgery recovery is accompanied with some difficulties.

Thank you for your help and support. May God keep you.

Your brother, 

Dennis Sopelnik

An update from Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters,

Thank you for your prayers and your unfailing participation in the work of God. Last month our family had an amazing news. God gifted us with the 3rd daughter. We named her Diana. Praise the Lord, the labor went safely even though there was an air raid alert and the medical staff suggested us to move to the basement for shelter. Unfortunately, our hospitals are not prepared for such dire conditions and our family was very scared.

There were also some changes implemented in the work of the Bible Institute. We had to let go one of Instructors as the disciplinary action and some others followed him. We understood that it had to be done and calculated the risks of negative consequences.  However, we keep moving forward and everything is ready for the new school year.  As I mentioned in the previous letter the air raids are constant all over Ukraine, there's always a danger of blackouts and lost of the central heating. For these reasons we will transfer to the online studies until there's no danger for our Instructors and students. We have got 5 students for the first year of the program.

There are all temporally dislocated individuals and we will have to seek additional funding for rent needs of every family. On average it's about $200-300 a month.

It's been 1.5 years since the beginning of the active warfare and, naturally, people are exhausted and longing for peace. They want to go to work, buy groceries and clothes, have some normal rest and stop worrying about their families every second. But, unfortunately, we have to live with the prolonged war with extensive bloodshed. Currently we have the 3rd stage of mobilization. Men younger than 60 are dealing with forceful encounters in the streets when they are being given the drafting paperwork and sent to the military commissaries for medical evaluation and dispatching to the military units. The  fatalities are numerous and the military units are in constant need of recruits. It's very stressful emotionally for those who are scared and not willing to join the military. For this reason it's not unusual that men prefer to stay at home and only women go to work. The humanitarian aid is the only means of surviving for some people. We are trying to use this avenue to share the word of God and introduce people to the church.

Last Sunday I went to preach to Brovary to support the local  congregation that works for the Lord a lot. During the following week Konstantin and I went to Kramatorsk to deliver the grocery care packages. People there are in such great need that the list of people asking for help numbers over 500 individuals. And they are willing to wait for months for their turn.

There were baptisms this month in Kiyv, Nikopol, Kremenchoog. God is adding people to His family. It encourages us and gives us strength to keep working. Thank you for your love and support for our ministry.

May God keep you all,

Your brother Dennis Sopelnik

God blesses His own in Ukraine

How are you, brothers and sisters? In spite of all the hardships that our country is facing we have been able to finish this academic year. This year has been full of trials and  tribulations. We had to relocate our Bible Institute to the city of Chernivtsi, this was and still is the safest place in our country. During this year I had to commute back and forth from Bila Tserkva to Chernivtsi and supervise the academic process. Every time it took me approximately eight hours to travel one way. I couldn’t relax because of the constant air raid sirens, missile attacks on our cities, black-outs and power cuts, lack of heating and of water. 

But God is above all of our problems and He has kept us alive and well. As l look back, I can see how God has  revealed to us our strengths and weaknesses. God has shown us where we should labor.  This year three students graduated. One of them (Alexander) has already started work as a youth minister in the church in Chernivtsi. He has been preparing himself for this type of work during the last two years. Two other students (Anton and Timothy) are helping with the church ministry in the city of Kiev. That congregation doesn’t have a  full-time minister, and the local brethren are taking turns doing preaching and teaching. Over there, these graduate students are learning how to preach, prepare and conduct summer Christian camps. They work mainly with the youth and invite others to participate in youth group meetings.

The new school year will start in September. Now is the practice time; therefore, they are gaining experience in the labor of the church. Last week we drove to Kramatorsk (which is located twenty  miles from the frontlines) and delivered humanitarian aid, both to the local Christians and visitors who attend the Sunday worship services. This time we distributed humanitarian aid to 50 persons. Before we arrive, they get registered and then they look forward to our visits. Of course, there are many more people who are in dire need but it would require much more resources. Therefore, we help, first of all, those who are in the greatest need. There is a group of refugees in Bila Tserkva, roughly 20 persons, who regularly attend our worship services on Sundays and Wednesdays. They are studying the Scriptures, asking questions, and we are trying to help them to adjust to a new life in the city. 

There are also people who show up only once in a while but we still hope that they would commit to become regular visitors and maybe, later on, become members of the local Lord’s church. We have been conducting this type of work during the last year and only now we can see the fruit of our efforts. Naturally, some people make an appearance only to receive humanitarian aid but we’re praying that God will touch their hearts through our service.

We are very grateful for the assistance and for the prayers of the brethren who are supporting our ministry and helping us in our work.  May the Lord keep each one of you.

Your brother,

Dennis. 

Pressing on in Ukraine

Greetings to our dear brothers and sisters and churches. I am very grateful for your prayers and the assistance that you provide for the people of Ukraine. We still have a war going on that everyone is tired of, except for the aggressor. The Russian army artillery shelling rains down on the entire territory of Ukraine; the Russians are striking with hypersonic missiles. Both the military and civilians are dying alike every day. Many refugees are coming to us; we have distributed thousands of food packages but it seems like there’s no end to this.

People need food, clothing; many of them are resentful of their lives and angry at God. Many children are psychologically traumatized; they and their parents are calling us on the phone to get in line in order to obtain humanitarian aid. And all of this is happening far from the battlefields; at the frontlines there’s only death, pain and grief. New cemeteries are growing like mushrooms after the rainfall. We don’t even know the exact numbers of the fallen soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Bible Institute

Last month the following subjects were taught: the Book of Galatians and the Book of Revelation (teacher Denys Sopelnyk), Prison Epistles (Vitaly Rodichev). The month of May is the last month for our three graduates. It was a very difficult period for these guys. At first, it was the Covid 19 quarantine which forced everyone to stay at home in order to avoid the virus. Then the war began which made people move all over the place. During that time, we experienced massive missile and drone air attacks, in addition to blackouts and energy cuts. In a word, the reality is such that there was no quiet time during their studies. I am very grateful to all the teachers who, in spite of the hardships, found the time and made the effort to make sure that the preachers’ preparation program continued in Ukraine.

Church in Ukraine.

We are still trying to visit the town of Kramatorsk once a month where we are taking the humanitarian food aid. In May we made a second trip to that frontline town. It’s only twenty miles from the frontlines. We are distributing food packages and conducting evangelistic lessons; we also are inviting the people to attend our worship services on Sunday. Thank God, we have good results. People do come and listen to the gospel message even on the days when there is no food packages distribution. May the Lord keep and protect His church. Thank you for your love.

Your brother,

Sopelnyk Denys

Some good news from Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters,  as well as congregations,

We are grateful to God for His love and mercy He provides for us every day. The last couple of weeks the situation in the country remained very difficult, however, controlled. There's fierce warfare along the whole battle line and, sadly, both sides have a lot of fatalities. The freedom that Ukraine wants to defend is available only at the great cost. We ask for your to pray for us, for the Lord's church and for the peace in our country.

Bear Valley Bible Institute.

In the end of the last month our students had evangelical practice. It took place in the cities of Lviv and Chernivtsy. Viacheslav Shmakov and his wife went to Lviv where they helped the local congregation, taught lessons and preached at the Sunday services. The rest of the students body remained in Chernivtsy. They held Christian meetings for children, youth group meetings, paid visits to the members of the local congregation and served the refugees who had relocated to the city recently. In this way the students got a very good practical idea of what the ministry was like and how to be a part of the  process.

We have some good news. Our future graduate Alexander Radkevich will serve as the youth minister in Chernivtsy upon graduation. For the long time the congregation was getting ready for this important event and now the moment has come. You might remember that about a year ago I mentioned in my report that Alexander and Victoria had been married while our first year students. They are both young and full of energy, and  very excited to serve the Lord. The congregation in Chernivtsy will be their starting point where they can demonstrate their abilities. We are looking for some financial support on their behalf and if you are willing to help them or know someone who will be interested in sponsoring the ministry please get in touch with me.

The Church of Christ in Bela Tserkva.

During the last month we kept helping the relocated refugees. Usually we invite them to the Sunday service and when it's over we distribute the grocery care packages. This way we constantly have a circle of fellowship with the people who have needs.

Last week the Bela Tserkva church of Christ Minister Konstantin and I went to Kramatorsk to help out the local congregation with food packages. The church still meets there, about 10 Christians who  still can't evacuate from the city due to their personal reasons. The city is only about 12 miles from the front line and, as you can assume, the situation is critical. Major stores are closed down, and the smaller ones have raised the prices 1.2-2 times on all groups of merchandise. There are no jobs on the city and a lot of military personnel who use the city as their military base and move around the city from morning till night. A lot of times the city is attacked by the hostile artillery and there's not enough time for air raid sirens to react to the threat. Unfortunately, such as the life of many front line proximity cities where  hundreds of civilians still remain for various reasons. The government doesn't have funds to help with the resettlement in safer places and a very low income level for a large amount of the population makes people remain in the dangerous areas. We'd like to continue this ministry and we are looking for people  who'd like to financially support the project.

May God keep you and your families. Search for peace and remain in it. Thank you for your prayers and your help that you provide for our country and our congregations.

Your brother,

Dennis Sopelnik

Prayers for Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters, as well as congregations,

The war keeps destroying our cities, towns, villages and people's lives. But, on the other hand, it gives the Church an opportunity to come to the front in ministering to people. I wrote on many occasions that we were using this difficult time for humanitarian services and Gospel preaching. Hundreds of people get help and hear the preaching about Christ. Our time can be compared with the years of the Soviet Union's collapse when hungry and uncared for people used to come to the huge Palaces of Culture (Soviet community centers) with the desire to hear the  missionaries preaching the Gospel.

In my letter today I'd like to tell about the wonderful ministry started by our alumni Oleg Fofanov. Upon graduation he had preached in Konstantinivka. The church had been established there many years ago and he was happy to work there. When the full fledged war actions started he moved his family to the the Western Ukraine, to the city of Uzhgorod. It is the regional center and highly populated city close to the border with Slovakia. Last year they decided to establish a new congregation there and started assembling on Sundays. First, it had been a relatively small group of people, later many more relocated Christians joined them. We are very  saddened and keep praying for the church of Konstantinivka. Almost everyone from the church there left the city but now we have another opportunity to worship and minister in Uzhgorod.

Tragically, many Eastern cities (like Konstantinivka, Avdiivka, Bakchmut) are turning into piles of ashes daily. Before the war those places numbered the most congregations of the church of Christ. We trust God and His mercy only.

The Bila Tserkva Church of Christ.

We still distribute grocery and personal hygiene care packages. These days people come to the church building even on the days when there's no announced distribution. And some of them study the Bible with us more extensively. I'd like to ask for prayers for God's fruitfulness in Gospel preaching, that the planted seed would bring fruit.

The Bible Institute.

Last month our students had 1 and 2 Peter and Jude (Instructor Dennis Sopelnik), Hebrews (Albert Bagdasarian), Biblical Geography (Valentin Tsyopa). In the end of the month the students will have a week of evangelical practice. Usually students are taught to do street evangelism. We would place a table with Christian tracts and other literature, distribute the tracts and invitations to  the Sunday services. But during the last year our methods were changed. It got dangerous to be outside due to the missiles attacks and also because men could be given the drafting summon by the military recruitment department. One can end up being drafted even with zero military experience. So we moved all activities inside the walls of the church buildings. It seems to be safer.

We ask you to earnestly pray for the return of peace and end of the military activities. Many congregations were very generous with aids for refugees and people who found themselves homeless.

May God keep you,

Your brother,

Dennis Sopelnik

Continued challenges in Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters,

So, we are in 2023 now and soon  we will mark a one year anniversary of Russian military aggression while the cruel war continues on our territory. We are not informed about the numbers of casualties, how many killed and wounded the war claims daily. This is a tremendous price we are to pay for our freedom. It seemed that one could have got used to anything with time but it's has not been so with the war with its devastation and death. So many people who are refugees and resetlers come to us looking for help and their number increases. The front lines are constantly changing and people leave their home places looking for safety. We ask for your prayers, we need them so much. Constant  power outages and ongoing mobilization don't let us relax.

The church of Christ in Bela Tserkva.

With all these horrors in the background we keep ministering and got some good results. God opens up people's hearts and the Gospel didn't loose its power. In the beginning of the month  we had a baptism. Oksana from Nikopol decided to let the Lord into her heart. Her family had moved to Bela Tserkva in the summer and they lived in the church   building for about two weeks. Since then they were regular in attendance and the time came when she decided to submit to the great commission.

Every Sunday we have a lot of visitors who come for the grocery care packages. They share the information about the church by the word of the mouth giving us an opportunity to spread the Gospel among the unbelievers every Sunday.

The other news is that my family and some church members went to the winter retreat in Lviv. It was such an encouragement for us. We are very grateful to the congregation in Lviv and our brothers from the States (Walter and Chris) who raised funds for the event.

Bear Valley Bible Institute Ukraine

The classes at the Bible Institute resumed in the middle of January. The students had Homiletics II  (with Dennis Sopelnik), The Religions of the World (with Albert Bagdasarian) and Romans (A. Rodichev). And the happiest event of the month of January was the wedding of our student Viacheslav Shmakov. He married Margarita, his girlfriend of  many years, who was baptized last summer. Now they are the man and his wife. There wasn't a big celebration. They wanted to save up and have something fancier in the spring. We helped them to rent an apartment so they would have a place of their own. With all the dreadful stuff that's going on God keeps us safe and gives us beautiful moments.

We are so appreciative of your help and your love for us. We are very grateful for the funds that allow our students to stay in school and get Biblical education.

Your brother,

Dennis Sopelnik

Ukraine school and church continue to persevere

Dear brothers and sisters, families and congregations,

I'd like to sum up the results of 2022 and share with you some plans for 2023 in my letter.

First of all, my country was forced to face unprecedented warfare. All kinds of the most contemporary weapons, missiles, bombs and explosives alongside the newest technologies are being used in Ukraine. Even the air raid alerts don't come up in time as the supersonic missile of the newest generation hits and completely destroys 9 story apartment buildings with peaceful citizens inside. This full fledged warfare has lasted 10 months by now leaving behind hundreds of victims, millions of refugees, total blackouts, lack of heating and water. This is how the last year ended. It’s horrifying and saddening. But there's a little light in the end of the tunnel - God's promise and His salvation. Last year there were many baptisms. Thousands of care packages were distributed. Thousands miles of the roads driven evacuating people. As well as thousands of opportunities for inviting people to salvation.

We are no heroes. We just want to live in a peaceful country and do our job. We have not stopped studies in the Bible Institute in spite of the war. The Institute was relocated closer to the Romanian border and the classes continue. We have 6 students and 3 will graduate this year. One more student whose name is Dennis could have been here in the classroom but sadly has to be in the cold and damp tranches somewhere in Kharkiv region. He's protecting peaceful people from the aggression risking his own life.

My family worships with the congregation in Bela Tserkva, a city not too far from Kiyv. Unfortunately, most of the missiles are targeting Kyiv and its region destroying our energy infrastructure. We found ourselves in the trying circumstances. However, the church congregates every Sunday and works with the numerous refugees. Almost every Sunday we minister to them by distributing the food packages, sharing in their needs and helping them to adapt in the new place.

The answer to the question, "How much longer of this horror?" is in God's hands. We trust Him completely and wholeheartedly learning to find some good in everything. It feels like a holiday if we have 4-6 hours of electricity during the day giving us the chance to complete our daily chores. We are learning to appreciate everything we have and thank God for every moment.

As for our plans for the next year, we will keep working for the Lord. We have 2 potential students and some prospects for joining the Lord's family. These are happy happenings and they give us strength to move forward.

May God keep all of you. Many things would be impossible to accomplish without your help. We appreciate each and every brother and sister in Christ who keeps praying for us and supports us in this difficult time.
Your brother,
Dennis Sopelnik.

Still serving God in Ukraine

Dear brethren and congregations,

I am  very grateful to the Lord for all your fervent prayers and aid that you've been providing for Ukraine. Many of you know that we fight for our freedom in all aspects. There's no secret that Russia wants to destroy everything about our culture, morals and religion. This winter will be the most terrifying for all parts of our country. We lack electricity, mobile and internet connection, water and heat. The pressure of the problems increases daily. For instance, in the beginning of November we would not have electricity for 5-6 hours a day, but these days we only have it for 4-5 hours. It does not give us enough time to charge our phones and place calls. The occupants keep destroying our civil infrastructure by missiles and deprive us of the basic human necessities. However, the church continues to congregate and help people. Our Bible Institute is in session. The Gospel is being preached without ceasing. It gives us joy and hope for the future.

The Bible Institute and our students.

In November and December our students had 1 and 2nd Corinthians (Instructor Dmitry Galyuk) and Denominational Doctrines (Instructor Dennis Sopelnik).   Also in November we had Terry Harmon for a few days. He led the worship and encouraged many of our number. In the end of December going into the beginning of January our students will have a few weeks of winter  break. The office place where we have classes has heat which is very irregular. By God's providence the office building is connected by the power lines to the military hospital and it almost always gives us electricity, water and heating. If the situation doesn't worsen next year we will be relocating back to the Bila Tserkva.

Bela Tserkva Church of Christ.

Every Sunday we keep helping our refugees with the grocery care bags. It's a big help for the local community. The government doesn't have enough funds to supply the needy with everything necessary and the huge load is shared by the humanitarian aid relief organizations as well as churches. During the last Sunday gathering about 20 people got food and heard the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  So many are presented  with the opportunity to become members of the Lord's family.

We are grateful for all your prayers and support. Nobody could imagine that the country in the middle of Europe would struggle with electrical supplies,  Internet connection and heating during the coldest part of the year and beg God to let the next missile land elsewhere, not on your house.

May God keep each of you safe. Count every blessing and don't take for granted everything we have daily.

Your brother and coworker in the Lord's vineyard,

Dennis Sopelnik

Doing the best they can in Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

We are looking forward to the end of this year hoping that the peace will return and our lives will be back to normal. For the most important warfare news I'd like to mention the following:

1. The Ukrainian army keeps on liberating the occupied territories even though the full liberation is still in the distant future.

2. The Russian army strikes our civilian infrastructure with their missiles daily blowing up our power and gas stations.

3. The  country lives with regular blackouts when both electricity and the natural gas used for heating are in short supply.

Now we know how to be inside the building with no heating even when it's 17 degrees outside.  Most importantly though is that the people are learning to be thankful and pray without ceasing for peace and the end of the war. I have complete assurance that God keeps it all in control.

The Bible Institute.

The studies are still taking place in Chernivtsy. We are aware of the urgency of training the preachers and the leaders for the Lord's kingdom. This month our students had the 1st and 2nd Thessalonians (Instructor - Vladimir Paziy). And the students had a time of evangelical practice in a few cities simultaneously (Chernivtsy, Lviv and Kyiv). They studied and taught the lessons, sermons, distributed the Christian tracts and literature. Some of them went to the orphanage and studied with the teenagers.

Bila Tserkva church of Christ.

We are still ministering to the refugees and their needs. This month we gave away many grocery packages, pillows, blankets, warm clothes and helped people to pay their rent. It's a lot of work to assist with people's needs. The congregation is actively involved in the social work and it gives us the opportunity to talk more about Christ and the salvation through Him. Every week we have people asking for help. Some of them can live in the church building if they can't find anything to rent right away. It's a tremendous blessing to serve as God's hands and be a part of helping the needy.  Thanks to the help of many American brethren we own a great generator in the church building. It means people can get warm in here and charge their phones even if the electricity supply system of the whole country is destroyed.

We are very grateful to you for your prayers and financial help to us in Ukraine during these difficult times. God is merciful and caring towards us.

Your brother,

Dennis Sopelnik

Trusting the Almighty in Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters, as well as the congregations,  

The war continues in our country and we feel it every day. Ukraine is being hit by the Russian missiles, and it doesn't matter to what part of the country you relocated - the missiles land everywhere. Last week the city, where I live got attacked. The kamikaze drones manufactured in Iran were targeting the military base and all the barracks were blown up. My children and my wife were terrified and we rushed to the basement of the multi apartment building to wait this night strikes out. Undoubtedly, it influences the people's character, children being especially vulnerable. Many people are very unstable emotionally with fewer smiles and less compassion. It is understandable because every second can be your last one. We ask you to keep praying for peace in Ukraine. The war took lives of so many civilians and the military fatalities are not even known to the general population. 

The Bila Tserkva Church of Christ.  

We keep ministering to the refugees who relocated to our city. We purchase groceries and distribute them weekly. We invite people to the church building, then have some evangelical classes, answer their questions and after that give them groceries, clothes and the Christian tracts and literature. Unfortunately, some people took food and never came back. But we also have a few people who lived in the church building in the beginning of the war who still come to the services.  

The Bible Institute in Chernivtsy.  

The students are having the time of evangelical involvement right now but earlier this month they had The Minor Prophets (part 2) taught by Vitaly Rodichev and Leadership course taught by Dmitro Galiuk. The evangelical practice of our students takes place in a children's boarding school in Zacarpathian region. The children who reside there are originally from the city of Dnipro. This city is under constant military pressure. The classes will resume in the end of October. 

We are very thankful to all the brethren and congregations who donate towards the needs of the refugees. It's a very critical ministry because so many of then lost literally everything. They are so glad to take the necessary provisions.  

God has everything in control. We panic occasionally but He is faithful and almighty. 

Your brother in Christ,  

Dennis Sopelnik

Ukraine school continues even through war

Dear brothers and sisters, 

I am sending you a report about the events in the church in Ukraine during the month of August and the beginning of September of 2022. 

The Ukrainian events. 

We are still in the middle of active warfare. Unfortunately, the constant air raid alerts and missile strikes landing on Ukrainian territory don't let us lead a normal life. So many of us don't remember what it's like to peacefully sleep through the night. I think it will take years for us to recover from the psychological trauma. The most dangerous events took place in the East and the South of the country. Daily artillery attacks, aviation bombings, and rocket launcher systems strikes hit Ukrainian cities and villages. During the last few weeks, the Ukrainian military forces were able to reclaim the territory of the Kharkiv region to face the atrocities of the Russian occupation aftermath, especially in the city of Izium, where they discovered mass graves with the bodies of civilians and children. In 2006-2007 we had intentions of founding a new congregation in this city. We beg for prayers for Ukraine. 

Bear Valley Bible Institute in Chernivtsy.  

The school year started on August 29th. The Institute had to change locations 4 times during the recent 15 years. It's inconceivable but with the Lord's help, we continue to do the impossible. Of course, you understand that the work of the Institute involves not only students but also the Instructors, their families, books, furniture, etc. Some smart people compare a change of location to a fire, and I'm afraid I agree. 

Currently, we have 6 students. They are all young and full of desire to serve the Lord. The first two courses were Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther and The Intertestament Period (taught by Dennis Sopelnik). Now they have an introduction to the Greek language (Instructor Valentin Tsyopa). The classes continue as scheduled.

The Church in Bela Tserkva and Ukraine in general. 

As I have written before, we keep helping out the refugees. In the church building, we have people from different places in Ukraine that are occupied by Russians or the ones with active warfare strikes. We give them 2 weeks to get all the paperwork done to get some financial aid from the Government and find a place to rent and a job. Occasionally we are able to have some food packages for refugees. This is a way of reaching out with the good news of Christ. We have good response, some people started attending the services. Obviously, it costs money and thankfully, our American brethren support this ministry periodically.  

We are extremely grateful to all brothers and sisters as well as the congregations who help us during this time of trials. May God strengthen each of you. By God's good grace, we keep working and ministering to people who lost hope. Our God is great!  

Your brother, Bear Valley Bible Institute Dennis Sopelnik. 

Remaining strong in Ukraine

Hello, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, and the congregations,  

The situation in Ukraine. 

I'd like the share with you the latest events that happened to us during the last month. Sadly, the warfare on the territory of Ukraine continues. The world's population got used to the news about it but hundreds of killed and wounded people daily don't let us forget and accept as normal what is happening to our country.  We are used to go to bed and get up hearing air raid alerts and our children still beg us to stay with them in their beds so they can go to sleep. These horrors go on. Thousands of people still evacuate from their homes running away from the war. And we keep trying to help them out with everything we have in our possessions. We are very grateful to all the brethren who sacrifice for this ministry. Together we helped a lot of people and gave them a chance to adapt to the new place. 

The Lord's Church in Ukraine.  

On the one hand we deal with destruction, pain and woe but, on the other hand, there are a lot of baptisms in Ukraine these days. Every week we witness how in different congregations people are being baptized in water. While accepting the humanitarian aid, people hear the word of God and obey the Gospel. It encourages us to continue in the Lord's work spreading the Gospel. During the last month I personally got news of more than 20 baptisms. And I'm proud to share my personal joyful news that my older daughter Polina also entered into the covenant with the Lord. She made the most important decision about her salvation and now we are assured that she will never be alone in this world. 

One more exciting and joyful event for the Church was the Christian camp Amerikraine. This year it took place in Lviv. It was such a wonderful time when the Christians from all over the country were able to unite and pray, have lessons and fellowship. It was such a breath of the fresh air during this challenging time. We thank our American brethren and Jeff Abrams for this opportunity and help for the church of Ukraine.  

Bear Valley Bible Institute.  

During these months our students were involved with the kids in different VBSs. They learned to teach children, preach publicly, have Bible studies and spread the Gospel. For the next school year we will add 4 more students. Thus, the total number of the student body is 8. And they start the classes in the beginning of September. One more student is still serving in the Ukrainian Military.  

We are grateful to everyone who help our Institute and the Ukrainian Church. We will face these difficult times together.  

May the Lord keep His church and Ukraine. 

In Christian love,  

Dennis Sopelnik 

Pressing on in Ukraine

Dear brothers and sisters,  

This summer I, as well as many other Ukrainians, will remember for a long time. We are still in the heat of the warfare and Russian missiles still strike our peaceful cities. The state of being stressed out and being in danger is a part of everyday life for millions of people who are in this country. The most difficult situation is in the Eastern part of the country where the military forces of the occupants obliterate cities and villages. Many civilians from those regions try to leave their homes and relocate to the safer parts. At the times like this, the Church is presented with a lot of opportunities to demonstrate God's love and help out the people who lost their houses and their income. There's everything necessary in our church building to house the refugees and make them comfortable. As of this moment, we host a few families in the church building who are looking for a place to rent permanently in the city of Bela Tserkva. We ask for your prayers for peace in Ukraine. 

The students from the Bear Valley Bible Institute are busy with summer practice. They work alongside the congregation in Chernivtsy. These days they have VBS for the children of the refugees and the students are involved daily. They are also presented with the opportunities to have the Bible studies with the refugees. Also the church is very involved in social volunteering, students can visit with the people, cook the meals, etc. Many, of course, come to get some financial and physical aid but there are some who having been helped ask to fulfill their spiritual needs. It's very inspiring when people ask to tell them more about salvation through Jesus Christ. In Chernivtsy and Lviv our graduates, now preachers, baptize people almost every week and the Lord adds the saved ones to the Church.  

It's hard for everybody during the war. Usually we think that the most vulnerable (children, women and elderly) are suffering but, sadly, everyone goes through the trials. I ask for your specific prayers for the ministers and the Church workers. Every day for hours they have to listen to personal stories of loss, suffering, persecution and sorrow. They are the first ones to stretch out the helping hand and support in the time of crisis. It's very hard mentally to be emotionally invested in these stories while finding out the words of comfort and come up with good advice. Hundreds of pounds of food, medications and hygiene products are distributed to the people who leave their impact on the hearts of the ministers. Apostle Paul knew what it's like and only now we understand how it happens in real life - 2Cor. 11:28: "And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches ".  

We are grateful to all American congregations, brothers and sisters in Christ who support the ministry to the refugees. The church of Christ in Ukraine provides a lot of help to the needy. It demonstrates how much the Lord loves us. 

May God keep you safe!  

Your brother,  

Dennis Sopelnik