Thoughts of Faith - Latest News
American volunteers teach English language song to Ukrainian VBS participants at the Radomyschl, Ukraine VBS
The Ukrainian Lutheran Church Vacation Bible School (VBS) program was held in early July for ten days at 14 locations around Ukraine. Some 850 children and over 150 adults were able to hear the precious Gospel message at VBS, many for the first time. This year 53 American volunteers traveled to Ukraine to assist the Ukrainian pastors and church volunteers with teaching the VBS lesson, songs, crafts and ESL lessons.
2007 Latvia Youth Camp participants and volunteers from Luther Preparatory School
The 2007 Youth Camp in Latvia was held from July 16-19 near Lake Usma in Western Latvia at the Bukdangas campgrounds. 45 Latvian youth from the Confessional Lutheran Church in Latvia (CLCL) participated along with 6 American volunteers from Luther Preparatory School in Watertown, WI. The group spent the days of the Youth Camp in Bible study, devotion, fun, games and fellowship.
Czech Students Visit Wisconsin
Martin Luther School in Plzen has been sending groups of 7th grade students to visit various WELS and ELS Lutheran schools in the US for many years. The families of our 7th graders, with help from relatives and family friends, pay all the expenses involved for their children. But, the generosity of the host families in the US makes these trips possible.
Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary President Paul Wendland teaches a course on Paul and Culture
During the month of June 2007, the Ukrainian Lutheran Church’s seminary in Ternopil’ began a new program of graduate-level study for pastors. Before this, pastors who wanted to continue their education and so better equip themselves for ministry needed to travel to the United States and take courses in English. Now they can study in Ternopil’ taking courses taught by U.S. professors but translated into Ukrainian or Russian or any other language needed. The credits earned in these courses will be accepted by the other seminaries of our worldwide fellowship and can lead to a Master of Sacred Theology degree
Special Gift for St. Sophia Seminary
St. Sophia Lutheran Seminary in Ternopil, Ukraine, was presented with a special gift by the local ULC congregation. It is a beautiful handcrafted banner that is intended to remind the students each day of the purpose they are studying. The words on the banner, Khruzate to euaggelion, means preach the Gospel
Katja Briza with her mother following her graduation from Wisconsin Lutheran College in Milwaukee, WI May 12, 2007
Ecaterina (Katja) Brinza, is from Plzen, Czech Republic and recently graduated from Wisconsin Lutheran College (WLC) in Milwaukee, WI on May 12, 2007 with a degree in communication. Before entering WLC, Katja agreed to go back to Plzen after graduation and teach at our mission’s Martin Luther School.
Church volunteers installing sewer line during church workday at the Ozolnieki Church, late April 2007
The Ozolnieki, Latvia church building project has recently picked-up steam again. The congregation is looking forward to an October 31, 2007 (Reformation Day) dedication. The project was temporarily stalled in 2005 when funding ran out due to unforeseen cost increases of building materials and labor. In late 2006, more funding was raised to finish the building project.
The European Regional Conference of the Conference of Evangelical Lutheran Churches (CELC) was held at the Martin Luther School in Plzen, Czech Republic from April 18 to 22, 2007.
Participants at this years conference included representatives from Germany, Norway/Sweden, Russia, Portugal, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Latvia and the United States. A representative from the Georgia Evangelical Lutheran Church was also present.
President Moldstad - Rev Richard Warnke - Rev Paul Schneider
The Thoughts of Faith Board of Directors meets three times during the year. Several events took place at the meeting on April 7th and 8th. Pastor Richard Warnke was commissioned as the Pastor Mentor to the Ukrainian Lutheran Church. Bill and Faith Krug were recognized with a ToF plaque for serving as Lay Mentor for a year in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. Oksana Diring was recognized for her years of service to St. Sophia Seminary in Ukraine.
Kermit Traska (left) with Judie and Tom Conzelmann
St. John’s Lutheran Church in Frankenmuth, Michigan. On Sunday February 11, 2007 Kermit Traska presents a handmade Ukrainian cross to Judie and Tom Conzelmann. Tom and Judie had recently returned from their second term as lay mentor to the Ukrainian Lutheran Church. They served September through November working on evangelism with the Sevastopol congregation. Sevastopol is in the very south of Ukraine on the southern most tip of the Crimean Peninsula located on the Black Sea.
