Blacksburg United Methodist Church and its Ukraine ministry team recently hosted a Ukraine Celebration in honor of the covenant relationship between the church and Spring of Life United Methodist Church in Kyiv.
On March 2, 2025, there were worship services dedicated to Ukrainian music and culture, Rev. Fred Vanderwerf as guest speaker, and a luncheon for interested parties to hear more from Rev. Vanderwerf and ask him questions. Worship was enhanced by videos sent from the Spring of Life pastor and musicians.
Rev. Vanderwerf, coordinator of In Mission Together – Ukraine, engages with Ukraine on behalf The United Methodist Church. While currently based in Minnesota, he makes one or two trips a year to Ukraine. He and his wife served as missionaries in Ukraine from 2000 to 2008, and he speaks the language. Rev. Vanderwerf had returned from a trip there just days before his visit to Blacksburg, so he was able to update the congregation on happenings with the country and the United Methodist Church in Ukraine. Many congregants were moved to tears by both sad stories and the inspirational work being done to help the Ukrainians. Spring of Life members were able to watch a livestream of the worship service. One parishioner emailed, “I am crying, it was soooo touching! Amazing service. Thank you!”
BUMC’s partnership with Spring of Life UMC began about 25 years ago and has seen church mission teams visit back and forth between Blacksburg and Kyiv. Members of the two congregations feel like family and still Zoom in order to keep in touch. A team from BUMC was scheduled to take part in a mission trip there in 2020, but Covid hit and then the war so sadly it was postponed indefinitely. Now, there are several BUMC youth — a new generation to carry on the ministry — interested in traveling there to serve when it is feasible. During wartime in Ukraine, the church and community have stepped up to help alleviate suffering there. Since spring of 2022, BUMC has sent over $184,000 to Spring of Life UMC, its members, shelters operated by its members, and associated humanitarian causes. Fundraising continues as the suffering in Ukraine has not abated.
For more information, see www.blacksburgumc.org/kyiv.
Jennifer Cooper, Ukraine ministry, Blacksburg United Methodist Church