A powerful moment of God’s faithfulness unfolded recently at Holy Trinity Church in Kyiv, where years ago my wife Marina and I celebrated our wedding – the first ever held in that sanctuary. Returning to preach there highlighted how God weaves together relationships and ministry partnerships for His purposes.
Drawing from 1 Samuel and Hannah’s story, I shared with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters about holding fast to God’s goodness even in times of deep suffering. Hannah’s journey resonates deeply with Ukraine today – though she couldn’t see God’s full plan when He closed her womb, her faithfulness was part of His grand design leading to Christ Himself through events began to unfold from the ministry of her son Samuel.
To illustrate God’s redemptive work, I invited a volunteer to taste bitter baking soda followed by a delicious muffin containing that same ingredient. This powerful metaphor I first heard shared at my sending church – Camelback Bible Church (CBC) – a detail that beautifully demonstrates how God orchestrates partnerships for His kingdom. CBC served as Holy Trinity’s Sister Church in the first year of war, providing crucial support that enabled the congregation to minister to countless war victims seeking refuge and hope.
The Lord continues using partnerships between churches to sustain and multiply ministry impact across Ukraine. Through our Sister Church program, congregations worldwide can come alongside Ukrainian churches, supporting their vital work of sharing Christ’s hope and practical care in these challenging times. We praise God for how He’s using these relationships to advance His kingdom and invite you to pray about how your church might participate in this transformative work.
We celebrate with profound gratitude all our prayer and financial partners who make this ongoing ministry possible. Your faithful support enables us to continue pointing people to Christ’s faithfulness, even in life’s bitter moments, trusting that He is working all things together for good according to His perfect plan (Romans 8:28).