It has been about 972 days since the start of the war in Ukraine. We can imagine in our minds, the difficulties of daily living during a time of war. The places where you would do your shopping, grocery stores, pharmacies, clothes, etc., are all gone due to the ravages of war. Your home is just a shell with collapsed walls, a hole in the roof, the glass of the windows shattered, and no electricity since the power grid in town has been destroyed. If you are in the city, or rural areas, and you have access to water, toothpaste, and some medicines, it is only because you are connected to a refugee shelter. Those who are displaced because of the war can find some basic health and hygiene items to make life somewhat bearable during this time of scarcity.
As the video shows, the supplies that give some relief to those refugees are donated, in part, through the Crates for Ukraine project of Mission to the World (MTW). Our missionaries, Dal and Beth Stanton, have contacted one of our small groups about the potential of our church helping to fill some crates again this year. The pastoral staff agrees that it is good for our church body to assist these brothers and sisters in their distress. The crates go to churches, church members, families, and individuals who are displaced within the country as well as key medical facilities.
The cost this year to fill a crate is $2,500.00. Crates for Ukraine has a goal to fill 400 crates by the end of 2024. Last year, between the congregation and the diaconate, we filled ten crates at $1200.00 per crate, which amounted to $12,000.00. This year, the mercy ministry arm (deacons and deaconesses) of our church has decided to match the congregation’s giving up to $6,000.00. If as a congregation we give $9,000.00, and the diaconate adds $6,000.00, we could fill 6 crates. If we can fill 5-6 crates this year, wouldn’t that be a worthy goal?
So, beginning this Sunday, October 27, through December 1, 2024, we will gather cash donations for Crates for Ukraine. You can donate by check or online to Grace Church and identify your contribution as Crates for Ukraine. You can give on Sunday or at any time during the week. Once we have collected all our donations, we will transfer the funds to MTW under the Grace Church campaign account. We do not have to pack the crates this time, the organization will do the shopping and packing.
Nonetheless, giving to the Crates for Ukraine project is one way we can give aid beyond praying for our brothers and sisters in Ukraine during this war. Will you pray and consider giving to help these fellw believers? And as we give, you and I can be a reminder to them that the Lord is near, and our God is an everlasting Rock, who daily (including the 972 days of war), bears our burdens.
Grace and peace,
Pastoral Staff