Sunday, February 4, 2007

Brown Bus, Lviv, Ukraine

Palmer P. of East Aurora, NY writes:

Today we worshipped at New Life Church.  This Church is about 6 years old.  Pastor Misha’s energetic and passionate vision was a ministry to prisoners.  He desired to help them when they are released to get back into society.  There are 6 former inmates residing in the Church building.  Many former prisoners are now married with families, including their Deacon, and are still very active in the Church.  They visit 4 prisons, sometimes as often as 4 times per week.  Pastor Misha is aware that the prisoners need discipleship more often than once or twice a month. 

This morning we entered the Church just before 10 a.m.  The approximately 125 members of their congregation were just arriving.  We accessed the Church by walking through a steel gate into an alley, and then through a steel door into the 4-storey former manufacturing building.  The building was sitting vacant when Pastor Misha purchased it to provide a shelter for the former prisoners.  Using their unskilled labor, it is being transformed into a beautiful multi-purpose facility. 

The Auditorium is located on the second floor of the structure.  The floor below is being finished for the future Auditorium, with more seating capacity and a baptismal.  Above the auditorium floor are the classrooms and the top floor houses the single men.  Once you enter the auditorium, you find a wonderful, wall-sized painting on the front wall.  It depicts a cross in the upper left-hand corner and many colored striations throughout.  Pastor Misha explains that this is representative of the many struggles and triumphs of life on Earth, but if you keep focused on that cross and what it represents, you will be victorious.

One of the most moving experiences of the service was the singing.  They had prepared the media screen with the Ukrainian and English words to the Worship songs.  With all of us singing in unison, it was a great reminder of how God can hear and understand every language and tongue.  As our voices melded in song, led by the youthful Praise Team and accompanied by the keyboard and guitar, it was a small taste of what Heaven may sound like.  It was especially moving that the whole congregation had learned OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART in English to sing with us during our visit.

In closing, I would encourage everyone to attend a multi-cultural Christian worship service – there will be an opportunity on the next GAiN trip!