Ukraine and Moldova, as members of the former Soviet Union are now in a transition. Churches are no longer illegal and many are being reopened. Yet the governments are frequently reluctant to relinquish control of church buildings which may be of use to them. In many cases the parishioners of those churches, closed in the 1930s, are either dead or dispersed throught the world. Compounding the problems is the collapse of the Communist econonomy with no orderly transition to a market economy. No one has any money to rebuild church buildings or support active ministries.This leaves a huge vacuum...Godless Communism has failed but what will take its place? There are thus two needs in the Black Sea area: To bring the people the Word of God once again and to provide the people with basic needs like food, clothing and shelter. This presents a Christian duty and an opportunity to us as confessing Christinas to fill those needs.
We have posted this web page to provide information on the three Evangelical Lutheran Church denominations which are presently active in missionary efforts in the area. All of these denominations have members of German Russian heritage as well as those of every other nationality present in Ukraine. Numerically this is not a large group. Altogether, there are about 75 congregations in the three Lutheran denominations with a total of about 8,000 people in an area (Ukraine and Moldova) having a population of about 55 million inhabitants. In 1911, there were at least 200,000 Lutherans in the Black Sea area alone. Including those who lived in Northern Bukovina, Eastern Galicia and in Volhynia, which are all a part of present-day Ukraine, there were at least 400,000 Lutherans then residing in the area of present-day Ukraine and Moldova. In 1911, there were also large communities of German-speaking Roman Catholics (196,000) and Mennonites (104,000) in the Black Sea area, with much smaller numbers of Reformed and Baptists (together perhaps 25,000).
Summary
The three Evangelical Lutheran Church denominations active today are:
GELCU - German Evangelical Lutheran Church in Ukraine - connected to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (in fellowship with the Anglican Church in Canada) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (in fellowship with: Moravian Church in America, Reformed Church in America, Presbyterian Church in the United States, The Episcopal Church and the United Church of Christ)
ULC - Ukrainian Lutheran Church - connected to WELS - Canada and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and the Evangelical Lutheran Synod
If you would like more details, we have prepared a document about current work of the Lutheran Church in Ukraine and Moldova. This document in PDF format can be downloaded by Clicking Here. To reach a web page on the Lutheran Churches in the Volga Region of the Russian Republic, Click Here.
If you would like some information about Lutheran Churches in Volga area of the Russian Republic, you can download a document by clicking Here.Clicking Here.
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 Recently-restored Nikolaev Lutheran Church |
 Old Lutheran Church in the village of Johannestal, now Ivanivka. The ULC holds services here about once a month. |
Questions??? Please contact this webpage Editor: Ray Heinle
Visitors to this page since June 30, 2003.
27 May 2005
