Bruceton Church of Christ

Greeting to you our brothers and sisters in Christ!!!

The ABC Bible school year has started successfully. We are having about 120 children according to the last counting. It was so relieving when we saw them coming: the new ones and the old ones. They have been enrolling since August and continue to come up to this moment. A great joy we have in our hearts when we see new students come by the recommendation of their friends who showed loyal attendance in previous years. We also would like to admit that for the last sever-al years we have not had the opportunity to teach senior students because it was their last years of the high school so they were busy preparing for the future tests. This year we have those students back and it is so good to have this age (15 -16 years old) with us again. Our state educational program included English test on their finals so this is the reason the seniors started to look for the opportunity to study English, we do appreciate that some of them showed the interest in our ABC school.

So the age groups what we have now are:

5-6 years old – preschool education, Bible stories and crafts

7-9 years old – Bible and English

10-12 years old – Bible and English

13-14 years old – Bible and English

15-16 years old – Bible and English

16+ years old – Bible and English

We have five teachers, plus preachers are helping us with the Bible classes.

Our schedule for different age groups is:

Monday – 15:00; 16:00; 17:00

Tuesday – 15:00; 16:00; 17:00

Wednesday – 16:00; 17:00

Thursday – 15:00; 16:00; 17:00

Friday – 15:00; 16:00; 17:00

Every year we try to have something for the parents of our students. This year is not an exclusion. October 16, 19-22 we had parenting session on “Train up a child in the way he should go…” Jeff Abrams was the main speaker.

A good news that this year we have new teacher from Konstantinovka on a regular basis (last year she had been helping some), her name is Kate Gladkih and she is the one who used to come to study at ABC herself. She is 20 years old and she is so good with children.

Some of you used to help the girls from Konstantinovka for the summer VBS to go to Svyatogorsk. So two of them are teaching in Christian school (one of them— Julia, teaches in Dnepropetrovsk) and Kate teaches in Kramatorsk and Konstantinovka. It was very good investment and such a great help! Thank you!

We want to thank you for your prayers and help, please greet the brethren there and let them know that Bible is taught in Ukraine and the children are so receptive. Let’s pray they will remember it when grow older, practice it and teach their children in turn.

Thank you very much. In Christ, the teachers’ staff of ABC school.

Dear brethren

Skvyra church of Christ greets you.

The average attendance for Sunday worship in August-September was 11-14 people, 5-7 at Wednesday Bible class. At our Wednesday Bible class we just finished to study the book of Revelation.

I will begin from sad news. About 2 month ago our sister Natasha Zhembrovskaya died. She was only 43 years old. She died because doctors diagnosed wrong . For few days before death she felt bad and spent in a hospital. She received therapy from heart problems. But after her death doctors discovered that she had pneumonia and it caused her death. She did not have high temperature and possible it was a reason of wrong diagnose. We helped family with funerals. All members were shocked by its sudden death as she was young woman.

Natasha was baptized about 9 years ago and was a good sister during many years. It was some time when she did not attend church. But for last half of year she attended almost all worships and Bible classes. It was great loss for our congregation but we believe her soul for now in much better place.

Now good news. 5th of September we had baptism and for now we have a new sister in Christ. Nastya Lahman is 15 years girl that decided to invite Jesus in her life. Nastia started to attend our church long ago. When she was 5 years old her grand mother Ludmila took her to our church each Sunday. She was attending often our Sunday Bible classes for children and took participation almost in all our Summer VBS. I made a picture and attached to this letter where Nastia stays near her picture that she draw 9 years ago at one of the Bible class for children. This picture always was since that time when she draw it. On that picture there is writing in Ukrainian “God is love” Nastia Lahman 2007. We all proud of Nastias choice and that she joined our christian family in Skvyra.

15 of September on of our sister Valentina Filipovna celebrated jubilee

80 years. We went with members and congratulated her. For last 1.5 years she is not able to come to the church as she has Parkinson's disease. We visit her and encouraging her.

Two days ago Andriy Zhuravlev family moved to Bila Tserkva. They stayed for 1 year and 4 monthes at our church building but as soon as department of Bear Valley Bible institute moved to Bila Tserkva where Andriy often teaches classes. They also made this decision because it will be not possible to come back Gorlovka nearest time because it still be under occupation. So they moved to two room flat (rented) in multistory building in Bila Tserkva. Actually they had all good conditions in church building but I think it was not enough space for 3 persons in one little room to stay for long time. Passed Sunday Andrei preached and after worship we had lunch at church with all congregation. Zhuravlevs family told thanks to all in church for help and hospitality. We also told thanks to Andriy for teaching Bible classes and help with work in the church. Andriy also told that they will visit us from time to time. Currently Veronica mother Vera still live at our church building.

In continuation of our summer VBS we planned before to organize activities for children at church building at the end of Summer but we changed our plan to have same activities in the end of October - beginning of November. We want to have meeting for children on constant bases and according to our previous experience it would be better time to start such activitiesr.

Most of the church members in the general OK. Vladimir Ilnitsky health condition still be same. He asked to support him financially if possible because government still not supply his free medicine as it was in previous years and he still be in a great need.

The winter period is coming and we will switch on our heating system at church building soon. It became the problem this year . Passed heating season we payed $5 for 100 cubic meters of gas and used in average 450-500 cubic meters per month during heating season (monthly payment was $20-$25 for heating) . For this new heating season gas grown in price very much. The price of first 200 cubic meters will be $35 each other 100 cubic meters will cost $35. So according to my calculation we need $122,50 only for gas payment but together with electricity and water bill it will be $160 -$170 per month in heating season. So we ask for support to keep church building warm. Any your help will be appreciated.

This winter will be very hard especially for retired people as payments rises but we put our hope on our Lord he taught us not to worry but seek first the Kingdom of God as we will do.

Thanks for your great support and prayers.

With love in Christ, Andriy Pomaz