Pastor N’s wife from Kazakhstan was forced to take a “vacation” without pay. Suddenly raising three small children got extremely difficult.
In a large Russian city, a pastor and his wife ran an after school program, but as the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, they had to close their tutoring agency and were left with no income. How to feed children and pay the rent became an everyday challenge.
From St. Petersburg on the Baltic to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, and from Voronezh in southwest Russia to Nur-Sultan in Kazakhstan, we have heard stories like these all over the Eurasia Episcopal Area where I serve – a vast area that stretches across 11 times zones. Many United Methodist pastors, local churches, and church workers are struggling in an economy devastated by the pandemic.
Throughout this crisis, some local churches have adapted very well. They have improved the quality of their online worship and small group experiences. For some, however, this year has been very difficult. Many elderly people cannot use technology to its full capacity. Some people do not know how to send offerings to their church, and some have very little or nothing to send. Children and youth cannot gather in summer camps or participate in church programs face to face.
Many people who were excited to meet online in the spring, now experience zoom fatigue and a deep hunger for socializing in their church facilities.
COVID-19 and the crises associated with it have forced us to think about all areas of our lives and our future together. What will it be like? What kind of jobs we will have? How we will continue our studies? How will our churches grow in this new reality? What will happen to The United Methodist Church globally? All these questions are connected with our future – short and long term.
People filled with hope look into the future expecting something good to happen and for positive changes. People without hope, however, expect bad things beyond their control will happen, and consequently they come to believe their lives have little or no meaning.
The Bible is full of people of hope – men and women, preachers and army commanders, prophets and leaders.
Our hope here in Eurasia increased when we received help from our brothers and sisters in the UM Church. Even in the midst of our divisions and strong disagreements, we are blessed to be a global church where we can experience Christian solidarity. I want to thank sisters and brothers around the world who are helping us by giving generously and sacrificially to the UMCOR COVID-19 fund. Through this fund, which all United Methodists support, the General Board of Global Ministries has been able to assist many pastors and church workers all over Eurasia. As we often say, “a friend in need is a friend indeed.”
“We firmly believe that the Lord will not leave us. This help is a great blessing and an answer to our prayers. Thank you for your generous heart. Thanks to my Lord for giving help at the right time!”
The God of hope is with us. Let us be filled with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit! Amen.
excerpt from a commentary by Bishop Eduard Khegay who leads the Eurasia Episcopal Area,
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