Refugees are a Blessing for a Local Church

On Sabbath, April 22, 2023, the SDA church in Tübingen, Germany, experienced a Ukrainian Sabbath. The whole church service was organized by the group of Ukrainians who have found refuge in the area and have become an important part of the church family. The church sanctuary was decorated in the colors of the Ukrainian flag and the women were dressed in their traditional embroidered blouses, greeting all with radiant smiles at the church doors. The kitchen was packed with Ukrainian food waiting to be served at the fellowship potluck meal.
The whole program, including the children’s story and the sermon, was held in Ukrainian with translation into German. The texts of the special music were projected onto the screen. A special video report had been prepared to show how the refugees had arrived with only what they could carry and how they had been welcomed and integrated into the life and activities of the church.
The first refugees arrived in March 2022 and the group has now grown to about 35 to 40 members who regularly attend as well as friends and children. Most of the refugees are women. Now that a year has passed, communication has become easier, as many have been attending language and integration courses. The children are now able to participate in the regular Sabbath school activities and there are efforts to include the young people in regular youth activities. The fellowship meal each Sabbath is an important element of church life and the Ukrainian women are actively involved in bringing food and organizing serving and clean-up.
Special women’s meetings were organized soon after the arrival of the first refugees and are still being held for the Ukrainian women with a program in their language, but we are looking forward to the time when all the women of the church will be able to join together in common projects without language barriers. It is good to see how they have become an important part of the local church family.
A very emotional part of the church service was when the Ukrainians joined in singing a prayer for Ukraine, asking for continued prayers for peace in their war-torn country. It is very impressive how they can be so cheerful and loving despite the difficult times they are experiencing. May God bless our sisters and brothers who are a blessing to the whole church family.
Reported by H. Ottschofski, Tübingen