Location:
Nizhyn, Chernihiv Region, Ukraine
Pastor/Leader:
Bohdan Dmytrovych Panchenko
History and Context:
First Evangelical Christian Baptist Church in Nizhyn was built in 1979 and had more than 100 members. Over time, most members emigrated or passed away, leaving the church with 14 members before the war. Since the war began, more than 120 new people have visited the church and three have been baptized. Currently, about 30-50 people attend the church regularly. A large part of the broader community has left the region due to its proximity to the border with Russia. The church struggles to provide for the needs of the congregation due to the small number of members (17) and the financial difficulties presented by the war.
Primary Ministries:
The focus of First Evangelical Christian Baptist Church is on the spiritual well-being of the people, with weekly small group meetings and occasional trips for conferences and fellowship. The church also ministers to the physical needs of widows, the elderly, and low-income families in need within their area in the form of food packages and other essentials.
Current Needs:
- Purchase of food, clothing, medicine, and other essentials for those in need such as widows, large families, the elderly, and low-income families
- Facility upgrades for the church building including a new bathroom, since the current one is unusable