The CDM believes that the Crates for Ukraine 3.0 is a worthy ministry for OPC churches to engage in to demonstrate the love of Christ to brothers and sisters, as well as those not walking with Jesus, suffering in Ukraine. There is much information to be found here: cratesforukraine.com. That said, while it may be self-evident, officers and churches should be aware that some of this aid may be distributed to the front line. This inherently makes the needs unique, and distribution along with the gospel difficult. The church in Ukraine has been and continues to seek to promote the gospel with the aid, but it may not always be in the way they or we would do so in a peaceful and non-war environment. Additionally, some of this aid may be provided to those wounded in battle. All this being known, the CDM encourages churches to consider this ministry and pray that this aid being sent would indeed be used by the living God to turn hearts to Christ Jesus.

OPC missionary Heero Hacquebord and MTW Country Director, Doug Shepherd answers the OPC Committee on Diaconal Ministries’ question regarding the gospel foundation of the mission of Crates for Ukraine and how it is carried out:

“Thank you for your question and for moving ahead with CFU 3.0! We don’t want to be another version of the modern Red Cross or the United Nations.  We are praying regularly for the Lord to use the aid sent with Crates for Ukraine (and the whole process of collecting and sending aid in the U.S. and Ukraine) to build His church, to start new churches down the line, and to give individuals faith in Him.  There are different approaches that Christian organizations take in trying to make such goals a reality.  At this time our approach is focused on personal interaction (as much as possible) and giving people the tools to learn more about our church and its beliefs as they desire to do so,” says Heero.  

Doug adds the following, “Thank you for your inquiry and your questions. These questions are not taken lightly by the Ukrainian Church which wrestles with this issue daily as they serve thousands. How do you interact with those who are traumatized and struggle to function or comprehend? We seek to demonstrate the gospel in how we distribute aid (personally and without demand) and point to Christ as the only hope in the midst of this great darkness (by connecting them with the church via personal contact and technology as fitting those who are traumatized). 

Crates for Ukraine is, at its core, the U.S. church responding to the request from the Ukrainian Presbyterian Church. The aid is given to the Presbyterian churches across Ukraine. Our identification is church-centered so that those giving can have awareness that the aid will be clearly from a Presbyterian Church in Ukraine. You can be assured that this aid is being handed out in a way that is consistent with each church’s mission to evangelize the nation. Each church has freedom on how they distribute the aid and what they say personally to those in need. As each church ministers to the local population it is our hope that the gospel is known through this aid, though we don’t prescribe to churches how they must do that.  All aid goes through a Ukrainian church which is what makes this different from other humanitarian efforts.

The Lviv Church of the Holy Trinity,  in particular, seeks to makes God’s name known and we have chosen a multi-pronged strategy that we pray demonstrates and articulates the gospel.

1. We work personally with a volunteer network across Ukraine and they are each made aware of why we are doing this work, which church denomination is doing it and our hopes for their own peace with God amidst this war. This is a key part of our ongoing evangelism in the midst of a horrible situation. 

2. Each crate is sent with two labels that appear on the outside. 

The first states, ‘Humanitarian Aid from the Lviv Reformed Church of the Holy Trinity, for the Glory of God and the victory of Ukraine.’

The second label has two websites: The first is the website of the Lviv Church of the Holy Trinity which has all resources and connection to live weekly services. The second is to our Reformed Ukrainian Publishing House. This offers digital resources for bible studies, books, catechism, catechism in song, hymnals, articles etc. People can download most of these resources without cost. We have seen this a major way that people are responding to the aid on the front lines.

3. Each church has its own process for distributing aid. The Lviv church invites friends and people from the community to come and sort the aid. This is a way that we have seen our own church members be able to give a reason for the hope that is in them to people in Lviv who would never come to our church. The Lviv church is attempting to comfort people with the gospel of Christ in connection with aid and I’m assured that this is happening in all Presbyterian church communities across Ukraine.”

The OPC is working with sister denomination, the Presbyterian Church in America in this endeavor.

Mission To the World (PCA) has launched an initiative called Crates for Ukraine with the goal of gathering and delivering basic supplies to the most needy communities in Ukraine. This is a practical and urgent opportunity to support to efforts aiding Ukraine and those trapped within its borders.

The mission of CFU is as follows:

“At the request of the Ukrainian Church and our national partners, to provide personal and humanitarian aid from the hands of churches in the U.S. to the hands of churches and displaced communities in Ukraine.”

Currently, the MTW Lviv team is receiving and sending aid in connection with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church of Ukraine (EPCU). MTW hopes to accompany this aid with personal engagement and sowing the seeds of long-term gospel community.