This year’s General Conference offering is having a nearly $60,000 impact on Ukraine refugee relief.
Generous Brethren congregations and individuals gave $49,881.25 to Brethren Relief through August 30 toward the Ukraine refugee crisis. This includes direct gifts to The Brethren Church before, during, and after General Conference. About one-third of Brethren congregations (36, up from 22 congregations who gave to the 2021 summer offering for South Africa) received offerings from their congregants or gave gifts from church funds. In addition, five WMS groups (up from 2 groups in 2021) and 39 households gave directly to The Brethren Church.
The funds are being administered through World Relief, a long-time partner with The Brethren Church in relief and development work in areas not served by Brethren global mission partners.
In addition to Brethren contributions, Everence gave a direct gift to World Relief of $10,000 in the name of The Brethren Church. That brings our total impact to $59,881.25.
World Relief’s approach is to work through churches and ministries already on the ground whenever there is a disaster, in this case working in Ukraine and among ministries in its neighboring countries. According to the United Nations refugee agency, roughly 6.6 million people are displaced within Ukraine and another 6.3 million remain refugees outside Ukraine. The Russian war on Ukraine which began in February 2022 has created the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II.
Everence is a strategic partner with The Brethren Church in stewardship education and financial consultation. They are also a sponsor of the annual General Conference of The Brethren Church.
Contributions are still welcome online at
https://brethrenchurch.org/ukraine through September 15 or by mail to The Brethren Church, Ukraine Relief, 27 High St, Ashland, OH 44805.