“At a time of international crisis, please join me in praying fervently for peace in Ukraine and especially for the wellbeing of our little Anglican community of Christ Church Kyiv .”
The Rt Revd Dr Robert Innes, the Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe
Bishop Robert has said that in the face of military action, we can easily feel powerless and fearful. But the one most important thing we can do is to pray; We can pray in solidarity with those most affected.
We can pray that God will yet overrule in the hearts and minds of those with power and authority. We can pray that the victims will be few and that the innocent will be protected. We can pray that peace will come through justice and not through the infliction of the will of a stronger party on a weaker one.
This page gives information to help us focus our prayers,
as well as details of practical ways in which we can help in addition to donating funds and sharing information.
Prayer
Joy as the first Eucharist in 15 months celebrated at Christ Church, Kyiv
For the first time since war broke out over a year ago, a Eucharist was celebrated at Christ Church, Kyiv. On Sunday 16th April 2023, Easter Sunday in the Orthodox calendar, a Holy Communion service was celebrated for the first time in Christ Church since the outbreak of war over one year ago.
Read more about this service on the Diocese in Europe Website
A reflection from the Churchwarden in Christ Church, Kyiv on the anniversary of conflict in Ukraine
Christina Laschenko, Churchwarden of Christ Church in Kyiv, Ukraine, has written a reflection to commemorate one year of full-scale war in her home country.
Click here to read more, via the Diocese in Europe Website
Read about Bishops Robert’s visit to Ukraine
Bishop Robert recently visited Ukraine with the Archbishop of Canterbury. Click on the links below to read more about his visit.
Archbishop Justin and Bishop Robert visit Ukraine
(30 Nov 22)
Bishop Robert’s Visit to Ukraine with the Archbishop of Canterbury
(15 Dec 22)
Archbishop of Canterbury visits Irpin and Bucha
2 Dec 22
More about the Church of England congregation which meets in Kyiv
The Anglican community in Kyiv meets for worship on Sunday afternoons, as well as Bible study. You can read more on the Church of England website in a feature piece on our Christ Church, Kyiv congregation
Prayer requests from The Revd Canon Malcolm Rogers, Chaplain at St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Moscow
For the people of Ukraine and for the 2 million Ukrainians who live in Russia.
For the Russian People and for those particularly who have relations in Ukraine.
For those who have had to flee their homes.
For our foreign community and church here. We don’t know what will happen.
For a miracle to happen, and for the tanks to turn around.
With our love and grateful thanks for your love, support and prayer.
Revd. Malcolm Rogers
Chaplain at St Andrew’s Moscow
Area Dean of Russia and Ukraine
Letter and Video message from Bishop Robert, to guide us in our prayers
“Good day to you all and greetings from my home in Brussels. I am Robert Innes and I am the Bishop of the Diocese in Europe.
We have a vast Diocese. It covers the whole of the European continent and it includes Kyiv in Ukraine and Moscow in Russia. On Thursday, we all awoke to some deeply distressing events – the sickening sights and sounds of war.
War is horrible. It injures, destroys and kills in an often indiscriminate and uncontrollable way. And now, we face war in Europe. The people in our little church in Kiev are at the centre of this crisis. Some have fled the city by car whilst others are still there. These are people, our brothers and sisters. We are very concerned for their well-being and safety.
In the face of military action and aggression, we feel powerless. What can we do? One thing that we can all do is pray. We can pray in solidarity with those most affected. We can pray that God will, even now, overrule in the hearts and minds of those with power and authority. We can pray that the victims will be few and that the innocent will be protected. We can pray that peace will come through justice and not through the infliction of the will of a stronger party on a weaker. And, I can assure you, that our little community in Kiev is deeply appreciative of your prayers.
The psalmist writes; “The Lord shall give strength to His people. The Lord shall give his people the blessing of peace (Psalm 29:11)”. So, in some words written by the Dean of Southwark, we pray;
“God of strength and peace, send your blessing on the people of Ukraine. Sustain them in their struggles, hold them in their fear, protect them from all danger and be for them the hope they desire. For Jesus Christs’ sake, Amen.”
How to donate goods
We are collecting things that are most urgently needed, by partnering with Helfen Sie Helfen, Asyl-Organisation Zürich/Spendendepot, and Christliche Ostmission. These locally based organisations have been helping refugees in Zurich, as well as needy people in Ukraine and other Eastern European countries. They have well-established networks and can transport the goods to where they are most needed.
Donations can be dropped off at the Community Centre after Church Services on Sundays and at the Church Office on most weekday mornings.
Please only bring items from the following list that are new, or of excellent quality
- Toiletries*: Soaps, shower gel, hair shampoo, body lotion, toothbrushes, toothpaste, any women’s sanitary products, new hairbrushes
(*New & unopened please!) - Hand, face, and bath towels
- Blankets (warm blankets of any kind in new/excellent condition)
- New coloured pencils, erasers, pencil sharpeners and colouring books
- NEW water colour paints, paint brushes and artists paper
- Embroidery silk or cotton suitable for crochet or cross-stitch
- Wool and crochet / knitting needles
- Babies’ feeding bottles and formula
- Baby wipes
- Nappies
- Babies’ dummies
- Baby and Children’s clothes up to size 86cm
Remember that these things are being sent with love to people in desperate circumstances. Please ensure that your donations reflect that same care. We can only send on items of excellent quality. If the items you bring don’t meet these standards, the costs of disposing them will reduce the amount of monetary support that we can pass on.
*We cannot accept sandals, high heels, miniskirts, business clothes, swim wear or evening dresses!
Donate Funds
Click on the boxes below for more information on how to give financial help
Donate towards our Solidarity project transportation costs
Donations will help with the transportation costs, for which Helfen Sie Helfen ask for 3chf per box and Christliche Ostmission ask for 5chf per bag. You can donate to this project through St Andrew’s, and we will pass the funds on to these organisations.
Make a payment through St Andrew’s E-Banking, marking your payment ‘Ukraine’, to St Andrew’s account:
IBAN CH04 0900 0000 8001 1689 3
You can also make a payment through St Andrew’s via TWINT, using the code opposite.
There will also be a dedicated collection box inside the Church.
Donate to Christ Church Kyiv via the Diocese in Europe
Christ Church Kyiv has funds in London looked after by our Diocese. The chaplaincy will be hugely grateful for donations made via the Diocese. They will work with the Diocese so these can support the Mission and Ministry of the Chaplaincy and its community.
You can give here https://www.justgiving.com/diocese-ineurope and please mark your donation ‘Kyiv’ in the comments. Gift Aid can be applied via Just Giving.
Or if you wish to give by bank transfer the details are:
Barclays Bank plc
Account name: Diocese in Europe Fund
Account number: 40317039
Sort code: 20-06-13
Please reference ‘Kyiv’ with your gift.
Donate to the Diocese in Europe & USPG joint emergency appeal
The Diocese in Europe and USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel) have launched a joint emergency appeal to support humanitarian work both in Ukraine and with refugees fleeing into neighbouring countries.
Funds raised by the appeal will support Christian charities and churches and agencies carrying out humanitarian work in both in Ukraine and organisations responding to the arrival of Ukrainian refugees in neighbouring countries.
For more information, visit the Diocese in Europe website
To donate to the Ukraine emergency appeal, visit www.uspg.org.uk/ukraine
Donate towards humanitarian assistance
A number of agencies have launched appeals to support humanitarian assistance and particularly work with refugees.
Red Cross www.redcross.org.uk/get-involved/donate
UN Refugee Agency www.unrefugees.org.uk
Share information
Click on the boxes below for information to share with anyone who may find it useful
Swiss🇨🇭 UA🇺🇦
Information for Ukrainians in Switzerland
Інформація для українців у Швейцарії
Helpful information, checked and approved by volunteers of the Ukrainian community in Switzerland and Ukrainian-language chat in Switzerland
https://krly05.github.io/SwissUA/
Helpful information from the Swiss Refugee council
Refugees from Ukraine are permitted to enter Switzerland, where they will be given accommodation if they need it. The Swiss Refugee Council has published important contact information on their website, as well as information on accommodation, the rights of asylum seekers and the role played here by the Swiss Refugee Council.
Click Here to go to Refugeecouncil.ch
Asyl-Organisation-Zürich Telephone information line
AOZ has opened an information line for refugees from Ukraine in German, Ukrainian and Russian to answer all your questions. Tel 079 942 62 59
Further details available on the AOZ website
The Salvation Army assistance for refugees from Ukraine in Switzerland.
Salvation Army dedicated bilingual website for Ukranian refugees in Switerland includes useful information on orientation in Switzerland as well as offers from the Salvation Army in the Zurich region.
• Entrance to Switzerland, registration and status “S”
• Health Care Systems
• Social and financial assistance
• Accommodation and stay
• Work in Switzerland
• Learning German language
• Special offers (prayer, counseling talks)
• Appeal to partner organizations
Helpful information from the UN Refugee Agency
Helpful information from UNHCR for people seeking refuge, and those wishing to help, with a dedicated page for people arriving in Switzerland from Ukraine
Ukraine – UNHCR Switzerland and Liechtenstein
Zurich Cantonal Welfare Office coordinates offers of Accommodation
The cantonal social welfare office in Zurich has set up a central contact point for offers regarding private accommodation for Ukrainian refugees in the canton of Zurich.
For more information contact Email ukraine@sa.zh.ch or
Tel: 043 259 24 41
You can find out about renting out housing directly to people with a refugee background via this website Wohnraum an Geflüchtete vermieten – Stadt Zürich (stadt-zuerich.ch)
Swiss news in Ukrainian from Swissinfo.ch
Practical help
Can you offer your practical help to support this project?
We need volunteers to help with sorting and packing donations, in addition to transporting them to our partner organisations.
If you are able to spare some time to help, we’d be delighted to hear from you!
If you can spare some time to do so, please contact us by Email
This page will be updated with new information as it becomes available.