We celebrate the “Missionary Decade” during the ten days from Ascension to Pentecost. As we await the coming of the Holy Spirit, we feel that we, as disciples of Christ, are called to share His faith with others. This opinion was expressed by His Beatitude Sviatoslav, Father and Head of the UGCC, in his video address on the occasion of the beginning of the Missionary Decade.
According to him, during the “Missionary Decade” we especially pray that the missionary task of our Church is best accomplished. “For the Church, which is not missionary, ceases to be the Church,” said Pope John Paul II.
The Head of the UGCC emphasized that every day throughout the decade we will pray for the spread of the Gospel of Christ and the missionary service of our Church. However, he noted that this year the preaching of the mission will take place in special quarantine circumstances and we will not be able to gather every day in our churches for common prayer, as we did in previous years.
He also recalled the traditional collection for the UGCC Mission Fund and asked to support the work of our Church in the mission field. “I beg you not to forget about this year’s collection. If you yourself do not have the opportunity to preach the Gospel and dedicate your entire life to the missionary work of the Church, let someone to whom you delegate do so on your behalf and with your support. Then we will really be able to fulfill the task: to preach the Gospel to all those who today are intimidated, confused and deprived of God’s light in the present circumstances,” added the Head of the UGCC.
The UGCC Department for Information