PHOTO: KATIE TRUJILLO
PHOTO: LAURIE TRUJILLO
LEFT: Youth from the Sacramento Slavic and Sacramento Ukrainian congregations sing during the organization service. RIGHT: Elder Artur Bukatar, Associate Pastor Andriy Mykhaylovskyy, NCC Executive Secretary Jose Marin, Head Elder Igor Zhigaylo, NCC Treasurer John Rasmussen, Senior Pastor Roman Tsyganiuk, and NCC President Marc Woodson celebrate the church's organization.
Sacramento Ukrainian Church Officially Organizes
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n Sabbath afternoon, Sept. 18, the Northern California Conference (NCC) formally organized the Sacramento Ukrainian church—the only official Ukrainian congregation in the Pacific Union. The service took place in the congregation’s rented church sanctuary in Fair Oaks. The joyful program included music from children’s and young people’s choirs, as well as a sermon by NCC President Marc Woodson. The congregation presented the conference with a beautiful illustrative carving of Psalm 23 created by Ivan Noshyn, church elder. “The members are very happy! It’s a big step in their lives—a miracle for a lot of Ukrainian people here,” said Roman Tsyganiuk, senior pastor of the Sacramento Slavic/Sacramento Ukrainian district. He serves with Andriy Mykhaylovskyy, associate pastor of the Ukrainian church and youth pastor of the Slavic church. The new church has its roots in the Sacramento Yugoslavian church, where a number of Russians and Ukrainians worshipped together several decades ago.
The Yugoslavian church established the Sacramento Slavic company as a “daughter” congregation led by Pastor Lune Randjelovic. It became an official church in 2004. Tsyganiuk began serving as the church pastor in 2012, and Mykhaylovskyy joined in 2018. Soon after, the Slavic church created a “daughter” congregation of its own. The new Ukrainian group, with 116 members, held its first service in October 2018. They were organized as a company a few months later in January 2019. About 100,000 Ukrainians live in the Sacramento metro area, and church members are eager to reach out to them. The new church has active ministries for children, youth, families, and health, as well as a vibrant media ministry. The congregation is making plans to eventually purchase a church facility of their own. “Please pray for this church and for the pastors,” said Tsyganiuk. “We believe that this church will grow and be a blessing.” ____________________ By Julie Lorenz
Richmond Spanish Group Becomes a Company
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PHOTO: MARLENE RODRIGUEZ
n Sabbath, Aug. 21, the NCC organized the Richmond Spanish company during a service at its “mother” church, the Richmond Beacon Light church. The new company is in a district with the Oakland Spanish and San Leandro Spanish churches, led by Senior Pastor Luis Fernando Head Elder Venancio Luna, Senior Pastor Luis Fernando Manrique, NCC Executive Secretary Jose Marin, NCC President Marc Woodson, and NCC Hispanic Ministries Coordinator Roman Leal display the certificate of organization.
30 Pacific Union Recorder
Northern California Conference
