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Adventist Pastor Abducted In Gorlovka
Sep 30, 2014
Sergey Litovchenko, Pastor of Adventist Church in the town of Gorlovka, Donetsk Region of Ukraine, was abducted by the representatives of "Donetsk People‟s Republic” (DPR), reports Christian Mega-Portal invictory.com with reference to the Information Department of SeventhDay Adventists Church of Ukraine.
People in camouflage uniform armed with handguns burst into Seventh-Day Adventists‟ prayer house at Gorlovka Division Street when the communion was taking place. They interrupted the ceremony and urged the worshipers to leave the building. According to the Information Department, Pastor Sergey Litovchenko was ordered to lock the building of the church, then forced to get into a motor car and taken to an unidentified destination.
The assailants justified their actions by stating that this was “the Orthodox territory with no place for various sects”. When asked by the faithful to show their identification papers and to explain why they were doing it, the armed men rudely responded that this was “none of your business”. Leaders of the Adventists‟ East Mission are trying to find out the whereabouts of the abducted pastor.
Seventh-Day Adventists Church of Ukraine is an officially registered Protestant church. Within the framework of East Angel charity project it renders assistance to the inhabitants of East Ukraine who have suffered in the armed conflict. The faithful collect food, clothes and goods of prime necessity for those in need of help and also assist in the rehabilitation of housing.
Adventist pastor abducted in Ukraine released
By ANN staff - October 20, 2014
Sergei Litovchenko, pastor of the Horlivka Seventh-day Adventist Church in eastern Ukraine, has been released and is being reunited with his family after 20 days of detention.
We are very happy to know that Pastor Litovchenko is in good health. We must continue to work and pray for the safety and security of our clergy and for believers who are in any area of conflict around the world.
Local Church and family members would like to thank Adventists and others who prayed for his freedom throughout the ordeal.
“We are very happy to know that Pastor Litovchenko is in good health,” said Garrett Caldwell, spokesman for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. “We must continue to work and pray for the safety and security of our clergy and for believers who are in any area of conflict around the world.”
Litovchenko was detained on September 27 when a worship service was interrupted and worshippers were directed to disperse.
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