To commemorate the third anniversary of Ukraine being invaded by Russian forces, St Peter’s Church in Sheringham is serving as a hub for those across North Norfolk who want to share prayers and artistic creations in solidarity with those affected by the war.
A specific service for Ukraine is scheduled on Tuesday 25 February, while the church is welcoming visitors to visit or contribute to an artistic display housed within St Peter’s.
The church is collecting prayers, poems, reflections and artwork by anyone who wishes to take part, with all contributions to be collated and printed into a booklet which will be sent to the Anglican Church in Kyiv.
Local primary school who have added their artworks to the display will also receive a copy of the collected submissions.
Discussing the church’s plans for the third anniversary and his own personal connections to the current crisis in Europe, Revd Iain Grant, Assistant Curate at St Peter’s, said:
“We wanted to hold a service at St Peter’s to mark the third anniversary of this dreadful war and to demonstrate our continued solidarity with the people of Ukraine in their time of need. My own Great Uncle was a Czech Jewish refugee from the horrors of the Nazi Annexation just before World War II and the crisis in Ukraine has been at the heart of my prayers for a long time.
“Our hope in holding this service is to remind those Ukrainians who have joined our local community in North Norfolk that they are not alone, that Christ walks with them and with all those who suffer from this war and we have not forgotten them.”
In advance of Tuesday’s service for Ukraine, the church received a visit from a regional network offering support to those impacted or displaced by the war. Revd Iain explained:
“This weekend I had the real pleasure of meeting with Matt Cole, who works for North Norfolk Aid for Ukraine. We chatted through some of the incredible work they’ve done getting desperately needed aid to Ukrainian people – ranging from teddy bears for children, medical supplies, rescue equipment for the Kharkiv fire department and so much more.
“We’re delighted to host some photographs of their work and to fundraise and collect for them at St Peter’s.”
The service for Ukraine at St Peter’s will take place at 7pm on Tuesday 25 February, and the display within the church is open to all visitors between 10am and 3pm daily – except for Wednesday mornings.