WILLIAMSVILLE, N.Y. (WKBW) — On Sunday, The North Presbyterian Church in Williamsville held an interfaith prayer vigil for peace in Ukraine.
“I think there’s a lot of need in our community right now,” Pastor Bill Hennessy said. “We have a lot of Ukrainian neighbors in our community, and we feel like this is a good way to reach out to them.”
Pastor of North Presbyterian Church, Bill Hennessy, said the church is trying to help in a small way and show support.
“We’re all in this together,” Hennessy said. “There are certain things where we have to put aside religious differences and realize we are all part of this human family.”
The vigil included eight prayers, each from a different faith…from Jewish to Hindu to Ukrainian prayers.
“It shows that we all are together,” Pastor Mykola Drofych said. “Especially in times of trouble and problems, we have to jump in and support.”
Mykola Drofych, Pastor at St John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Kenmore said he has been overwhelmed by the support, from special events like the prayer service, to the community taking a call to action.
“We have gotten plenty of calls people are supporting us both financially and with humanitarian aid,” Drofych said. “We appreciate all the community has done for us.”
He said even thousands of miles away showing support and helping in any way is important.
“Because Ukraine right now is standing for freedom.”
All donations from the service are being sent to a Humanitarian Aid Fund for Ukraine in Philadelphia overseen by the archdiocese in Philadelphia.
You can donate to the fund by:
- Writing a check to the “Ukrainian Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia” and sending it to the office at 810 North Franklin Street, Philadelphia PA 19123. Write “Humanitarian Aid Fund for Ukraine” in the memo line.
- You can also donate through PayPal on the Philadelphia Archdiocese’s website. Donate under "war victims and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine."
