Two weeks afterwards, longtime church commander and you can theologian Igor Kozlovsky, which spent almost couple of years since prisoner out of pro-Russian separatists, passed away out of a heart attack. He was 70.
‘He secure their family unit members, our very own country’
Produced ily for the a rural Ukrainian town, Vinogradar’s moms and dads separated as he is actually younger. His mom remarried, and his awesome reference to their stepfather was strained, told you Alexei Kalchuk, a former minister in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol and you may long time pal.
“Whenever his mom offered beginning in order to his stepfather’s child and de- entirely superfluous inside happier nearest and dearest,” Kalchuk told This new Religious Chronicle. Vinogradar went along to an effective boarding college or university in the Poltava, in which a teacher instilled in the him a love for their nation. The guy turned an excellent cadet of Ukrainian Cossacks.
“Throughout their last couple of years away from data at boarding university, Christians regarding Church out-of Christ started to go to the university,” Kalchuk said. “They educated courses in regards to the significance of moral and you may spiritual viewpoints in individual lifetime, and you will Artem in the near future made family having Christians and you may started initially to sit in church conferences.” He was baptized during the 2018.
The guy graduated during the decades 17, “and you may left the new wall space that had warmed your in recent years,” Kalchuk told you. “Not knowing what direction to go 2nd and you can where to go, the guy looked to brand new chapel, and that currently thought Artem as you to a unique.”
The guy resided witch chapel users and you may turned into close to Christians including Fedor Chernichkin, a beneficial minister for the Chapel regarding Christ which transferred to Poltava immediately following professional-Russian separatists seized command over their homeland for the east Ukraine’s Donbas region within the 2014.
“He had been more youthful and you will determined to serve throughout the church and you may as faithful to Jesus,” certainly one of Vinogradar’s family unit members, Artur Lytvynenko, informed Suspilne, Ukrainian public broadcast. “From the your once the an earlier, persistent and you can courageous guy having a very hard-core.”
Vinogradar attended the fresh new Ukrainian Bible Institute – which had moved of east Ukraine for the country’s money, Kyiv. The school are for the Texas-centered Sundown Global Bible Institute.
“He was a sharp beginner, and i will always be think about their a character, his laugh and his like to laugh,” said Brandon Speed, movie director of the Ukrainian Bible Institute. “He had overcome far inside the previous, and his future is actually bright.”
His girlfriend, Valentina, as well as had overcome an emotional earlier, Kalchuk told you. Orphaned at the many years step 3, she spent my youth because of the their particular brother and also got read at a good boarding college.
“Artem usually concerned Valentina’s house and you will assisted his girlfriend and you can their unique (aunt) towards housework to be personal,” Kalchuk told you. “He was instructed regarding the church just how a Christian should look after a great girl … In the future Valentina approved Christ for the their unique lives and so they started to sit-in conferences of the Church off Christ together.”
“Artem and you will Valentina wished to become the most readily useful mothers for it baby,” Kalchuk told you. “It desired to render him exactly what no-one offered all of them … It been successful. But in February, the battle began.
“Artem, currently a youngsters leader on the chapel, helped within the serving immigrants and you can refugees. The guy inserted the latest ranks from volunteers whom exhausted people from cities which were about conflict zone and directed as well as basic support so you’re able to places that discover zero power, communications and you will h2o, but there can be passing and you will depletion. His spouse try awaiting your yourself and you will prayed you to definitely which mug would ticket out-of your.”
“Whenever Artem called their partner and you may family relations, the guy always mentioned prova webbplatsen that the guy don’t should kill individuals and (he) expected that the battle perform prevent prior to the guy finished his degree. However, he along with mentioned that he had been named to defend their nation, domestic, family members – and this is some other since there is zero deeper love than when someone gets their lifetime to have their household members,” Kalchuk told you, pointing out John .
Vinogradar supported because a sniper about airborne violence product, Suspilne stated. He passed away in the combat Aug. 15 near the town regarding Verbove.
Valentina was pregnant along with their next youngster. Program getting Humanitarian Help, a beneficial nonprofit backed by congregations such as the A beneficial&M Church from Christ in the University Route, Tx, paid off the fresh new couple’s lease as they served the fresh new chapel.
“Artem is actually one of our students – and you can part of PHA’s ministry for a long time,” told you Wes Hawthorne, innovation manager with the nonprofit and a person in the brand new A great&Yards chapel. “The guy concerned our very own summer camps for quite some time.”
Preacher-Turned-Soldier and you will Punished Theologian Mourned in the Ukraine
Their wife and youngster gone to live in Greece with Chernichkin and his awesome friends. Ukrainians round the Europe mourn, along with Kalchuk, which spent 51 days caught up from the Mariupol church’s strengthening with other believers as extreme attacking raged outside.
“My brother is actually murdered,” said Kalchuk, now inside the Poland. “He safe his friends, the country, his students. Artem, we shall positively view you! Other people inside serenity, my buddy.”