Three times God told Jeremiah, "Pray not thou for this people - for I do not hear thee" (Jer.7:16; 11:14; 14:11). The reason behind God's command was that He had decided to judge and punish His people (Jer. 7:20). They had repeatedly broken their covenant with Him by pursuing other gods. Jeremiah had a care and concern for the people, but God told him that, even if Moses and Samuel prayed, He would not hear them. Jeremiah was cursed by his people and lived with the thought of failure (Jer.7:27). God promised him that if he would neither compromise nor seek to accommodate the people's desires, He (God) would deliver him. As we face 2021, let us be like Jeremiah with a Christian character of being tender yet tough, thoughtful yet faithful.

Who would have thought that when we were reading last year's update in January 2020, we were all about to face such a pandemic to affect normal assembly activities? We, in Lutsk, minimized assembly disruption by obeying government laws while refusing to listen to the scaremongering "experts" who couldn't even agree among themselves as to what actions were needed to stop the spread of Covid 19! In March/April, we did have two meetings each Lord's Day morning but stopped this in early May as we reverted to one Breaking of Bread for the whole assembly. Apart from the cancellation of our Easter conference and summer camp, nothing else really changed.

Two believers in the assembly did test positive for Covid. They had blood tests as well as PCR tests that proved they were positive. One, a sister Ira, was the 2nd one on a Lord's Day to take the bread and wine. The 2nd, a brother Anatoly, was the 2nd from last to take the bread and wine. The Lord is good, and no one else became infected. We worked and did work with one loaf, 1 cup, no gloves, no facemasks, and we never stopped singing at any of our assembly meetings. God has not only preserved us but multiplied our numbers. The children's work increased both in UCC, Ukraine Child Care and in Sunday School. God is faithful!

We first met Jacob at a home for blind people that we visit every two months. Jacob got saved and married Maria and, although they were not in assembly fellowship, they were faithful attendees on a Lord's Day. Maria passed away in March 2020 due to a sudden heart attack. We miss Maria's presence. Do pray for Jacob as it is not easy for him being blind, aged and alone.

It is necessary to have Covid 19 insurance when you enter the country and to take a PCR test as soon as possible on returning. On the day you return to Ukraine, you can take a PCR test and receive results within 48 hours. If the result is negative, there is no need to quarantine any longer. One elderly sister, grandmother Tanya, who finds it very difficult to walk and whose only outing of the week from her tiny apartment is on a Lord's Day, said to us - "I live for Sunday morning. It's my little Heaven upon the earth". It's a privilege to be respectful to the government, sensitive to other people and obedient to God's command - "...this do in remembrance of Me."