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The Family Festival that took place in May was another stone in the foundation of restoration of family
values. It was a tremendous fest that drew attention of many citizens of Irpin city who came to support an
institution of the family in Ukraine. The festival was a part of an All-Ukrainian Family Week that lasted from
May 15 till May 22 in many cities of Ukraine. The purpose of the event was to draw attention of society to
problems of a family, to make stress on importance of development of family values and activate society, as
well as unite governmental and non-governmental institutions, businesses, media and Christian churches
around the question of family and marriage. New Hope worker Stanislav Gruntkovskiy organized and led this
big family event in Irpin, his town . The main found sponsors of the Festival were Irpin Bible Church, Church
Union of Irpin area, and building company “Build Group Management”. Irpin Bible Church is one of the
model churches that New Hope build partnership with.
“Why a church appeared to be an organizer of the Festival? Because it is not enough to preach about family
in church buildings. Today we need to make stress on idea of God as Creator of the family, a union of one
man and one woman. And there is nothing more important than a family! Humanity exists until a healthy
family exists….”, shared Mykola Romaniuk, a senior pastor of Irpin Bible Church.
The Festival was so rich in different activities for adults and especially for children. All families could
participate in sport games, discussions and fun activities. That time was especially valued by parents who
brought their children and could see them busy with jumping on trampoline, playing games, having fun while
painting their faces into tigers and lions muzzles, participating in art master classes, puppet show, karaoke,
water ball, etc. As shared one of the participants, “People missed so much such opportunity to communicate
and be all together with children. We all have such a fun. The kids will have impressions enough for the
whole year. This Festival is not only a fun time but a chance for people who are looking for changes to find
spiritual things they lack”. Many people shared a hope that the event would become an annual tradition and
said that they could see a church in action. Others liked the fact that they could see no one drinking alcohol
or smoking; this was an event to bring children and know they are safe; an event that really helped to unite
the family.
A closing part of the Festival was a concert and rewarding of winners of family competitions and families
with many children (these were a family who adopted four children and a family who raise triplets). Alla and
Stanislav Gruntkovsky led the concert and invited a mire of the city Volodymyr Skarzhynsky and former
bishop of Baptist Union of Ukraine Grygoriy Komendant to have a word.
The joyful and tremendous fest of the family was closed with a quiet and simple prayer.
People prayed for their families, for strong relations; they prayed to remember that they all have had on this
Earth the most important thing – a family!
Stanislav Gruntkovsky is passionate to develop good structure of family ministry in Ukrainian churches. He
received David Sanford training on Premarital Counseling and leads New Hope family ministry department.
Based on article by Polina Shimpf and Anya Poteriayeva
Pictures: Georgiy Nikiforets, Olya Poteriayeva
More photos on Facebook ... & picasa
