“Go and Preach the Gospel”: CITA Ministry’s Missionary Conference in October

“Go and Preach the Gospel.” With this theme, the eighth conference of the international ministry “Christ is the Answer” (CITA) was held in Zakarpattia on October 15-19.

The conference brought together over 100 participants from various regions of Ukraine for spiritual growth and fellowship.

On the morning of the first day, attendees from Donetsk, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Mykolaiv, Kyiv, and Rivne regions, including those from frontline areas, could be seen walking near the event base. They marveled at the picturesque, peaceful landscapes, where the usual sounds of explosions were absent. Their faces reflected a sense of relief: “Finally, a time to rest!”

At registration, each participant was greeted with a smile and a “Welcome” sign.
The hall was filled with a pleasant hum of conversation: long-awaited, in-person fellowship among ministers who can only gather like this once a year—a true gift from God.

According to CITA Ministry Director Taras Sen, the conference’s motto was “Go and Preach the Gospel,” and its goals included renewal, spiritual growth, forming new connections, and finding creative ideas for sharing the Gospel.

“God provided us the opportunity to rest for a few days in Zakarpattia, where, thanks to Him, there is no war. This is especially meaningful for ministers from Eastern Ukraine who are deeply weary of explosions.

God has called us to build His Kingdom, but He also wants to renew us with His strength because we grow tired and need rest.

I am confident that God has prepared remedies for our hearts and souls to inspire, touch, strengthen, and heal us so we can return with renewed energy to the places where He has placed us. There, we can go to the people He directs us to, bringing them the Gospel with God’s power and the touch of the Holy Spirit.

People do not only need to hear the right words; they need to experience God so that their hearts can be transformed. Then healing will come, and people will desire to live and do good,” Taras Sen said during his opening remarks on October 15.

Throughout the conference, pastors and bishops addressed various topics, including the necessity of rest, the internal and external tasks of the Church, and the importance of approaching ministry from an eternal perspective.

Missionaries shared testimonies about their work in Ukraine and abroad, spoke of God’s miraculous healings, released prophetic words, and prayed for one another.

Excursions are typically an integral part of such autumn missionary conferences, helping to strengthen relationships. This time, participants visited the Arpad Line bunker—a WWII landmark—climbed Mount Hemba together, and enjoyed delicious field porridge and lemon tea near the Shypit Waterfall.

Details about the excursions will be available on the Ministry’s Instagram page on November 5.

Every evening, guests received a sweet treat from the Ministry, and at the end of the conference, they were given memorable gifts.

A special highlight of the conference was the family session, featuring pastor and bishop Oleksiy Demydovych, who has over 30 years of ministry experience. Together with his wife, Nadiia, they raised five children. He addressed the topic “Pain in the Life of a Minister,” sharing about the unavoidable sufferings of God’s servants and his own painful experiences related to his children.

More about the family session you may read on our Telegram channel in the post of November 7.

CITA Ministry Press Center.