My First Bible in pictures
by Kennet N. Taylor
In Ukrainian and English
The King
Retelling of the Gospel from Mark
In Ukrainian
Safe in the Storm
Biblical strategies for overcoming anxiety
In Russian
Our partners:
Jesus Storybook Bible
Every story speaks His name
In Ukrainian
The Action Bible
New Testament
In Ukrainian
Magazine "Spark"
Light. Hope. Love
In Russian
Jesus loves you
Coloring book
In Russian
Magazine "Hope"
A word of encouragement for every day
In Ukrainian
AMBCU
AMBCU
ASSOCIATION OF MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCHES OF UKRAINE
nintendoswan@gmail.com
Pages of history
Mennonites
Mennonite families inhabited Ukraine’s territory around 150 years ago; they were migrating from Prussia and North Germany. This was preceded by a manifest of Katherine II who had invited them. The settlers, among whom there were our faithful brothers and sisters Mennonites, started developing the new land. Even though from the first months of their arrival a lot of hardships awaited them, they loved the area.
They built schools, hospitals, large industrial objects, mills and churches. Special is their contribution to the architecture. The Flemish bricklaying and a special German style of buildings are good examples of this. All Mennonites were respected and known as hardworking and kind people. Unfortunately, the World War II and further reforms of Tsar Russia, USSR and Bolsheviks made the Mennonites leave their homes and find another place to live. Their possessions were left in hands of the government of that time. Nobody would cherish these landmarks back then: the houses were being robbed, the schools and churches were made into ammunition storages and grain warehouses. Just as the buildings, the life history of the Mennonites was being destroyed, too. Nothing can disappear forever, however.
History is lively! Many sights are still in a proper order, although there are some that are only told about by the basement debris and waves of old Dniepr. But even they can be revived in memory. All of the landmarks that were saved are in the city of Zaporozhye, Orekhove, Nikolai-Pole and many villages of the Southern Ukraine; they are ready to share their stories. Here you can find much interesting information about the culture, the traditions and the landmarks.
We’ve collected the most expanded library of books, articles, images and even diaries of the Mennonite diaspora in different languages. Starting from the very first settlements, ending with the time of the banishment.
This information will help learn more about Mennonite principles of faith, agriculture and family traditions. Also, it will help learn about the history of the Southern Ukraine, about which there is almost nothing said in textbooks.
Khortytsia colony (Zaporozhye surroundings)
Molochnaya colony (Tokmak, Melitopol, villages in-between them)
Memrick colony
(Mikhajlovka, Karlovka, Orlov)
Memrick colony was created in 1884 when the settlements of Galbshtadt and Gnadenfield from Molochnaya colony decided to purchase 12000 tithes of land. The traditions of Molochnaya colony were kept in the affiliated one.
The colony of Khortytsia stretched along Dniepr. It was the first Mennonite colony founded in Novorossiya of that time. The start of a new life was not simple.
The second biggest Mennonite colony. It was planted in 1804 along the eastern shore of Molochnaya river. The first settlers created a group of colonies consisting of nine villages, starting with Galbshtadt in the North, ending with Altonau in the South.
Yazykovo colony
(Nikolai-pole, Morozovka, Novopetrovka)
Borozenko and Nepliuevka colony
(Olexandrovka, Novosophievka, Ordzhonikidze)
Shenfeld colony (Huliaipole, Orekhov, Polohi)
It was founded in 1869 as the first affiliated mennonite colony after the introduction of land reform of 1861. The villages were designed in a typical Mennonite manner, alike to the Khortytsia tradition.
Founded in 1865 by representatives of 120 families – members of the “Little commune” church. The new colony was situated 30km North-West of the city of Nikopol. Borozenko colony became the most successful colony of all.
Shenfeld colony was also known as Brazol. It was created in 1868. It was distinguished from others by the way it had been founded. All the households were on peasants’ private lands.