The Power of Social Action: European Experience and Ukraine’s Potential
The tenth episode of the Let's Talk About podcast explores the social ministry of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) — its scale, its untapped potential, and one of the main barriers to its further development: the fear of trying something new. Father Mykhailo Omelyan and Ella Sokolyuk, a clinical psychologist, psychotherapist, and trainer with extensive experience in the nonprofit sector, discuss how existing church resources can be transformed into sustainable social initiatives that respond to the needs of communities.
Ella admits that even a year ago, she had not realized the scale of the OCU's social work.
"The resources and capacity of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine already constitute a powerful platform. But there is still a certain reluctance among priests to recognize this capacity and use it to its full potential."
From Charity to Systemic Social Ministry
Father Mykhailo describes some of the social initiatives already implemented by the OCU. These include the work of the OCU Department of Social Ministry and Charity, headed by Metropolitan Sergiy Horobtsov; a shelter for women who have survived violence by Russian military personnel, established with the personal involvement of OCU Primate Metropolitan Epiphaniy; evacuation of wounded service members; and humanitarian assistance ranging from defibrillators to food.
"Social ministry has always been part of the Church. But it is important to distinguish between charitable assistance, a systemic project, and individual service—when a person continues their ministry beyond the walls of the church."
Supporting the military, helping orphans, assisting vulnerable families, and responding to the needs of people in crisis are all extensions of this ministry.
The speakers also look at the experience of European churches. Following World War II, churches in countries such as Denmark and Norway assumed significant social responsibilities, helping build systems of support that earned public trust over decades.
"In times of crisis, churches have always had to respond to people's needs. And from that response came systems, reputation, and trust within communities. This is where the OCU has enormous potential today."
From an Idea to a Project
The funding models used by churches in some European countries, such as church taxes, cannot simply be replicated in Ukraine. But Ukrainian religious communities have another opportunity: grant funding from international donors supporting humanitarian, social, and community initiatives.
The foundation is already there: communities, people, premises, experience, and ideas. The next step is learning how to transform those ideas into well-designed projects and funding applications.
For Father Mykhailo, the most important advice is also the simplest:
"The Bible tells us many times: do not be afraid. So my advice is simple — don't be afraid to try. Develop an idea and submit it. If we are persistent, a great deal can be achieved."
Watch the full episode of the Let's Talk About podcast on the Eleos-Ukraine YouTube channel.
(https://youtu.be/kHdcB6iYnFc)
The project "Clergy and Communities in Support of Mental Health: Innovative Support Practices During the War in Ukraine" is implemented by Eleos-Ukraine in partnership with DanChurchAid and Norwegian Church Aid in Ukraine, with financial support from the Government of Norway (NORAD).