After nearly 20 years of living in Vancouver and several mission trips to Ukraine, the Lord led Vladimir and Nadezhda Wenger and their family to move to Vinnytsia to share the Gospel with unbelievers and plant a church. They arrived in Ukraine in 2019, and by January 2021, the first church community had been established.
When the war began in 2022, the family decided to remain in Ukraine and continue serving the local people. In 2024, after six months of prayer and team preparation, they began planting a second church. In 2025, New Life Church was launched in a new neighborhood of Vinnytsia. Today, the team continues to share the Gospel and pray for new opportunities to plant churches in other parts of the city. Word of Grace Bible Church actively supports various church initiatives.
The ministry of New Life Church extends far beyond Sunday gatherings. Every week, the church provides meals and shares the Gospel at the railway station, ministers to people in a prison and a rehabilitation center, reaches out to children and families in the neighborhood, and helps large and low-income families. Discipleship takes place through small groups, specialized courses, and one-on-one mentoring.
The war has also opened up new opportunities for ministry. Church leaders visit active-duty military personnel and veterans, travel to eastern Ukraine, minister to wounded soldiers in hospitals, and support widows and the wives of servicemen. The church team seeks not only to meet people's practical needs but also to share with them the hope of the Gospel.