Reaching out to significant Ukranian and Slavic population in DuPage and Will Counties, Wheatland Salem United Methodist Church in Naperville offers a youth and children’s ministries and worship for those neighbors. A $2,500 grant from the Bishop’s Appeal for Migrant Needs helps support the ministry.  

The grant has greatly helped the congregation extend its reach and expand its heart.

Together, DuPage and Will counties are home to more than 19,000 Ukrainian and Russian immigrants. Pastor Zaki organized a ministry team that includes Ukrainian/Slavic community leaders and representatives from local organizations that provide support to Ukrainian/Slavic refugees and immigrants.      

Children share their joy in a performance.

WSUMC now has a dynamic weekly program for children and youth on Wednesdays that has attracted over 33 Ukrainian/Slavic children and teens.   

On Wednesday evenings, neighbors can attend a weekly worship service in Ukrainian, Russian, and English from 7:45 to 8:30 p.m. The church has also incorporated Ukrainian and Russian songs and prayers into its main worship service on Sundays at 10 a.m.   

During a recent Sunday worship service, the congregation prayed with Marria, a Ukrainian/Russian asylum seeker, and her two sons, Elia and Daniel, as they faced a challenging situation. Marria’s 20-year-old son, Alexander, was recently detained by ICE agents at his workplace and transferred to a detention center in Texas. The church is mobilizing to provide advocacy and support.   

Nearly 200,000 Ukrainians in U.S. are in legal limbo as of March 31, 2025, due processing delays on the humanitarian program for Ukrainians launched by former president Joe Biden, according to internal U.S. government data reviewed by Reuters (Nov. 23, 2025).  

The congregation has also recently held a Know Your Rights training and shared resources in Ukrainian, Russian, and English.