Where We Are. Many people still think of Ukraine as a part of Russia, but it is an independent country larger than the country of France. Ternopil is in western Ukraine (marked on the map by the red dot), and is the central city of the Ternopil region, or “oblast.” Ternopil has a population of over 250,000. It is roughly eight hours by car from Kiev, and two hours from Lviv (click on map to the right for more detail).
Landmarks. Ternopil is a city rich with history, and many of the landmarks are quite distinctive. It has long been considered one of the most beautiful cities in Ukraine because of its vibrant trees and flowers. The slowly improving economy has allowed many renovations in the city, and it has regained some of the luster it lost through the years of Soviet oppression. Ternopil has a large man-made lake and a river that runs through the city. One of the war memorials, called Eternal Glory, is located next to our church building. This is the site of various celebrations to honor war veterans and heroes. Downtown is also very picturesque, with beautiful and distinctive architecture.
Weather. The summer season is typically a little cooler than in the northern United States, and there is a lot of rain, particularly in August. However, during June and July summer is much like a Michigan summer: unpredictable with stretches of hot weather. The winters are long and cold, making those distinctive fur hats a rather obvious choice for winter head wear. In fact, you can click here to find out what today’s weather is in Ternopil.
The Church. The Ternopil Church of Christ is located on the border of the former Old Park, now renamed the Park of Glory. Its prime location near the center of the city in view of hundreds of people every day has caused many in the city to marvel at how we were able to find such a spot. The church building has been built on the foundation of an old armory that was once used for target practice. Now the target is winning Ternopil for Christ. An extensive renovation funded by American brethren has made it much more useful as a ministry center. The main auditorium capacity is about 120. The church includes a library, a children's ministry room, three offices with computers, equipment for producing the quarterly magazine, Slovo, and a small kitchen with adjoining bathroom that can be used for guests.
Industry. The main source of employment in Ternopil is in the sale of consumer products, most notably in the large outdoor market near the center of the city. Many entrepreneurs have done quite well as resellers of imported goods, and an advanced education is not needed to procure employment. Ternopil is the producer of fine lamps that are shipped to other parts of the country, and just outside the city is an electronics factory. However, even for highly-educated people employment is scarce, and because of the low wages and unpredictable economy, many people procure work visas and move to other countries in search of temporary employment. It's not uncommon for a husband or a wife to move away from their family for a year or even two years for this purpose. Unfortunately, three of our own members are currently away from their families for this reason.
Education. Ternopil is a well-educated city, and many students come from other parts of the country to study at its universities. There is also an exchange program with other European countries. In the regular schools, all students speak both Ukrainian and Russian, and the study of another language is compulsory from the first grade. By far the most popular language to study is English, for it is increasingly popular for university students to seek completion of their education, or later employment, in America, Canada or England. Students complete their standard education at 17 and are then eligible to apply for university or if they want to apply for technical institute training, their standard education concludes at 15.
