STATE CENTER — A somber, reflective atmosphere filled Saint Paul Lutheran Church in State Center on Tuesday night, as church leaders and members of the community joined together to pray for Ukraine and to support Olya Hinchak, a Ukrainian foreign exchange student attending West Marshall High School.

Saint Paul Pastor Melissa Waterman hosted the event, and church leaders and residents from all over State Center and surrounding communities attended the gathering. Waterman kicked off the service with a message of support for Hinchak.

“Olya, I just want you to know that the State Center community is here to support you and to offer our prayers for you and the Ukrainian people and your family,” Waterman said. “We support you and surround you, not only tonight, but in the days, the weeks, and the months ahead.”

They began with several prayers asking for peace and healing across the world. In addition to Waterman, the pastors from State Center Methodist Church, State Center Presbyterian Church and the Marshalltown Elim Lutheran Church and a deacon from the Saint Joseph Catholic Church in State Center all led prayers during the service.

Waterman then asked the members of the community to join her in a song that included the names of nations around the world, and the church was filled with the musical response of the attendees — “Peace be yours.”

Waterman and the other faith leaders invited everyone to come to the front of the sanctuary and light a candle to be placed on the map, which was spread across a table in the room as several songs were played. The person lighting a candle was supposed to place the candle on a country that they wished to pray for — unsurprisingly, most of them were placed on Ukraine and surrounding countries.

After everyone who wanted to light a candle had the chance to do so and the songs came to a close, Hinchak took to the pulpit to say a few words of thanks to the people who took the time to support her. She shared the sense of gratitude she felt in an interview after the service ended.

“I was so glad so many people came in to support me, even the people who I do not know at all,” Hinchak said. “The (service) that was going on made me feel very relaxed and calmed down and I really liked the songs that were playing, and I’m so glad, like, I’m not alone and lots of people are coming to support me. And supporting not only me, but my country and my community.”

Hinchak is only 15 years old, and is staying with her host family, the Rohmillers. Her host mom, Rebecca Rohmiller, was also glad to see the support from the community, but was sad Hinchak had to go through the stress at all.

“She’s 15, turning 16 in March, so that’s what she should be focused on, not this,” Rohmiller said.

Hinchak’s family is still in the western region of Ukraine.

“It’s safer than everywhere else, but they still have bomb shelters in case something would happen,” She said. “I’m still worried about them, a lot.”

Hinchak said she has been trying to communicate with them as much as possible, but the eight-hour time difference between Iowa and Ukraine and her own busy schedule can make talking difficult. She often calls her family on weekends and tries to talk to them after school if they are not asleep.

“I text them every day. I ask them how they are, and how things are going like every two hours, so at least I can be sure that they are safe and that they are OK,” Hinchak said.

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Contact Susanna Meyer at 641-753-6611 or smeyer@timesrepublican.com.