"I thank my God in all remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy." (Phil 1:3f)
Dear colleagues, dear sisters and brothers,
it’s a little over a year since we said goodbye to each other at the close of the CEC conference in Alsace, after several days of heartfelt fellowship, mutual solicitousness, and solemn, joyful fellowship. I think back fondly on our time there. It’s much too seldom that we have these opportunities to meet face-to-face.
Of course, I’ve seen some of you since, whether at meetings of various associations I was privileged to attend, in video meetings, or at the seminar for pastors in Prague in January. And these days, we can keep up with one another via social media. I’m always pleased to get news through these channels of professional and private events such as ordination or the birth or baptism of a child.
We have many possibilities and opportunities to keep in touch.
Nevertheless, it sometimes seems that we are often imprisoned in our structures and problems. It remains a challenge to understand and support one another; there is such diversity in the systems of the churches we serve and in how the pastoral profession is organized. Isn’t there much we can still learn from each other?
Refugees, climate change, problematic political developments, and a war with no end in sight are just some of the challenges that concern us all. What is the role of the churches in Europe? In particular, what is our role as pastors?
I believe that much is already gained when we talk and listen to each other. It’s not always possible to act and organize immediately. And even though we are not physically imprisoned (as Paul was when he wrote to the Philippians), it’s always possible for us to refrain from looking inward and turn our sight to our sisters and brothers. Using all the possibilities and means we have access to.
In closing, here are three bits of information:
- Please pay attention to the invoice for membership dues you receive from our treasurer, Pieter Huiser. We ask you to pay particular attention to whether the sum requested reflects the conditions of your association.
- The next CEC conference will occur in 2025 in Elimheim, Cisnădioara, in Transylvania (Romania).
- Enclosed is a report in which the Ministers’ Forum of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren SpEK (Spolek evangelických kazatelů) introduces itself.
In keeping with the example of Paul, I thank God that we can be in contact; I pray for you and greet you in the name of the entire board in heartfelt solidarity.
Verena Salvisberg, President