Church structures and vision - seminars with Hermann Schaefer
The Foundation Studium Academicum together with the Reform Pastors Association in Romania and their deaneries Associations has organised seminars inviting Hermann Schaefer as guest speaker from Germany.
Hermann Schaefer, retired general secretary of the Reformierter Bund (Reformed Association, namely the Reformed Church) from Germany, being in many other church leadership committees knows profoundly the structures and challenges of the Reformed Church in Romania. On this occasion he visited Transylvania between 2-8 July 2006. as the European project advisory of the World Association of the Reformed Church, and president of the Evangelische Partnerhilfe, being invited by Foundation Studium Academicum, to share his ideas about the reformed church in the future.
“The seminars will take place in four different localities. The main theme of the seminars is: Church structures and vision.” - opened the seminar Kállay László the president of Foundation Studium Academicum.
4th of July 2006. Kolozsvár - Reformed Church of Kolozsmonostor
Reverend Kállay Csaba saluted the appeared people as master of the house and has related, that it could be seen as a very great thing that we can have Hermann Schaefer as a guest speaker in the community of the interested pastors.
“If there it’s no fruit, than not the vine grape (the Lord) is guilt. In this respect we can not live endless without fructification. In the same time the results are not the crowns of our performance but they are the realization of the favour of Good.” - with this words has introduced the first conference in his devotion based on Jo. 15,1-8, Székely József, the president of the Reform Pastors Association in Romania.
The first two lectures of Hermann Schaefer - translated by Kállay László - were followed with big interest, why both of the discussed themes have, or should have Transylvanian relevance:
A) Which structures needs the reformed church in Europe?
B) The commitment of the protestant institutes from Germany in Middle-East Europe (Kirchen Helfen Kirchen, Hoffnung für Ost Europa)
5th of July 2006. Marosvásárhely - Reformed Church of Marosvásárhely III.
Lorincz István’s devotion, and its message, was a sincere spiritual introduction of seminars 2nd part. After this in his greeting words he expressed his thanks to Hermann Schaefer for sharing with us his church-building thoughts.
“If during the first two seminars we dedicated our time mainly for practical things, this time, and also at the next seminar, we will focus on two fundamental topics” - told Hermann Schaefer in his introduction, translated by Szilágyi László.
A) Possibilities and tasks of European churches and communities.
B) A sight from outside: The Hungarian reformed churches’ situation in Middle-East Europe.
Retired pastors and presbyters of different communities were following the presentations with great interest.
6th of July 2006. Szatmárnémeti - Reformed Church of Szatmárnémeti.
“Everybody knows Hermann Schaefer’s name and his activities, and for that we were waiting his presentations with even greater curiosity” - told dean Sipos Miklós.
A) Possibilities and tasks of European churches and communities.
B) A sight from outside: The Hungarian reformed churches’ situation in Middle-East Europe.
After the presentation translated by Szilágyi László, Hermann Schaefer had a two and a half hours debating with the participants.
7th of July 2006. Fugyivásárhely - Reformed Church of Fugyivásárhely.
“Without a well established strategy, each structure is unusable.” - told Balogh Barnabás in the ending devotion of the seminars.
A) Which structures needs the reformed church in Europe?
B) The commitment of the protestant institutes from Germany in Middle-East Europe (Kirchen Helfen Kirchen, Hoffnung für Ost Europa)
Hermann Schaefer’s presentations, translated by Kállay László, offered again also here support for practical things.
At the end our guest speaker concluded:”Nowadays every reformed community have the possibility to ask for help and support directly to the German Reformed Federation or its institutes. Further more he told that the social and financial system’s changes do not influence the willing of those who want to help.”
“At the moment the European reformed structures mentioned by Hermann Schaefer are far from us, but we hope that will be closer and closer. We thank Hermann Schaefer for accepting the invitation of Foundation Studium Academicum and for giving hope for those who have presented interest” - ended the seminars Kállay László, president of the Foundation Studium Academicum.
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