Contents
Convention Mission Statement
Editorial–Natasha Laurinc............................................... From the President–Robert Dvorak.............................. From the Executive Secretary–Darko Siracki.............. Symbols of Advent–Natasha Laurinc............................ Symboly adventu–Nataša Laurincová........................... Journey into the Unknown–Dr. John V. Upton, Jr........ Ladie’s Page–Women’s Missionary Union.................. Youth Scene–Kornel Bukovec........................................ Interviews–102nd Convention.......................................... Rozhovory–102. konvence.............................................. From Our Readers............................................................ Children’s Corner–Miss Pickles’ Patch....................... The Mid-year Meeting Picture November 5, 2011......
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The Czechoslovak Baptist Convention of USA and Canada exists 1) to assist in extending the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in lands of central and eastern Europe, particularly the Czech and Slovak Republics; 2) to support the work of Baptists and other evangelical churches in North America that minister to persons of Czech and Slovak descent, and 3) to provide a Christian context for worship, fellowship, teaching, and appreciation of heritage among those in the United States and Canada who bear interest in the nationalities we represent.
Misijní poslání konvence
Československá baptistická konvence Spojených států a Kanady byla ustanovena za účelem: 1) napomáhat v šíření evangelia našeho Pána Ježíše Krista v zemích střední a východní Evropy, zvláště v České a Slovenské republice; 2) podporovat práci baptistů a jiných evangelikálních církví v severní Americe, které slouží českým a slovenským potomkům; 3) předkládat formu bohoslužby, obecenství a učení, vážit si dědictví těch, ve Spojených státech a v Kanadě, kterým leží na srdci národy, které reprezentujeme.
Glorious Hope/Slavná nadìje Volume 37, No 5, 2011 (USPS 009334), ISSN 0700-5202 Published Bi-Monthly by The Czechoslovak Baptist Convention of USA and Canada. Periodical postage paid in Detroit, MI.
Editor-in-Chief: Natasha Laurinc email:
[email protected] You may send articles to above address.
Desktop publishing and art: Vit Malek Assistant Editors: Janice Cermak, Ondrej Laurinc, Ph.D. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Publication Office:
103 Czechoslovak Baptist Convention rd
Glorious Hope / Slavná nadìje P.O. Box 441516, Deitroit, MI 48244 USA.
www.czskbc.org
email:
[email protected] WWW.CZSKBC.ORG
Cover: Advent photo Photography: Dusko Pilic, George Sommer, Anna Malkova
Donations
Mail your US contributions in enclosed envelopes. Do not mail them to Detroit address!!! All donation should be send in enclosed envelope. The checks will be delivered to right financial secretaries (Vera Dors, Henry Pojman, Marija Sommer or Donna Nesvadba). ! Gifts for Ladies’ work—make check payable to Czechoslovak Baptist Women’s Missionary Union. ! Gifts for Convention—make check payable to Czechoslovak Baptist Convention. On the bottom of the check mark to what account you are sending your contribution: Convention, Glorious Hope, Trust Fund, or Scholarship Fund. You may send separate check (one for Ladies and one for Convention accounts) in the same envelope. If you are sending contributions for Convention (Convention,
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Printed on recycled paper
Glorious Hope etc.), you may send only one check, and write on the bottom how you want to divide the amount (for example: Total $150; $100 Convention, $50 Glorious Hope etc.). You do not have to send two separate checks. For your information, financial secretaries’ addresses are as follows: USA: Vera Dors 6621 Elmdale Rd. Middleburg Hts, OH, 44130
Canada: Henry Pojman 1305 Inglehart Dr Burlington, ON L7M 4X6
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Editorial The Strength of Fellowship, also known as God’s Love in Action “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20)
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hese are the words of Jesus Christ that testify to his presence in the life of human beings. This presence affects and influences people, and later is manifested by Christians’ love, unity, understanding, and mutual service. The order of this wording has meaning: loving Christ brings unity, which aids in mutual understanding and in serving one another. “No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us,” (1 John 4:12). Community of this kind among people is something very unique. The reality that two, three, or more people gather together proves that they share an understanding and have something in common. It could be similar interests, talents and abilities, experiences, problems, history, vision or calling, hope, or faith in someone or something. This kind
of fellowship encourages and offers solidarity, refuge, friendship with understanding, and smoothes over differences, strengthening the sinews of society. And these things characterize a society as a whole. Fellowship is an excellent component of society. The King James Version calls this type of fellowship complete (1 John 4:12). The root of this completeness is love – God’s love permeating human relationships. These relationships join individuals, families and all of humanity alike, regardless of the nationality or heritage of said individuals. Isn’t the 102nd Czechoslovak Baptist Convention proof of this love in relationships? The pages of Glorious Hope talk about this love, and testify to beautiful relationships joined and woven together in an unbelievable way that can be summed up in one statement: God’s love in action. Editor-in-Chief Natasha Laurinc Translated by Elizabeth Jane Fields
Síla obecenství neboli Boží láska v praxi “Neboť kdekoli se shromáždí dva nebo tři v mém jménu, tam jsem já uprostřed nich.” (Matouš 18;20) o jsou slova Pána Ježíše Krista, která svědčí o Jeho účasti v životě člověka. Tato účast na člověka působí, ovlivňuje ho a to se potom projevuje mezi křesťany (následovníky Ježíše Krista) láskou, jednotou, pochopením a vzájemnou službou. Toto pořadí má svůj význam: láska ke Kristu spojuje a přináší jednotu, která napomáhá vzájemnému pochopení a službě jednoho druhému. “Boha nikdy nikdo neviděl. Když ale milujeme jedni druhé, Bůh v nás přebývá a jeho láska v nás došla naplnění.” (I. Janova 4;12) Pospolitost tohoto druhu je mezi lidmi něčím jedinečným. Skutečnost, že se dva, tři nebo více lidí sejde, svědčí o tom, že dotyční si vzájemně rozumí a mají něco společného. Mohou je spojovat stejné zájmy, obdarování a schopnosti, zkušenosti, pro-
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blémy, historie, vize či poslání, naděje, víra v někoho nebo v něco. Takové společenství povzbuzuje, nabízí solidaritu a útočiště, přátelství s porozuměním, usměrňuje rozdíly a upevňuje svazky společenství. A to charakterizuje celé společenství jako takové. Obecenství je vynikajícím komponentem společnosti. Kralický překlad Bible nazývá takový druh společenství dokonalým (I. Janova 4;12). Původem této dokonalosti je láska, Boží láska promítnuta do lidských vztahů. Tyto vztahy spojují jak jednotlivce, tak rodiny a celé lidstvo bez ohledu na národnostní příslušnost jednotlivců. Není 102. Československá konvence baptistů důkazem této lásky a vztahů? Stránky Slavné naděje o této lásce hovoří, svědčí o krásných vztazích, propojených a propletených neuvěřitelným způsobem, a přesto ústící do jednoho bodu: Boží lásku v praxi. Nataša Laurincová, šéfredaktorka
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From the President
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e’re back at that time when an old year goes barreling into a new one. How does this cycle turn around so fast? It didn’t use to be that way. Somebody must have turbo-charged the calendar.
I’m not happy about how fast these days are flying, but what can you do? As an increasingly popular saying goes, “It is what it is!” In some ways the rapid passing of time is not all bad. Particularly if one is going through deeply troubling times—unrelenting stress, physical pain, anguish in heart or mind, or whatever other cause. In such circumstances, the urgency to get beyond today as quickly as possible is strong, so let the hands of the clock fly. Then too, we sometimes recall the loss of persons especially beloved in our respective life stories. It seems “like only yesterday” that they were present and active in our lives. Jesus was born more than two thousand years ago, but it sure doesn’t seem like that long, does it? The Christmas observance annually brings us
the sense of something fresh, powerful, and new. No sense whatever of an event encased in ancient history, rather something that seems like today’s news. I love it. May it always stay that way. Our convention this year will have gone through the Christmas and New Year experiences 103 times. That’s a lot, but God stands with us at this 103rd time around just as at the first. And we are as passionate about the Christ Child, we are as enthusiastic about a new year too, as at any point along the passing of those years. The passing of time, whether fast or slow, makes no difference when you are living by the faith that the God who came among us in the birth of Jesus has stayed steadily beside us through all the intervening years, pledging that his presence in this new year will not be different from in the past. May the next twelve months be good for you and yours in the blessing of the Lord
Robert Dvorak
Merry Christmas and blessed year 2012 from the Editors to all readers of the magazine Glorious Hope.
Požehnané vánoční svátky a šťasný rok 2012 přeje čtenářům časopisu Slavná naděje redakce. 4
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From the Executive Secretary
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he Mid-year Meeting for the General Board of the Czechoslovak Baptist Convention was held on Friday, November 5, 2011. The meeting was hosted at Grace Baptist Church in Windsor, Ontario. A total of 21 members and seven guests were in attendance. We are happy to report that we are well into planning the 103rd Annual Convention. Our guest speaker will be Milan Kern, President of the Czech Baptist Union. We hope to have a tentative program printed in the next issue of Glorious Hope. The theme the General Board chose for our 103rd Convention: “What Life in the Lord” Thursday, July 5—Speaking to God with Urgency (Luke 11:5–13; 18: 1–8)
Friday, July 6—Walking One Day at a Time (Matthew 6:25–34; Isaiah 30:15) Saturday, July 7—Confident about Tomorrow (I Corinthians 10:13) Sunday, July 8—Acting with Super-Human Strength (Philippians 4:11b–13) As reported in the President’s letter, as well as on our web site, Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, will host the upcoming convention, July 5–8, 2012. We encourage you to check the upcoming issues of Glorious Hope, as well as our web site www.czskbc.org for future updates. We hope that you will mark your calendar and join us, as we return to the state of Pennsylvania for the first time since our 76th Convention in 1985. In His service,
Darko Siracki
“Your talk talks, and your walk talks, but your walk talks louder than your talk talks.”
I, therefore…beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. Ephesians 4:1
The Mid-year Meeting of the General Board of the Czechoslovak Baptist Convention
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Symbols of Advent Natasha Laurinc
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was taught that Baptists don’t have symbols, any symbols whatsoever. Later on I discovered that there are some symbols. I remember trying to make the point of leaving out the Christmas tree during the Christmas season. My family supported me and we had a nice Christmas without a Christmas tree. The spirit of Christmas is in our hearts, I told my children, and I hope they did understand. All right, I proved my point, and then I realized that the Christmas season is so special that it needs to be recognized with something different. So we had a Christmas tree again. And a really nice one with all the decorations you can think of. And we enjoyed it. There are at least four instances of symbols that are important in the Baptist tradition: representations of the cross of Jesus Christ, the rites of baptism and the Lord’s Supper, and the Bible. The central acts of worship together are preaching, singing, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper. These do
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not require an elaborate material culture. Many Baptist ministers do not wear robes during worship services; their dressing “like the rest of the people” is an expression of Baptist belief in the priesthood of all believers. But beyond these instances, there are no additional symbols used for Advent, the Christmas season or Easter. I have to admit that I like the fact that the Advent season is marked so clearly in our Western society. Isn’t that the perfect way to let everyone know that special season is coming? Growing up in a communist regime, I didn’t know much about Advent. Then we came to Toronto and joined the Czechoslovak Baptist Church. I was surprised to see the Advent wreath in our Czechoslovak Baptist Church in Toronto. So I did some research. Advent means “coming,” from the Latin word adventus. It is a period of preparation for the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ at Christmas. It is also a period of preparation for the return of Christ the King in his second Advent.
Advent marks the start of the Christian year in western Christianity. Its length varies from 22 to 28 days, starting on the Sunday nearest to November 30 (St Andrew’s Day), encompassing the next three Sundays, and ending on Christmas Day. The date when the season was first observed is uncertain. Bishop Perpetuus of Tours (461–490) established a fast before Christmas that began on November 11 (St Martin’s Day), and the Council of Tours (567) mentioned an Advent season. In the sixth century, Advent was shortened to its current length, and later the fasting was no longer observed. Advent was originally a time to reflect and prepare for Christmas, similar to the way that Lent is a time to prepare for Easter; it has sometimes been referred to as the Winter Lent. In recent times the restrictions that Advent brought to Christians have changed and become more relaxed. In many countries it is marked by a variety of popular observances, such as the tradition of an Advent wreath and the lighting of Advent candles.
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Advent wreaths are widely used in some countries during the four weeks before Christmas to symbolize the coming of the promised Messiah. The ring or wheel of evergreens decorated with candles was a symbol in northern Europe long before the arrival of Christianity. The circle symbolized the eternal cycle of the seasons. The evergreens and lighted candles signified the persistence of life in the midst of winter. Pagan rituals often included lighting candles in a wreath to signify hope for the return of the sun in the midst of winter. At some point, Christians in Europe began to borrow this ancient custom and incorporate it into the celebration of Christmas. The evergreen boughs of the Advent wreath symbolize everlasting life. The circle represents the continuous love of God, with no beginning and no end, as well as the soul’s immortality. No one knows when the wreath was first used for Advent. Some sources suggest it was in common use in the Middle Ages, others that it was established in Germany as a Christian custom only in the 16 th century. The Catholic and Lutheran religions were among the first to formally adopt the Advent wreath. The four candles on Advent wreaths symbolize each of the four weeks, as well as the 4,000 years between Adam and Eve and the birth of Christ. Other evidence suggests that Advent wreath traditions may have become established much later. Research by Prof. Haemig of Luther Seminary, St. Paul, points to Johann Hinrich Wichern (1808–1881), a Protestant pastor in Germany and a pioneer in urban mission work among the poor, as the inventor of the modern Advent wreath. During Advent, children at the mission school Rauhes Haus, founded by Wichern in Hamburg, would ask daily if Christmas had arrived. In 1839, he built a large wooden ring (made out of an old cartwheel) with 19 small red and 4 large white
candles. A small candle was lit successively every weekday during Advent. On Sundays, a large white candle was lit. The custom gained ground among Protestant churches in Germany and evolved into the smaller wreath with four or five candles known today. Roman Catholics in Germany began to adopt the custom in the 1920s, and in the 1930s it spread to North America in both Roman Catholic and Protestant churches. In the Western church, the liturgical color for Advent has traditionally been purple, the color associated with royalty. It symbolizes Christ the King, the Prince of Peace. It also represents penitence and fasting, which were once more central to the Advent season. Though some traditions still use purple candles, blue is now a popular alternative color for both Advent vestments and Advent candles, especially in some Anglican and Lutheran churches. This is in keeping with the liturgical meaning of blue as hope and waiting. It also serves to reserve purple, with its meanings of sorrow and repentance, for the Lenten season. Rose is the color for the third Sunday, known as Gaudete Sunday (from the Latin word for “rejoice”), anticipating the joy of the Christmas celebration. So a rose or pink candle may be lit on that Sunday. In Protestant churches, it is more usual to use four red candles on the wreath, reflecting their traditional use in Christmas decorations. Other variations of the Advent wreath add a white candle in the centre to symbolize Christmas, sometimes known as the
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Christ candle. It can be lit on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. White is the traditional festal color in the Western church. A wreath with four red candles and one white one is probably the most common arrangement in Protestant churches. Advent wreaths are used by millions of Christians worldwide to mark the season of Advent and to symbolize the many ideas and hopes present in the celebration of the birth of Christ. Advent wreaths vary depending on Christian denomination, but the symbolism and intent of the candles on the Advent wreath remain the same. There are many interpretations of the Advent candles. Some see the candles as standing for hope, peace, joy and love, and liturgies with these themes are used along with the lighting of Advent candles. Hope—the anticipation and expectation of Christ’s birth and the hope of Christ’s second coming, Peace—a time to focus our attention on the faith that brings peace, Joy—the good news of salvation for the world, Love—the love Jesus provides through His birth, life, death, and resurrection. Traditionally the Advent candles are lit counterclockwise. Some light the pink candle on the last Sunday before Christmas instead of the third. In all traditions, the symbolism is steeped in the Christian faith. Well, I don’t mind the symbolism in this case. It helps us to focus and that is good. We need to have HOPE and then PEACE which brings JOY and fulfills us with LOVE—essential ingredients for human beings living in the 21st century. This year Advent begins Sunday, November 27, and ends Saturday, December 24. May the Advent season bring Hope, Peace, and Joy to every day of your life, and may the LOVE of Jesus Christ be manifested in every moment of your life throughout the whole year 2012!
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Symboly adventu Nataša Laurincová
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yla jsem učena, že baptisté nemají symboly. Nijaké symboly. Později jsem zjistila, že přeci jen nějaké symboly existují. Vzpomínám si na dobu, kdy jsem se snažila dokázat, že k Vánocům nepotřebujeme vánoční stromeček. Rodina se ke mně přidala a prožili jsme pěkné Vánoce i bez stromečku. Vánoce prožíváme v srdci, vysvětlila jsem dětem, a doufám, že mi rozuměly. Dobře, přesvědečila jsem je, ale potom jsem si uvědomila, že Vánoce jsou vzácné období, které je potřeba nějak odlišit. A tak jsme zase na Vánoce stromeček měli. Opravdu hezký stromeček a se všemi dekoracemi, které si jen můžete představit. A moc se nám líbil. U baptistů se setkáváme nejméně se čtyřmi druhy symbolů, tradičně klíčovými: záruka Kristova kříže, obřad křtu, zachovávání večeře Páně a Bible. Bohoslužba je
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soustředěna na kázání, zpěv, křest a večeři Páně. To baptistům postačuje a nepotřebují se přizpůsobovat světu. Zatímco v některých církvích kazatelé káží v rouše, baptisté roucho nepoužívají. Oblékají se jako všichni ostatní, a tím demonstrují své přesvědčení o kněžství všech věřících. Nic nenajdeme o adventu, Vánocích a Velikonocích. Musím přiznat, že se mi líbí, jak je v západní společnosti advent zřetelně označen. Není to ten nejlepší způsob, jak dát najevo, že vzácná doba příchází? Vzhledem k tomu, že jsem vyrůstala v komunistickém režimu, o adventu jsem mnoho nevěděla. Po příchodu do Toronta jsme začali navštěvovat Československý baptistický sbor. Byla jsem překvapena, když jsem uviděla adventní věnec v našem Československém baptistickém sboru v Torontě. A tak jsem si něco prostudovala.
Advent znamená příchod, z lat. adventus. V křesťanských církvích je přípravou na příchod Ježíše Krista o Vánocích. Je to také období přípravy na druhý příchod Ježíše Krista. Označuje začátek církevního roku západní církve. Kolísá mezi 22 a 28 dny, počínajíc nejbližší nedělí k 30. listopadu, zahrnujíc další tři neděle a na první svátek vánoční končíce. Není známo, kdy se začalo se zachováváním období adventu. Biskup Perpeteuus z Toursu (461 – 490) zavedl vánoční půst, který začínal 11. listopadu (na sv. Martina), a Toursovský concil (567) již hovořil o adventní době. Někdy během 6. století došlo ke zkrácení adventního období na dobu, jakou známe dnes, a období půstu nebylo již dodržováno. Advent je původně obdobím přemítání a přípravy na Vánoce, podobně jako je půst přípravou na Velikonoce. Advent byl někdy označován jako
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zimní půst. V současné době nejsou požadavky adventu na křesťany již tak přísně dodržovány. V mnoha zemích se advent vyznačuje různými oblíbenými zvyklostmi, jako je třeba rozvěcování adventních svíček. Symbolem adventu jsou v některých zemích adventní věnce. Označují části adventu, jsou to čtyři týdny před Vánocemi, symbolizující příchod zaslíbeného Mesiáše. Věnce nebo kola ze zelených rostlin, ozdobené svíčkami, byly symbolicky používány v severní Evropě už před příchodem křesťanství. Kruh symbolizuje neustálý cyclus čtyř období. Věčně zelené větvičky a zapálené svíčky znázorňují trvání života uprostřed zimy. Při pohanských rituálech bylo často používáno zapalování svíček do kruhu jako vyjádření naděje na návrat slunce uprostřed zimy. Křesťané ve středověku tento starodávný zvyk převzali a začlenili do vánočních oslav. Adventní věnec je vyroben ze zelených větviček, symbolizující věčný život. Kruh vyjadřuje nekonečnou Boží lásku, bez začátku a konce, a také nesmrtelnost duší. Není známo, kdy vznikl první adventní věnec. Podle některých teorií byl věnec běžně používán již ve středověku, jiné prameny uvádějí, že byl křesťany v Německu převzat někdy okolo šestnáctého století. Katolická a luteránská církev byly mezi prvními, kdo formálně převzal adventní věnec. Adventní věnec má čtyři svíčky, které symbolizují čtyři jednotlivé týdny a 4 000 let mezi Adamem a Evou a narozením Krista. Podle jiných teorií byla tradice adventního věnce založena až v 19. století. Profesor luteránského semináře Haemig v St. Paulu poukazuje ve svém bádání na německého protestantského pastora Johanna Hinricha Wicherna (18081881), průkopníka městské misie mezi chudými, tvůrce moderního adventního věnce. Johann Hinrich Wichern založil v Hamburgu školu pro chudé děti Rauhes
Haus. Děti se ho v předvánoční době každodenně ptaly, kdy už budou Vánoce. V roce 1839 proto vyrobil předchůce dnešních adventních věnců ze starého dřevěného kola, 19 malých červených svíček a 4 bílých svící. Během adventu se každý den zapalovala svíčka. V neděli se zapálila velká bílá, v ostatní dny malá červená. Zvyk se rozšířil mezi protestantskými církvemi v Německu a vyvinul se do dnešní podoby menšího věnce se čtyřmi nebo pěti svíčkami. Římští katolíci v Německu přejali tento zvyk ve 20. letech 19. století a ve 30. letech 19. století se rozšířil mezi římské katolíky a protestanty i v Severní Americe. V západní církvi se fialová barva používá ve třech ze čtyř adventních nedělí. Je to barva spojená s královskou hodností. Symbolizuje Krista jako Kníže pokoje. Vyjadřuje také pokání a půst, což bývalo účelem adventu. Přestože některé tradice stále používají fialové svíčky, populární alternativou, co se týče adventních rouch a svíček, se stala barva modrá, zvláště u anglikánské a luteránské církve. Z liturgického hlediska modrá představuje naději a očekávání. Nahrazuje tak fialovou, která představuje lítost a kajícnost během půstu. Třetí neděle zůstává označena růžovou barvou, která se nazývá Gaudete (podle latinského slova radujte se), čas radosti během svátečních oslav. Růžová svíčka bývá zapálena na třetí neděli. U protestantských církví se používají na adventním věnci čtyři červené svíčky, tradiční dekorační barva Vánoc. Další varianty adventních věnců mají vprostřed přidanou bílou svíčku, symbolizující Vánoce. Někdy bývá nazývána
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Kristovou svíčkou. Ta může být zapálena na Štědrý den nebo na Boží hod vánoční. Bílá je tradiční sváteční barva v západní Evropě. Čtyři červené svíčky s jednou bílou ve středu je pravděpodobně nejčastějším uspořádáním adventního věnce u protestantských církví. Miliony křesťanů na celém světě používají adventní věnce k označení adventního období a ke znázornění mnohých představ a nadějí ve spojitosti s oslavami narození Krista. Adventní věnce jsou různé, podle křesťanských denominací, symbolika a účel svíček na adventním věnci se však nemění. Existuje mnoho výkladů významu adventních svíček. Někteří věří, že jednotlivé svíčky symbolizují naději, pokoj, radost a lásku. Při zapalování svíček se používá liturgie s těmito tématy: naděje – tušení a očekávání Kristova narození a naděje Kristova druhého příchodu; pokoj – příhodná doba soustředit se na víru, ktrerá působí pokoj; radost – radostná zvěst o spasení světa; láska – láska Pána Ježíše zjevená v Jeho narození, životě, smrti a vzkříšení. Je tradicí, že na adventním věnci jsou svíčky vždy zapalovány proti směru hodinových ručiček. Někteří namísto třetí neděli zapalují růžovou svíčku poslední neděli před Vánocemi. Někteří používají čtyři fialové svíčky. Ať už je tradice jakákoliv, symbolika do křesťanské víry prosákla. Nuž tedy, v tomto případě mi symbolika nevadí. Napomáhá ke koncentraci, a to je dobře. Potřebujeme NADĚJI a také POKOJ, který přínáší RADOST a naplňuje nás LÁSKOU – něco nepostradatelného pro život dnešního člověka. Letos advent začíná v neděli 27. listopadu a končí v sobotu 24. prosince. Nechť v tomto adventním období je patrná naděje, pokoj i radost v každém dnu života a nechť je láska Pána Ježíše Krista zjevná v každé chvíli během celého roku 2012!
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Journey into the Unknown Dr. John V. Upton, Jr. Genesis 12: l–4a
l’
m pretty sure that not everyone is a Star Trek fan, but those famous opening words over every episode still stir the hearts of millions: “Space, the final frontier, these are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise. Its continuing mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before!” It‘s better with music, isn’t it? It is one of those countless examples of this epic, human myth of heroes on a long journey of discovery. You have Homer’s Odyssey, King Arthur‘s knights questing for the Holy Grail, Sinbaďs voyages, Bunyan’s Pilgrim‘s Progress, Dorothy’s yellow brick road, Frodo and Sam Wise’s journey for the ring. And on and on they go, these stories of journeys of discovery. Why do we keep making these stories and loving these stories? The deepest reason l can think of is that they tell us about ourselves. They tell us what our lives are or had better be. Living is a journey. Iťs always a leaving and a moving on and all along encountering and learning. It‘s about being changed. The verbs in Star Trek’s opening words are vital to authentic human life. Our continuing mission is to explore, to seek out, to boldly go—and if not boldly, at least to go.
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This theme is all through scripture. The Bible is teeming with journeys. Liberated slaves trekking 40 years through the wilderness. Exiles in Babylon aching for the journey back home. Disciples sent out through all the world. The apostle Paul journeying all over the place. And Jesus, not only itinerant from village to village to village, not only on the long grim journey to his cross, but constantly saying to people with a great gleam in his eye, “Follow me!” And so many of them actually did. And do you remember, that is what his people actually called themselves for years before their world hung a moniker on them—“Chris-tians.” They called themselves “people of the way.” You might think it would be otherwise. And l think many people out there feel that religion is otherwise, that religion is about stability, security, permanence, safe haven. But authentic faith is an open-ended journey. Iťs about changing, growing, dynamic movement, tremendous vulnerability, and good discoveries in the company of fine, adventurous companions on the way. So, in fact, the very first story about faith in the Bible has God telling somebody to pack up, leave home, and
head out someplace unknown to him. Father Abraham we call him, because he is the first, the prototype for living by faith, and the very first thing, the defining thing we know of him is that he heard a call to leave the life he knew and go where he had no idea where he would end. In a way, it was not the first time for him. His family of origin had started out in the big city of Ur, in what is now Iraq, about 70 miles on the far side of Bagdad. But they left that place and journeyed far to a place called Haran, in present-day Turkey. So Abram, as they called him then, already knew that living is not about permanence and stability but about moving on. But then later, the word came uniquely to him, “Go from your country, your kin, your father’s house to the land that l will show you.” Do you hear that? Leave everything and go to a place l will show you. In other words, walk away from where you are with no idea of where you are going. Did the conversation go like this? “Abram!” “Who’s there?” “Iťs the Lord.” “Really.” “Yes. And l’ve come with something to tell you.” “Whaťs that?” “Pack up, leave your friends and your family, leave your security, leave what you know.” “Leave all of that, for
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what?” “We’re going to the new place.” “The new place?” “The new place.” “Where is the new place?” I‘ll show you when we get there.” “l don’t even get to know where l‘m going?” “Show you when we get there.” So Abram talked with Sara, his wife, and they packed their things and said their goodbyes to the people they loved and got in the “car” and with tears in their eyes, left it all. “Lord, where are we going?” And there was silence. “Lord, Where are we going?” More silence. And they didn’t hear another word, l think, until late one night, not sleeping, a voice rises in Abram‘s mind, a thought like a voice: “This is it; this is the place. Where you are now, this is home.” The story says the Lord appeared to him and said, “This is where the blessing will be for your family.” There are many stories about this man, but this is the one that stuck. This is the one that makes him the prototype of living by faith as the New Testament Book of Hebrews says: “By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place and he went out not knowing where he was going.” That is what faith is. It is the not knowing our future but walking toward it, trusting that Goďs faithfulness is going to meet us there, and in fact, is with us here every step of the way. And steps we must take. Sometimes we don‘t have a choice. Something happens or something that needed to happen doesn’t happen, and we are
Never get finished taking new steps of risking faith. in a difficult and sometimes painful situation. We are facing a future we hadn’t counted on, uncertainties everywhere and very little comfort to get us through the nights and days. “l don’t know where l am going, l can’t see the future.” Then that is where the choice can be made, if we make it, to trust,
to move forward to whatever is ahead, trusting the one who said, “l will show you the place, l will wait for you there. l am with you now. l am with you all the way.” Sometimes life presents us with more of a choice than that. A door opens before us to do something we probably ought to do, to undertake some new, difficult endeavor, to take some kind of stand, to say some words we probably should say, to risk something big, to give something big, but we are anxious about it because we can’t see whaťs going to happen when we’ve done it. It comes down then to the not knowing, and in the not knowing to trust the one who said, “l will show you, l will await you, l am with you every step of the way.” Sometimes in this world you feel
We are never too old and never too young to embrace some marvelous new insecurity and to embrace new steps of risk called faith. lost, with no sense of clarity, much ambiguity, too little comfort for now. To keep living, to keep moving, and loving, and waiting in that long uncertain season of your life is what it means to be a child of God. Do you want to know what your life is going to be like next year, next week? Then see a psychic. But faith is open-ended and the blessing is not just at the end of the journey. The blessing is in the step-bystep of trust along an uncertain way. Thomas Merton once offered this prayer: “My Lord God, l have no idea where l am going. l do not see the road ahead of me, l cannot know for certain where it will end, nor do l really know myself, so the fact that l think l am following you does not mean l am actually doing so, but l believe that the desire to please you does in fact please
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you, and l hope that that desire will be in all that l am doing and l know that if l do this you will lead me by the right road though l may know nothing about it. Therefore, l will trust you always, and though l may seem to be lost and
Authentic faith is an open-ended journey. in the shadow of death, l will not fear.” Or to put it in the words of an old gospel song, “Many things about tomorrow l may not seem to understand, but l know who holds tomorrow, l know who holds my hand.” Now here is a funny thing: Do you know how old Abram was when he heard the voice and left everything and headed out where he didn’t know? He was 75 years old! He was 75—that is almost a geezer! We are never too old and never too young to embrace some marvelous new insecurity and to embrace new steps of risk called faith. And it never ends, thank the Lord, it never ends. When Abraham arrived at that new place, it turned out there was a drought in the area. The Promised Land, as it turned out, was a famine land then. He had to move right on to someplace else, and though he did come back to the new place and lived in those environs for many years, did you know he never secured, never bought a plot of land there till at the end, and it was a burial plot. It was for his wife and himself. In a way, for him, the journey never came to an end until finally he came to his rest. May your life and your faith never cease to be pilgrimage, never get finished taking new steps of risking faith. Don’t be afraid of the future that God does inhabit. Uncertain as all our tomorrows may be, we lift up our hearts on this good, great journey that is taking us home.
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Ladies’ Page 88th Annual Meeting of the Czechoslovak Baptist Women’s Missionary Union
A
Friday, July 15, 2011
s part of the 102 Annual Czechoslovak Baptist Convention, President Deb Mulder warmly welcomed those present at the 88th Annual Meeting of the Czechoslovak Baptist Women’s Missionary Union. Breakfast was served first, making it possible for every woman and child at the Convention to participate. The men also held their own breakfast meeting. After the welcome, Dottie Kvasnica opened the session with prayer. The scripture reading was taken from Philippians 2:9–11 and read by Margaret Springle. During Praise and Worship we sang four songs, piano accompaniment played by Donna Nesvadba: His Name is Wonderful There’s Something About That Name Jesus’ Name Above All Names Blessed Be the Name Deb introduced a new song by first playing the YouTube clip, and then we sang it: Jesus What a Beautiful Name Thanks to technology we had the privilege of joining Ruby Mikulencak in Ghana via Skype. Ruby shared with us that she is leaving Ghana in January 2012. She is concentrating on saying her very difficult goodbyes with the hope of easing the pain of those she has known so long during her ministry. She asked that we pray that God would give her strength for the task and safety as she will have to travel great distances to accomplish the farewells. Ruby asks as well that we pray for her future. God has called her back to America but what
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that future holds is not clear. Ruby is very much looking forward to being with us in 2012. Heather Mantle presented the video sent by Mark and Gretchen Potma. The video features the Potmas where they live and continue God’s work in the Czech Republic. They take us through their neighbourhood in Skalka and their work as they mentor Czech leaders, lead a Christian Kids’ Club and run a summer camp. They are involved also in teaching marriage courses and the Alpha Course. Over 20 new believers have been baptized. Heather Mantle, who has spent time at the summer camp, prayed for the work that our missionaries are doing. Marija Sommer and Donna Nesvadba presented the budget, discussing the needs for the coming year such as Glorious Hope, the tract ministry and our missionaries. Givings throughout the year were encouraged. Marija offered a prayer before the offering was taken. Anthony Vahala presented his fervent answer to God’s call that he and his family take the Lord’s message to the Czech Republic. Anthony noted that Czech is known to be the most atheistic country in the world. Most Czechs equate Christianity with Communism and this makes it very difficult to reach them. God has placed this mission on their hearts, and after Anthony finishes his studies, the family plans to move there next year. Deb Mulder closed in prayer. Respectfully submitted by Margaret Springle
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Yo u t h S c e n e
W
hen I was younger, perhaps late teens, early 20s, I made a promise to God that I would read the Bible for at least five minutes every day. This was suggested to me by a speaker I was listening to at a Christian seminar. He had made the promise as a young man himself and had been consistent ever since. He said that whenever he felt tired or lazy as the day neared its end, just knowing he had made a promise to God compelled him to get out of bed and read, even if it was three o’clock in the morning, just for the sake of keeping his promise. In my case it didn’t work out that way. I was doing well for a while, but soon began to give in to laziness and fatigue. Eventually I was back to where I started: inconsistent. One reason for this outcome is that I was trying to approach God through fear. It is much like what religion places in front of people if they want to please God. At least this is how I saw it. The promise began to be a burden to me instead of an act of love towards God.
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Making promises to God is risky. It might work for some, but it didn’t work for me. My advice would be to keep your promises to a minimum, if at all. The struggle to be consistent in reading God’s word is still with me. But I’ve learned that there is no trick to it. Simply, it’s discipline, and more important, a love relationship. The Bible is God’s response to all of the questions and needs that we present to Him. If all we do is ask and not allow God to respond, it’s a one-sided conversation that will soon end up boring us, and we will likely stop. We need to have faith that God has something to say to us. Psalm 119: 9–16 is a text that shines some light on this topic. Each verse speaks for itself and either gives us a good reason to stay close to the Bible or teaches us how to do it. May we all find that joy the Psalmist speaks of, the joy that comes through obeying a God who loves us as much as He ever will. Kornel Bukovec
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I n t e r v i e w s – 1 0 2 nd C o n v e n t i o n What brought you to the 102nd CZSKBC? Kathy Shereda My husband! I first came to the convention in 1997. I had met my husband, Paul Shereda, in 1985, and his father and mother often talked about the conventions, as his father, Joe Shereda, had been a president of the Convention for many years. I found out that the convention had been held in Poplar Springs Baptist Church, our church in Henrico, and so I began to be interested. But we talked about the convention and never went. It wasn’t until the death of Rev. Shereda and Mrs. Shereda in 1996 that we all decided to go. Our sister-in-law, Dawn Shereda, David’s wife, suggested that we go. They had gone, and they came back with a report of what a revival it was and they said how wonderful it was—a mountain-top experience—and that we needed to go back and connect with our roots. So as David and Dawn brought these marvelous reports, the following year we all went as a family. And it was a wonderful time. We couldn’t believe it. When Mary got here, Mary Shereda Grant, and we all saw how wonderful it was, we immediately went to Grafton, and Mary went into the Wal-Mart and bought a video camera because she wanted to record everything that we saw and heard and take it back to the church to be able to report to the Czech and Slovak people in the church what we had discovered, everything we had found. So we took the video recording back and we shared with the church and inspired them a little bit. Then we came to the convention for several years and looked forward to the experience. There were some years we didn’t come. I went back to school for six years, all summer, all winter—I didn’t take a break. And
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then when I finished school we came back. And I guess the highlight was maybe 2009, the Centennial, and I was very honored to do the three-day Bible study. That was my husband’s last convention. And he was already beginning to decline from the cancer so it was a very, very special convention for all of us, and because of his death last July we of course did not come. I feel very, very honored to be able to come back this year, and I represent both of us. I know that in heaven he is watching, he is watching all of us as we are here as a family. And I know he will be very, very proud to see his son Eric pick up the torch for the family. Eric Shereda Well, this is my third convention. I enjoy the new friends that I have met over the last two years. It is awesome to learn stories about my grandfather, J.J. Shereda, from those who still remember him. This year was more solemn for me as this was the first convention since my father, Paul Shereda, passed away. Overall, I have a lot of respect for the convention and those leaders and attendees who came before me. I look forward to being able to contribute in any way I can to further the cause. Donna Nesvadba I’ve come to the convention because for us it’s a family tradition. We’ve been coming almost every year for the last maybe twenty years. Even before that I came with my parents when I was a child. We come to connect with our Czech roots, with people we don’t see except here maybe once a year and for the fellowship and the music. It’s something you can’t describe and it’s just missing when we don’t come.
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Ken Kupisz This convention was a mission opportunity for us to bring two boys from Czech Republic. One doesn’t go to church at all, the other one is struggling in his faith, so we brought them here to have Christian fellowship with other Christian boys. Luke Korcok I love to be here but can not come every year but every other year or every third year. But this year I figure it’s time to come again. I was here for the onehundred-year celebration and now is one hundred and two, so God willing I will be here in a year or two again. Milko Lamos It’s been so many years I’ve been coming, I’d say it’s close to 22. We missed some and we would not miss this one, because it is different, I have to say, this time. Because most of the time we came with our children, and this time we brought only one of our girls. But we want to continue the tradition and encourage them. Hopefully we will encourage many young people so that this convention will grow back to what it once was, to 350, 400 members. So we pray the Lord will bless the convention and we will continue in the same way as we have for so many years when the Lord blessed us and led us. Jovan Vlasic Well, I’ve been coming to this convention for the last seventeen years, since we have been in this country, and it’s always very enjoyable, seeing our friends and hearing God’s
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word and just experiencing the excellent worship. And we love it. Harry Tarr What brought me to the 102nd Convention is the fact that I’ve been to the others and I enjoyed the fellowship and the messages, plus the fact that my wife is Czech and I enjoy the people. And this year as usual the music I found very inspiring and top class as well. I enjoyed it, and I’m in music myself. And also the messages I enjoyed very much and finally, the young people. And the program itself and the area. I like the Philippi area. It’s very beautiful and different for me. It is a long drive, about twelve hours, but it’s worth it and I enjoy getting together with people that I haven’t seen for at least a year. That’s my feeling. Glenda Racinsky We come to the convention – it is a lovely holiday, a very relaxing time, and we just come home well nourished and rejuvenated. It is really a good time. Dottie Kvasnicka It is part of our lives. I would feel terrible if we couldn’t come. Lorra McCurring What brought me to the convention was just to have an experience of the beauty of Philippi and to come to the conference that my daughter was coming to for seven years and it has just been wonderful and beautiful, a great family time, and beautiful to worship God this way.
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I n t e r v i e w s – 1 0 2 nd C o n v e n t i o n Ruth Willow I came to this convention because my dear friend Judy Shoff has been after me to come for the last three years. Then Judy was not able to come, because of her husband Don, but I still felt God’s calling for me to come. And I’ve been blessed by being here, very blessed. Anna Jugovic I came here because my son Bosko comes here. My friends also used to come here often. I am a born-again Christian, so I was naturally attracted to meeting more of God’s children. I wanted to come here so that I could see what it’s like. Everyone says that the people here are very nice and good. On top of that, the weather and scenery are both very nice, so we are glad we came. Anna Braun I came because I heard that it is very nice here. I have never been here before, so I was curious about this beautiful area, as well as meeting new people which I wanted to get to know, and did get to know. Katarina Hrudka I likewise came here because I heard that it is a very beautiful area. We feel very good being here. Even the weather is fantastic, and I really like it. Milena Vesela We came here to meet with our friends, our brothers and sisters from the Czechoslovak congregation. Because the Czechoslovak Church in Toronto no longer exists, this was an opportunity to get together, encourage one another and love each other.
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Eva Kupisz What brought us back to the convention? After a few years of absence we again decided to attend the convention. I don’t now remember the reason. I do remember that when we came here and went about the little town of Philippi, we met John Alac, who greeted us very warmly. And that set the tone for the entire convention. One here simply felt as among one’s own. And that we continued coming here thereafter just followed naturally. We experienced the friendship of this Christian family, which is always a delight. Peter Vesely Sr. We always loved coming to the convention, always looked forward to it and always had a good time here. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it for a number of years. We freed ourselves up to finally make it back again. We are very happy that we are here, and that there are enough old friends still here to make us feel good. John Vlcek I am very glad that I am able to be here at this convention. I am also happy that I was able to bring along some friends from my home country. They are my brother and sister in Christ. I consider the Czechoslovak Baptist Convention the heritage of my ancestors that came to Canada and the United States. It was a long time ago that I attended this convention for the very first time. Then, it was in Campbell, Ohio. Mutual friendship here is very strong and grows ever stronger with time. The fellowship we have here is precious. We rejoice in the Lord’s service and the fellowship we have here. It is Christ’s love that brings us together.
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Ondrej Stuska To recharge my spiritual battery.
Anna Franka This year’s convention has been an especial encouragement to us with the theme “Heroes of Faith.” We are learning every day in practical ways that faith has its own value. Now we have the chance to remind ourselves what it means theoretically and then put it into practice again. To be meeting with all these different people from diverse nations is a truly unique experience. I don’t know very many people here, but I am happy to get acquainted with new people from my part of the world.
Trip to Blackwater Falls State Park
Tana Rackova I came here from the church in Vavris. It is the oldest congregation not only in Slovakia, but in the entire former republic of Czechoslovakia. I have desired to come to Canada because my father was here in the 1930s. This became a reality for me thanks to the Lord and my former schoolmate, who invited me along with my husband John. We got saved in 1996, were baptized, and can testify to the Lord’s blessing on our lives, and that when we seek God’s kingdom, everything is given to us besides. We love it here. We have met lovely, interesting people, we have visited a number of families and we are excited to experience this way of life which seems to be a little different from ours. It seems a bit more peaceful and balanced.
John Racko I don’t know if I could add much more to that, because I’m feeling the same way as my wife. We both wanted to visit this country that allows us to experience such closeness with God, closer fellowship and relationships even in regards to the past and history Czechs and Slovaks share, at home and overseas. I see this as a connection between God’s children, past and present. I am happy to witness this at the convention.
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Rozhovory – 102. konvence Co vás přivedlo na 102. konvenci? Kathy Shereda Můj manžel! Poprvé jsem přijela na konvenci v roce 1997. Svého manžela Pavla Sheredu jsem poznala v roce 1985. Jeho otec i matka často hovořili o konvenci a jeho otec Joe Shereda byl prezidentem konvence mnohé roky. Dozvěděla jsem se, že se konvence také konala v baptistickém sboru Poplar Spring v Henriku, a tak mne to zaujalo. O konvenci jsme mluvili, ale nikdy jsme na ni nejeli. Až po smrti kazatele Sheredy a po smrti jeho manželky v roce 1996 jsme se všichni rozhodli jet. Navrhla to naše švagrová Dawny Sheredová, Davidova manželka. Oni tam jeli a vrátili se zpět se zprávou, jaké to bylo oživění a jak to bylo úžasné, zážitek na vrcholcích hor, a že musíme jet všichni a navázat kontakt s našimi předky. Na základě tohoto úžasného podání Davida a Dawn jsme následujícího roku, jako rodina, jeli všichni. A bylo to něco nádherného. Nemohli jsme tomu uvěřit. Když přijela Marie Sheredová Grantová, a my viděli, jak je to báječné, okamžitě jsme jeli do Graftonu a Marie koupila ve Wall-Martě videokameru, protože chtěla všechno, co slyšela a viděla, natočit a vzít zpět do sboru, aby mohla podat Čechům a Slovákům zprávu o tom, co jsme objevili a všechno, co jsme zjistili. A tak jsme videový záznam přivezli a podělili jsme se s ním ve sboru a trochu jsme je inspirovali. Začali jsme na konvenci jezdit a vždycky jsme se těšili. Potom jsme několik let nepřijeli, protože jsem se vrátila zpět do školy. Studovala jsem šest roků, v létě, v zimě, bez přestávky. Po ukonční školy jsme se zase vrátili. Myslím, že ta nejvýznamější konvence byla v roce 2009, sté výročí, měla jsem tu čest vést po tři dny biblickou hodinu. Byla to také poslední konvence mého manžela. Jeho zdravotní stav se již viditeně zhoršoval díky rakovině, proto
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tato konvence byla velmi, velmi mimořádná pro nás pro všechny. Vzhledem k jeho úmrtí v červenci minulého roku jsme se pochopitelně konvence nezúčastnili. Je mi velmi velkou ctí mít možnost se zúčastnit letošní konvence za nás za oba, vím, že se s nebe dívá… dívá se na nás na všechny, jsme tu jako rodina. Vím, že by byl velmi, velmi hrdý na svého syna Erika, který přebral rodinnou pochodeň. Eric Shereda Toto je již třetí konvence, které jsem se zúčastnil. Těším se z nových přátel, kterém jsem poznal během posledních dvou let. Je to úžasné dozvídat se o mém dědečkovi J. J. Sheredovi od těch, kteří si ho ještě pamatují. Tento rok byl pro mne o to vzácnější, že to je první konvence od úmrtí mého otce, Pavla Sheredy. Celkově si velice vážím konvence i těch vedoucích a účastníků, kteří tu byli. Těším se na to, že v budoucnosti budu moci nějakým způsobem také přispět. Donna Nesvadba Přijela jsem na konvenci proto, že pro naši rodinu je to tradicí. V posledních dvaceti letech jezdívám na konvenci téměř každý rok. Dokonce i předtím, ještě jako dítě, jsem sem jezdívala s mými rodiči. Přivádí nás sem náš český původ, setkání s těmi, se kterými se vidíme možná jednou za rok, a také obecenství a hudba. Je to něco, co se nedá popsat a prostě nám chybí, když nepřijedeme.
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Ken Kupisz Tato konvence byla příležitostí přivézt dva chlapce z České republiky. Jeden do kostela vůbec nechodí a ten druhý se potýká s otázkami víry, tak jsme je vzali s sebou, aby se tu sešli s jinými věřícími chlapci. Lukáš Korčok Jsme rád, že jsem zde, nemohu jezdit každý rok, ale každým druhým nebo třetím rokem. Letos jsem si řekl, že bych měl opět jet. Přijel jsem na sté výročí, nyní máme sto druhé, tedy s Boží pomocí budu zde opět za rok nebo za dva. Milko Lámoš Jezdím na konvenci již mnoho let, řekl bych asi 22. Někdy jsme se nedostali, ale tuto bychom si nenechali ujít, protože tentokrát je jiná, musím říci, protože většinou jsme jezdívali s našimi dětmi. Tentokrát však s námi přijela jenom jedno z našich čtyř děvčat, pokračujeme však v naší tradici a snažíme se je povzbuzovat. Doufáme, že se nám podaří nadchnout další mladé lidi, aby se tato konvence znova rozrostla, jako kdysi, možná na třistapadesát nebo čtyřista členů. Modlíme se, aby Pán konvenci požehnal a konvence pokračovala tak, jako Pán žehnal po mnoho let a vedl nás. Jovan Vlasic Nuže, posledních sedmnáct let, od doby, kdy žijeme v této zemi, se účatním této konvence. Vždy je to velmi příjemné setkání s našimi přáteli, naslouchání Božímu Slovu a vůbec účast na prvotřídních bohoslužbách. To se nám líbí.
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Harry Tarr To, co mne přivedlo na 102. konvenci, je faktem toho, že jsem jezdíval na předchozí a vždy jsem se těšil s obecensství i kázání, dále moje manželka je Češka a mám rád lidi. Jako vždy, i letos byla hudba inspirující a zároveň na vysoké úrovni. Líbila se mi, sám jsem také hudebníkem. Kázání se mi také velmi líbila a nakonec i mládež. A samotný program vůbec a to prostředí. Miluji oblast Philippi. Je překrásná a jiná. Je to dlouhá cesta, asi dvanáct hodin, ale stojí za to a těším se na setkání s lidmi, se kterými jsem se aspoň rok neviděl. To jsou moje pocity. Glenda Racinsky Jezdíváme na konvenci – je to pěkná dovolená, skutečný odpočinek, a domů se prostě vracíme velice obživeni a osvěženi. Skutečně vynikající.
Dottie Kvasnicka Je to součást našich životů. Cítila bych se hrozně, kdybychom nemohli přijet.
Lorra McCurring Co přivedlo na konvenci mne, byla potřeba spatřit krásu Philippi a zúčastnit se konvence, na kterou moje dcera jezdí sedm let. A bylo to prostě úžasné a nádherné, rodinná pohoda a krásný způsob uctívání Boha.
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Rozhovory – 102. konvence Ruth Willow Přijela jsem proto, že moje milá přítelkyně Judy Shoff se na mne v posledních třech letech přesvědčovala, abych jezdila. Judy však nemohla přijet kvůli svému manželovi Donovi. Já jsem přesto cítila Boží volání, abych jela. A byla jsem obohacena, velmi obohacena. Anna Jugovic Prišla som sem, pretože sem chodieval môj syn Boško. Často sem chodievali aj moji priatelia. Ja som znovuzrodená, preto ma veľmi ťahalo poznať nových Božích ľudí. Chcela som prísť, aby som videla, ako to tu vyzerá. Všetci hovoria, že veľmi pekne a že sú tu veľmi dobrí ľudia. Navyše počasie je pekné, aj príroda je veľmi pekná, a tak sme radi, že sme prišli. Anna Braun Ja som sem prišla, pretože som počula, že je tu veľmi pekne. Nikdy predtým som tu nebola, preto som bola zvedavá na tento pekný kraj, ako aj na nových ľudí, s ktorými som sa chcela spoznať a s ktorými som sa spoznala. Katarína Hrudka Ja som sem tiež prišla, lebo som počula, že je tu veľmi krásne. Veľmi dobre sa tu cítime. Aj počasie je pekné, všetko je tu pekné, veľmi sa nám tu páči. Milena Veselá Přijeli jsme se setkat se svými známými, s bratřími a sestrami z československého sboru. Protože československý sbor už v Torontě neexistuje, tak toto byla příležitost, abychom se opět potěšili, povzbudili a měli se rádi. 20
Eva Kupisz Co nás přivedlo zpět na konvenci? Po několikaletém odloučení jsme se znovu rozhodli konvenci navštívit. Již si nepamatuji důvod. Pamatuji si však, když jsme tehdy přijeli a šli jsme po náměstíčku ve Philippi, potkali jsme Jana Alače, který nás pozdravil a velmi pěkně přivítal. A to dalo tón celé konvenci. Člověk se tady prostě cítil jako mezi svými. A to, že jsme sem potom začali jezdit, to jenom následovalo. Poznali jsme totiž přátelství křesťanské rodiny, a to člověka vždycky těšilo přijet. Petr Veselý st. Na konvenci jsme vždycky jezdili velice rádi, vždycky jsme se těšili a vždycky nám tady bylo dobře. Bohužel několik let po sobě nám to z různých důvodů a okolností nevyšlo. Osvobodili jsme se od toho a opět jsme mohli přijet. Jsme moc rádi, že tu jsme a že nás, těch starých známých a milých, které rádi vidíme, je stále dost, aby nám bylo dobře. Ján Vlček Veľmi sa teším, že tento rok opäť môžem byť na konvencii. Som veľmi rád, že som so sebou mohol priviesť aj svojich priateľov z rodného kraja. Sú to moji rodáci, brat a sestra v Kristovi. Považujem československú konvenciu za odkaz mojich predkov, ktorí prišli do Kanady a Spojených štátov. Je to už dávno, keď som sa prvý raz zúčastnil na Československej baptistickej konvencii. Bolo to v Campbelli, v Ohiu. Vzájomné priateľstvo je tu veľmi silné a stále se utužuje. Obecenstvo, ktoré máme, je vzácne. Máme radosť zo služby Pánovi a obecenstvu, kde sa všetci stretávame. Je to láska Kristova, ktorá nás spája. Vol 37, No 5, 11
Ondrej Stuška Nabiť si duchovnú batériu. Táňa Račková Ja som prišla so zboru z Vavrišova. Je to najstarší zbor na Slovensku, ale aj v celej bývalej Československej republike. Veľmi som túžila prísť do Kanady, pretože môj otec tu bol v tridsiatych rokoch minulého storočia. Splnilo sa mi to samozrejme vďaka Pánovi, a potom môjmu spolužiakovi, ktorý nás sem aj s manželom Jankom pozval. My sme sa obrátili v roku 1996, dali sme sa pokrstiť, a môžem naozaj potvrdiť, že nás Pán požehnáva, a že keď hľadáme kráľovstvo Božie, tak všetko ostatné nám bude pridané. Tu sa cítime veľmi dobre. Stretli sme milých a zaujímavých ľudí, navštívili sme rôzne rodiny a sme nadšení, ak to tak môžem povedať, tunajším životom, ktorý sa nám zdá trochu odlišnejší od nášho. Taký pokojnejší a vyrovnanejší.
Ján Račko Neviem, či by som vedel k tomu viac dodať, lebo prežívam rovnaké pocity ako manželka. Spoločne sme túžili dostať sa do tejto krajiny, ktorá umožňuje tak silno prežívať blízkosť Božiu, bližšie príbuzenstvo aj společenstvo, a to aj vzhľadom na našu minulosť, na spoločnú históriu Čechov a Slovákov doma aj tu v zahraničí. Vidím v tom veľké prepojenie, oblúk spájajúci Božie deti cez minulosť so súčasnosťou. Som rád, že som toho svedkom na tejto konvencii. Anna Franka Tohtoročná konvencia je pre nás zvláštnym povzbudením už samou témou, ktorou sú hrdinovia viery. Učili sme sa prakticky a učíme sa v každodennom živote, že viera má svoju cenu. Teraz si to ešte raz môžeme zopakovať teoreticky, a potom zasa prakticky dokazovať. A takisto spoločenstvo s ľuďmi z rôznych krajov je naozaj jedinečný zážitok. Ja ešte stále spoznávam. Nepoznám veľa ľudí, ale som veľmi rada, keď môžem spoznať nových krajanov.
From Our Readers J
ust a note to let you know how I appreciate your magazine. What precious memories come back to me. My mother was from Lawndale Church in Chicago, and during my college days at Wheaton I spent most weekends with Aunt Anna and Uncle Joe Mazanec. In 2004 I went to convention with cousin Richard and met several old friends – Maria Hulka, Ferrent, Judy Shoff and others. Perhaps I can go back sometime… God bless you all. Praying for you, Josephine Strnad
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Dear Mrs. Dors, When I received Glorious Hope with the history of the Czech Convention and saw the pictures and history of Rev. Henry Boubelik, I knew I must contribute something to his dear memory. He was married to my first cousin, Mabel Short. They visited us when visiting her mother in Portland, Tennessee. He was a fine Christian man and preacher. Sincerely, Julia A. Forbis
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Children’s Corner
MISS PICKLES’ PATCH
G
ood day my friends! As summer comes to a close and fall sneaks up slowly, I wanted to send you a message to check up on how you have been since the last time I saw you! It was just a few weeks ago that we met for the very last time at Alderson-Broaddus College. (Next Glorious Hope issue I will give you a little sneak peek of what’s to come for next year’s location.) We had lots of fun learning about how God treasures us, and how He treasured people from the Bible. We learned that each one of us is important to God, and that God has special things in store for our lives. I also learned about each one of you and the things that are important in your lives. I’m so glad you were able to make it to the convention, and can’t wait for us to see each other again in another t w e l v e months. A s I was saying before, I really enjoyed hearing about the important things in your lives like Jesus, your families, and 22
even your favorite stuffed dog! One of the important things in my life is backpacking with my brothers. Jesus teaches me a lot on my journeys into the forest. Over the next few issues, I would like to teach you some of the things I have learned. When you go on a backpacking trip, one of the first things you should pack is a trail map! (Kinda like the treasure map we used at the convention to find the treasure.) You can’t begin a journey if you don’t know where to start! It tells you what paths you should take, and where you can find water. A trail map tells you where there is danger (like a cliff or a cave where bears might live). It shows you where you can take shelter, and how far you have to hike. Just like that, when we begin a journey with Jesus, we need to know where to start! Because of this, God gave us a trail map called the Bible. The Bible tells us what paths we should take and where we can find living water. It tells us what things will get us in trouble (Remember the Ten Commandments?) and how we can enjoy life praising God. The Bible is the map to tell us how we can get to Jesus. And just like the treasure map we used at the convention, when we get to Jesus we will find the biggest treasure ever! You may be wondering, how can we know all these things about the Bible? We read it! I’ve made up a little game for you to practice learning from the Bible. All you need to do is look up the Bible verse and fill in the words that are missing to see some lessons it teaches. Vol 37, No 5, 11
Psalm 119:105 “Your___________ is a lamp unto my ____________, and a light unto my ___________.” Exodus 20 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 1. Do not worship other ___________. 2. Do not worship idols. 3. Do not misuse ___________ name. 4. Keep the _________ holy. 5. ___________ your father & mother. 6. Do not murder. 7. Do not commit adultery. 8. Do not _____________. 9. Do not _____________. 10. Do _________ covet. John 4:13–14 13 Jesus answered, “Everyone who ____________ this water will be ________ again, 14 but whoever drinks the water I give them will ___________ thirst. Indeed, the _____________ I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to
Well, that’s about it for me—but before I go I wanted to let you know that as much as I love writing to you, I would love to hear from you as well! If you would ever like to write me a letter, you can e-mail it to either
[email protected] or send it to my home at” 1665 - 6th Ave., Apt. 23, Huntington WV, USA 25703. I hope to hear from you soon! With much love in Christ, Miss Pickles
_______________________.”
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