At the invitation of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District, we, the Hungarian Reformed community in the Carpathian Basin, by the grace of God, were able to meet again, this time in Gyulafehérvár (Alba Iulia), to remember past events, assess the current situation and prepare for the future at the annual meeting of the General Convent.
Above all, we thank God that the pandemic in our lands has been more or less contained. We remember with deep sorrow those who lost their lives to the disease in the last two years, but we look forward with hope that, by the grace of God and with the help of science, we will overcome the pandemic and reorganise our lives. Although the pandemic prevented us from convening the meeting of the General Convent, the governing body of the Hungarian Reformed Church, last year, our prayers have nevertheless kept the spiritual unity of the Reformed community in the Carpathian Basin intact, and technology has helped our pastors to carry out their commission of preaching the Gospel.
In honour of the 400th anniversary of the founding of the College in Alba Iulia, the Collegium Academicum, the Transylvanian Reformed Church District has declared 2022 the Year of Education. This is not merely a commemoration of the great success of our ancestors, nor a retrospective look at the past, since education is the guarantee of our survival and preservation. A century ago, the Reformed leaders of the regions that had been separated from the motherland also recognised that Gábor Bethlen's legacy was a vital one and promised a hopeful future. They foresaw that the key to the survival of the Hungarian minority was the sound proclamation of the Gospel, the strengthening of mother tongue education and the building of people’s church structures. Their insight has lost none of its relevance: it is still true today. It is with joy that we express our gratitude to God that, thanks to the Hungarian government, we have been able to establish a complete network of mother-tongue education at all levels of the school system. We can now operate nurseries, kindergartens, schools and universities in Hungarian language throughout Transylvania.
At this meeting of the General Convent, the mission strategy of the Hungarian Reformed Church in the Carpathian Basin was also presented. After a thorough analysis of the current situation of our Church, the experts who prepared the draft, considered the strengths and weaknesses of the part churches. Part Churches of the Hungarian Reformed Church will now engage in a process of discermenr, discussing complementing the draft paper, so that the strategizing process will strengthen us in our common action. The Gospel of Christ gives us the responsibility to re-commit ourselves to the mission of the Church and the preaching of God’s Word. Our responsibility therefore includes maintaining traditional Christian values and a family-centred worldview, based on the Bible.
The war in our neighbourhood has also brought our Church into a new situation. The General Convent is saddened to see more and more people fleeing the war zones and recognises that it is its Christian duty to help the refugees, which it has done in an exemplary way: the humanitarian aid provided by the Reformed Church is larger than ever before. The Convent commits itself to continue to support refugees and IDPs, and prays for an end to the bloodshed and the suffering of the innocent. It will continue to mobilise its forces to support our Hungarian Reformed brothers and sisters in Transcarpathia, Ukraine, and to ensure their speedy return to their homeland. Furthermore, it agrees with the Hungarian government, which is committed to peace and does not wish to participate in the war in any form.
Following the recent formation of the Government of Hungary, we ask God's blessing on its work, and we are particularly pleased that it continues to be guided by Christian values and wishes to move forward along these lines, and that it sees the Church as a partner in its work. May God grant that it can ensure the peace and security of the country and keep war at bay. We are particularly pleased that Hungary's first female President, Katalin Novák, was recently sworn into office. May God's rich blessing be upon her life and work. It fills the heart of every Hungarian Christians with a pleasure that she has asked for a blessing upon her work as President in a reformed church. We are grateful that she honoured us with her presence and offered greetings at the plenary session of the General Convent. May God help her to fulfil her ministry! Soli Deo gloria!
Gyulafehérvár – Alba Iulia, 20th May 2022.