The Presidium of the Synod of RCH has sent a letter to students graduating from secondary schools, expressing its hope and prayers that the outgoing students will find their own way in their community, family and life. School-leaving exams will start on May 4 and for the most part are reduced to written tests due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The letter, signed by the Presidents of the Synod, Presiding Bishop Zoltán Balog and Chief Elder János Molnár, was sent to the 38 secondary grammar schools maintained by RCH on April 30.
"Praying and Working" - motto of the Reformed College in Debrecen, a school founded in 1538
You are about to go.
Some of you will go far away from school, leave back the Church, the Reformed community, and even the way of life that we as a church wanted to pass on to you in our schools. And there will be those among you who wish to remain faithful spiritually, culturally, and in your way of life to what you have received in our institutions, and will therefore return to your school from time to time. There will be those of you who, wherever life takes you, will seek out your loved ones, those with whom you belong together.
However it will turn out - for there are as many ways for God's creatures, as there are of us - we will keep count of you. We won’t keep you in some database, but in our hope and prayer. We hope and pray that you will find your own way, your vocation, your community, your family, and the way of life that will be yours. It is our belief that your own path will start from God and lead you to God, with Him already by your side on your life journey.
We maintain schools primarily to bring this message to as many young people as possible. This requires prayer alongside the work and teaching, because we know that we are too little for this mission. That is why our oldest Reformed school in Debrecen picked centuries ago the ancient biblical truth of Praying and Working – Orando et Laborando to be its motto. And the order of the words was intentional.
Never give up the plea and prayer that comes from faith, longing for the power of the Spirit, knowing that your work alone is worth nothing. Let this be the first! And do not spare the hard, persevering work which prayer cannot replace. That is how your life will be complete.
Now you are about to go. Go with the blessing of God, in the love of Christ, and in the power of the Spirit. Our hope and prayer will accompany you.