We share the Easter greetings of Rev. Haroutune Selimian, president of the Armenian Protestant Community in Syria, in the spirit of friendship and shared hope for the future of Syria.
The Hungary Helps Agency has been established, The task of the new agency, which will be operating within the framework of the State Secretariat for the Aid of Persecuted Christians.
RCH delegation led by Presiding Bishop István Szabó shares discussions with church leaders of the Middle East in Lebanon before visiting Syria. Bilateral memorandums were signed between the RCH and NESSL and UAECNE.
On the 27th March Presiding Bishop István Szabó and leaders of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon as well as of the Union of Armenian Evangelical Churches in the Near East has singed a Memorandum of Commitment expressing their dedication to the partnership with each other.
Beirut will be hosting the “International Ecumenical Youth Meeting” at the invitation of the Churches of Lebanon and the Middle East Council of Churches along with the French Ecumenical Taizé Community. A delegation of 7 young people from RCH will also attend the ecumenical program.
Maintaining the partnership with the Reformed communities in the Middle East, the HRCA expands the donation campaign to support not only the community programs like the Sunday school project, but also various humanitarian programs.
In January, HEKS held a conference in Zurich, focusing on the cooperative work with the FMEEC. Representing the RCH, Rev. Balázs Ódor led a workshop detailing the partnership and cooperation between the RCH and the churches in the Middle East through HEKS.
Once again, the Hungarian Government invites students from the Middle East to apply for the Scholarship for Christian Young People. Applications for the 2019/20 academic year open online at the end of January 2019.
In celebration of the completion of major restoration, the Armenian Evangelical Emmanuel Church held a rededication service on 2 December 2018 in Aleppo, Syria. Hundreds of worshippers were present, as well as high-ranking religious, community, and state leaders. The RCH also shares this joyous celebration in spirit.
Through many years of mutual collaboration, the partnership of the Reformed Church in Hungary and the Reformed churches in the Middle East only grows stronger. A highlight of this long-standing partnership is the recent visit of Syrian church leaders to discuss opportunities of further cooperation.
Does a pastor think about running away when war breaks out? Does your religion matter at the market in Aleppo? How did suffering and the past change the members of the Syrian Reformed Church and how do they see their future?
A public lecture organized by the Hungarian State Secretariat for the Aid of Persecuted Christians was held at KRE with guest lecturers, Rev. Joseph Kassab and Rev. Haroutune Selimian, two church leaders from Syria. The Hungarian Government pledged two million euros for the two partner churches of RCH.
On Tuesday in the Parliament Building Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received the leaders of the Syrian Reformed Churches, Joseph Kassab, General Secretary of the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon, and Haroutune George Selimian, President of the Armenian Evangelical Community of Syria.
To continue and strengthen the partnership, the Reformed Church in Hungary has invited church leaders of the Armenian Protestant Community in Syria and the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon to Budapest for a Partnership Visit.
Leaders of Syrian partner churches of RCH will visit Hungary next week. Rev. Harout Selimian, President of the Protestant Community in Syria and Rev. Joseph Kassab, General Secretary of the National Evangelical Synod in Syria and Lebanon will not only meet leaders of RCH and senior colleagues of its ministries, but also participate at public fora.
This year the Reformed Educational Fund supported various educational institutions in the Carpathian Basin and the Scholarship Program for the Church Schools in Syria.