We give thanks to God that He heard our prayers and five years ago we were able to declare the unity of the Hungarian Reformed Church by adopting a common constitution. In the united church, gave a home to reformed people from the Carpathian Basin and all around the world, recognizing that our destinies and histories are different but we all belong to Christ, and through him, to each other.

Looking back upon the past five years, we give thanks that we have experienced God’s provident work among us, who gave us aims and strength for our common ministry.

The answered prayer and this dream that came true are also placing responsibilities on our shoulders: this is the faithful hope. First of all through the establishment of unity, we were able to experience that God does not turn away from those who ask of Him. On the other hand, it teaches us that we should look in hope to more distant things. In unity, we received the courage to recognize in hope that the historical time in which we live is in God’s hands. The Word of God obliges us: “So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone…” (Galatians 6:10)

We have surpassed the separating reality of political boundaries in the community of the Hungarian Reformed Church. The same Synod that declared the establishment of the Hungarian Reformed Church adopted and confirmed the new translation of the Heidelberg Catechism in 2013 as its confession. We see this document not only as a source of Christian doctrine but also as a crucial document of Reformation, which radically renewed Europe’s individual and collective values.

Furthermore, the Hungarian Reformed Church brings us hope, because during its five years of existence we have experienced that our community and its ministry have been peacefully realized – despite the fact that Eastern Central Europe is burdened with suspicion and ethnic tensions. Our Church is a confessional and spiritual unity, the presence of which effects the region peacefully. We believe the main reason for this is that the reformed unity is not and end in itself, but our community brings growing social ministries with it. As at the adoption of the Hungarian Reformed Church’s Constitution, we now testify that this peaceful unity could serve as the yeast for historical reconciliation of nations and people.

This hope does not shame us, because where God lets his work be shown, a nation in peace with itself and others will sing its praises: “Christ is the future, we follow Him together!” 

Translated by: Tímea Gyarmati