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A Practical Faith

2016. augusztus 08., tags: rch, Scottish Mission, anniversary, interview, 175, scottish mission

In celebration of the 175^th Anniversary of the Scottish Mission in Budapest, the RCH talks with Rev Ken MacKenzie, former Minister at the Mission, to hear about his time in the congregation. Rev Mackenzie was the Minister at the Mission from 2000 until 2005, a time when church membership grew and the congregation made an intentional effort to reach out and build relationships with refugees in their midst.

A Family of Faith

2016. július 29., tags: 175, interview, anniversary, Scottish Mission, rch, scottish mission

In celebration of the 175^th Anniversary of the Scottish Mission in Budapest, the RCH talks with Rev. Njeri Wagana Hughes, current Associate Minister at the Mission, to hear about her time in the congregation. Rev Wagana Hughes has been the Associate Minister at the Mission since 2015, though she has been a part of the community there since 2006.

Faithful in our Calling

2016. július 11., tags: 175, interview, anniversary, Scottish Mission, rch, scottish mission

In celebration of the 175^th Anniversary of the Scottish Mission in Budapest, the RCH talks with Rev Zoltán Tarr, former Associate Minister at the Mission, to hear about his time in the congregation. Rev Tarr was the Associate Minister at the Mission from 2001 until 2005, a time when helping those seeking refugee was in delicate balance with also serving the ex-pat population in the city.

Determined to Serve in Budapest

2016. június 27., tags: 175, interview, anniversary, Scottish Mission, rch, scottish mission

In celebration of the 175^th Anniversary of the Scottish Mission in Budapest, the RCH speaks with Rev Susan Cowell, former Associate Minister at the Mission, to hear about her time in the congregation. Rev Cowell served in Budapest from 1994 until 1998 and is now serving at Kirkton Church in Carluke.

Building God’s Kingdom on the Margins

2016. június 09., tags: Scottish Mission, anniversary, interview, 175, rch, scottish mission

In celebration of the 175^th Anniversary of the Scottish Mission in Budapest, the RCH talks with Rev Dr. Ottó Pecsuk, former Associate Minister at the Mission, to hear about his time in the congregation. Rev Dr. Pecsuk was the Associate Minister at the Mission from 2005 until 2009, a time when reaching out to those on the fringes of society was vital.

We are the Church That Won’t Draw Lines

2016. május 21., tags: rch, Scottish Mission, anniversary, interview, 175, Church of Scotland (CoS), scottish mission

In celebration of the 175^th Anniversary of the Scottish Mission in Budapest, the RCH speaks with Rev Aaron Stevens, current Minister at the Mission, to hear about his time in the congregation. Rev Stevens initially came to the Scottish Mission as a young man teaching English abroad, but before he knew it, his ties to Budapest became greater and greater. He is now entering his 10^th year as Minister here and he shares his memories of service and calling with us as a reminder that sometimes the church is called to do extraordinary things.

A Walking Bible

2016. május 14., tags: interview, roma ministry

As a child, Attila János Lakatos was diagnosed as having a developmental disability, but now he is a college student who can easily cite professional literature and recite Bible verses one after another. János is a third-year Deaconry student passionate about the deep work that deacons provide for communities of faith. He plans to get a degree in social work as well and eventually would like to work among orphans, because János was once an orphan himself.

Everyone Could win with Romology Training

2016. április 14., tags: roma ministry, interview

Starting this September, it will be mandatory for all students to learn about Roma studies at the Debrecen Reformed Theological University. The university has set up a separate department for bringing students closer to Roma history, culture, and traditions. The department will be led by Romologist Mrs. Judit Kármán Szabó Phd., who is convinced that the department could turn the negative view of Roma in society into a better one.

Bringing Cultures Together

2016. április 06., tags: róma, interview, roma, Roma, roma ministry

“It’s very timely to realize that the question of integrating the Roma society is essential for us,” warns Dániel Szabó. As the former Lay President of Cistibiscan Reformed Church District, who has been committed to the Roma Mission service for years, said, that isn’t the main reason to work among them; it is also the missionary command of the Lord. Dániel Szabó or as we call him “our beloved Uncle Dani” speaks of his commitment towards to the Roma people and talks about the joy of this service.

Even One Hour Can Help

2016. február 19., tags: roma mission, HEKS, interview, roma ministry, Roma, roma, róma, heks

Rev István Lakó, the Assistant Pastor and Roma Mission Leader of the Reformed Congregation in Salétrom Street, in the eighth District of Budapest, talks to the RCH about the unique ministry happening there. He discusses the set-up of the Roma ministry that takes place there, the special draw that this work has for volunteers, and the importance of making volunteering something that is easy for people to do.

People Are Not the Religion

2016. február 01., tags: refugee, rch, refugee ministry, interview

Elif and Sema, two Turkish women studying for their Masters at Károli for the semester, sit down to talk with the RCH about their interest in religion and Muslim-Christian relations. These women come from a Muslim background and studied in Budapest in order to gain firsthand experience with Christian communities here as they study various components of religion, both academically and philisophically.

We serve the Church in its entirety

2016. január 13., tags: presiding bishop, interview

We serve well if our work has a positive impact on the congregations – claims István Bogárdi Szabó. We asked the pastoral president of the Synod about major public church duties in 2016, the relaunch of the Church Revision Committee, the relationship between our Church and the state as well as the persecution of Christians.

Promise Fulfilled

2015. december 16., tags: christmas, interview, presiding bishop

God became man in order to share man's nature and destiny, and so that through the death and resurrection of the saviour He could start with us afresh. The question is: what have we made out of this?" says Bishop István Szabó. We spoke with the ministerial president of the Synod about the meaning of Christmas, the image of the Messiah in the time of Jesus, as well as how God makes and fulfils promises.

The Importance of Encouragement

2015. december 14., tags: partnership, Synod, synod, interview, presbyterian church in ireland (pci)

The connection that Very Rev. Dr. Ivan Patterson and Mrs. Maureen Patterson, of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, have with Hungary has been 20 years in the making, culminating with their current trip to Budapest to encourage and learn from students and ministers here. The RCH sat down with the two of them after the November 2015 Synod meeting to discuss the end of their time here, how it will continue to impact them in the future, and the Very Rev. Dr. Patterson’s thoughts on the role that the church will play in the coming year.

Prayer comes first

2015. november 02., tags: youth ministry, hungarian reformed church, interview, prayer night, youth

On the 16th of October, the Youth Prayer Night in the Carpathian Basin was held for the fifth time. The goal of the vigil was for the youth to experience unity in their own communities by staying in our congregations for a night of prayer, uniting with thousands of other youth, and, most of all, God. This year Seminary Students from Pápa prepared the materials for the night. We discussed the event with Rev. Szontágh Szabolcs, head of the Youth Office of the Reformed Church in Hungary.

Moving Past the Hostility

2015. október 28., tags: refurgee ministry, refugee, interview

We talked to Dóra Kanizsai-Nagy and Balázs Acsai as they shared their thoughts on the events of the last few months: the general public’s fears regarding migration, the importance of integration, and the work of the Refugee Ministry of the Reformed Church in Hungary. “Not everyone can be automatically accepted, but, instead of speeches of hate, calm words and a clear framework are needed.”

Genies and Other Refugees

2015. augusztus 19., tags: refugee, Reformed Mission Centre, refugee ministry, interview, reformed mission centre

Following the case of refugees from Kosovo getting stuck at Keleti Railway Station in Budapest and at the railway station in Győr, professionals working with refugees and those more deeply familiar with the Hungarian refugee situation got upset by the government’s communication criminalizing refugees. We talked with multi-awarded head of RCH Refugee Ministry Dóra Kanizsai-Nagy and the Mission’s project coordinator Balázs Acsai about the dangers of the new communication, the misconceptions about refugees and the Christian attitude towards the refugee question.

RCH Scholarship Program: Enabling Cross-Cultural Learning

2014. október 08., tags: scholarship, partner, interview

Nurturing and encouraging future generations of pastors is an important task for any church denomination. In the Reformed Church in Hungary, one way this is realized is through a scholarship program where students have the opportunity to study abroad for a year. The RCH scholarship program allows Hungarian reformed theology students to apply for a scholarship at one of the RCH’s eight partner seminaries.

Károli University Continues Growing

2014. szeptember 29., tags: károli gáspár university, péter balla, interview

The number of matriculated students at Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary increased again. The institution has expanded and is now waiting to welcome students in September with a new building. Rector Péter Balla also told us if he would be applying for the church elections this autumn.

(Don’t) let it go!

2014. augusztus 19., tags: university chaplaincy, interview, szabolcs szontágh, youth ministry, youth

At the Konfi+ conference on 24-27 August, youth workers of the Carpathian Basin will discuss the possibilities of calling young adults. Why is it so hard for the Church to address these ages nowadays? We asked Szabolcs Szontágh, the head of the youth office of Reformed Church in Hungary.