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The Overseas Board of the Presbyterian Church has just launched a new series of videos to promote its partnerships with churches in Central Europe.
The five programmes that make up the Europe File focus on the work of the main reformed churches in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania and explore the links that have been established with the Presbyterian church as a denomination and individual congregations in Ireland. The stories are of the life and witness of Christians who until 1989 were firmly under communist rule and who today struggle with the freedom offered by their new democracies.
'Many people are surprised that there has been a strong Christian witness in Central Europe going back over several centuries, ' explains Nigel Eves, Education Officer with the Overseas Board. 'Indeed the church in Hungry is considerably older that the Presbyterian Church and while people are well aware of our links with churches in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and South America our involvement in eastern Europe has been largely overlooked.'
Two of the new videos feature strong local interest as they tell the story of developing relationships between two Presbyterian congregations and theIr counterparts, one in Romania, the other in Slovakia.
Newcastle Presbyterian Church and the local congregation in Hodos, Romania, while far apart geographically have developed a close partnership that has developed into a relationship of Christian caring and love, one community for the other. Meanwhile in Co Antrim, Ballymena regularly welcomes visitors from the Slovakian city of Levice as the relationship between High Kirk Presbyterian Church and the Christians in Levice benefits both communities in shared friendship and fellowship.
Their developing relationships are explored through stories shot both in central Europe and locally and illustrates how each community can help the other through fellowship with one another concern and care shown to each other and prayer for one another.
'Mission today is a two way street,' continues Nigel Eves. 'In our partnerships both sides benefit and these links between congregations create a new and effective way for people to be actively involved in overseas mission while being able to continue to play their part in their own Christian community.'
The Europe File series of Videos are available from the Overseas Board of the Presbyterian Church for hire or purchase, Telephone 01232 322284
Issued by Stephen Lynas, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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