Main Worship Service on the 5th ECD

On Thursday, July 7, 2016 at 10:00 was held solemn Worship Service during the 5th Evangelical Church Days in a space of Evangelical Church in Békéscsaba. The Worship Service was recorded the Hungarian television in cooperation with the Slovak television, and was broadcasted in television one week later.

The preacher on the service was general bishop of the ECAC in Slovakia Miloš Klátik. General Bishop on the beginning thanked to God for strength, patience and persistence for all, who prepared and worked for almost two years on preparations. He mentioned an endeavour of our ancestors, who built the biggest brick evangelical church in the Middle Europe. He emphasized, that people had been gathered to worship and celebrate Triune God and had met each other, spoke and had a pleasant days. The Bible theme was Psalm 119:46: "I will also speak of your decrees before kings and not be put to shame."

The sermon was on the text from Exodus 3:1-7.10-14. He had a think about the situation – Moses in the meeting with God. Bishop said, we very often, as a Christians, faced a tough situation unlike Moses, but we could look in the future with certainty, which is supported and justified by the sacrifice of life and resurrection of our Lord, Jesus Christ.

People gathered were addressed by the General Secretary of the ECAC in Slovakia Imrich Lukáč. Greeting had a special guest – the General Secretary of the Lutheran World Federation Martin Junge. In his speech he expressed a joy of presence between Evangelicals, who were at the 5th Evangelical Church Days and he handed in greeting from the Lutheran World Federation. He said: “Where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I with them”. Yes, indeed, as people from different places and with different backgrounds we converge here in Békéscsaba and recognize a deep sense of unity: it is because of the one that calls us together, because of the name we confess as our Lord, and the witness into which our common faith calls us. We are not strangers to each other. We have become sisters and brothers because of God’s action. Jesus’ promise also reminds us of a very deep insight of faith: we can’t live our faith in isolation. We can’t stand on our own while journeying with God and witnessing to Christ in our world. Faith is deeply relational, faith is dialogical. If we believe the promise of Jesus, it while meeting each other in his name, while being in relationship with each other and in dialogue with each other that Jesus reveals himself in our midst."

Within the main Worship service was granted the Leonard Stöckel Prize for 2015 to Mgr. Michal Hudák, evangelical pastor in retirement, former senior Liptovsko-oravský seniorate. The Prize was for his whole-life active and devoted work for church, on the religion field.

General Bishop Miloš Klátik granted the Aaron blessing and on the end sounded evangelical hymn A Mighty Fortress. Massive voice the song of our reformer Martin Luther, which sounded from the hearts of thousands Evangelicals, definitely stayed permanent experience for all and happen encouragement in faith and in sense of belonging together on the whole world.

Photos: Edita Škodová