The Hungary Conference concluded earlier than usual because of the Hungarian parliamentary election.
The theme of the conference was taken from Ezechiel 37:14: "I will put my Spirit in you and you will live."
Five years ago, The United Methodist Church took the Forrai School in Budapest under its auspices. Over the last year, a second school, Schola Europa, approached the denomination to explore the church's willingness to take over this school, as well.
The school is near the oldest United Methodist congregation in Hungary on Budapest Felsöerdösor Street on the Pest side of Budapest, the Hungarian capital. This local church had already positively responded to this request and had considered it a positive challenge to be a missional church.
After a thorough discussion, the conference agreed to take Schola Europa under its auspices. This actually means that the number of students in the two schools is higher than the number of professing members of the whole church in Hungary.
Last year, there was a groundbreaking ceremony of the new church building for Miskolc United Methodist Church just one day prior to the opening of the annual conference meeting. This year, it was again just one day prior to the conference meeting that an unused property in Miskolc was sold, generating income for the new church building.
About two-thirds of the money needed has been collected so far – thanks to generous donations from both church members and friends in Hungary and abroad. However, raising the remaining 210,000 Euros ($260,000 U.S.) will still be another huge challenge for The United Methodist Church in Hungary.
One day of the conference meeting was devoted largely to the theme of revival and renewal. There was a lecture on John Wesley and revival and another section where members focused on questions of the present age. This led to some valuable moments of sharing of positive mission experiences.
The number of professing members remained stable, 478 in 2018 compared to 479 in 2017.
No new pastors were ordained, but two men from Szekszard and from the Roma church in Abony were accepted as candidates for ordained ministry. They will do an internship of one year in Hetes/Kaposvar and in Budapest-Obuda.
The next annual conference meeting will take place from April 25-28, 2019, in Obuda (on the Buda side of the Hungarian capital Budapest). The theme then focus on family and values.
- Bishop Patrick Streiff, Central and Southern Europe Episcopal Area.
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