Last Thursday I was honored to be able to sit in on the Synod meeting of the Reformed Church in Hungary. The Synod is the most important policy-making body of the RCH. Yet again I found myself in an interesting position (I'm beginning to notice a trend). On one hand, I have been preparing for this Synod essentially since I arrived. I knew the proposal documents and schedule, inside and out, because I worked with my teammates to translate them into English. I suppose it's as easy as that, I am a member of the Ecumenical Office team. The RCH is my employer, my home away from home, yet foreign to me at the same time. And that's the flip-side, I had an inside view of everything but I was also experiencing it for the first time - as an outsider.
Yes, I see the irony.
It's a nerve-racking position, I won't lie. Everything was new. I saw everything with fresh eyes and was in awe of the tradition and meaning that went into the Synod meeting. However, I had to keep all of this to myself because in the eyes of our international delegates, I belonged there and it was all business as usual. Or perhaps it was just me that felt that way...
Either way, the Synod was a wonderful experience. Myself and the other members of the Ecumenical Office were hosts and tour guides, of sorts, for the international delegates from partner churches of the RCH. I was extremely lucky to meet 11 representatives from all over the world. I took notes at the final delegate meeting, which was focused on their reflection of the Synod, and I felt so blessed to simply listen to the conversation. The caring and compassion they showed, the interest, the honesty, are testaments to the community of Christ's church. I was hanging on to every story or experience. The partners showed a passion for the work being done in Hungary, a connection for the shared struggles and a genuine interest to work together.
Sightseeing with the delegates plus Kriszti and Dóri
Of course I am taking the photo...
It's not an easy thing to be the outsider, especially in a circumstance steeped in such substance and significance. It's an even stranger experience to be an internal outsider. However, I can honestly say that I took pride in the Synod, even though I only participated in a small part of it. This fall meeting of the Synod followed a theme of reflection and revision. There were several proposals concerning the role of the church in an ever-changing Hungary, and ever-changing Europe and an ever-changing world. The questions and challenges of the Reformed Church in Hungary are the same ones churches are facing in the United States and around the world - global issues for a global church. How do you attract today's youth? How do you involve them in the congregation, so that they have ownership and accountability in their community? In a world where people move at the drop of a hat, how do we sustain healthy congregations? The list is seemingly endless. The Church Revision Committee of the RCH is creating a dialogue between Reformed congregations about these issues. It is examining, through sociological research, the structures and traditions of the church and questioning their aim, purpose and relevance. And while I think it will be a long journey for the RCH, I believe it is a strong step forward. The world is a wonderfully diverse place, a moving target of experience, belief and faith, and today's church must be introspective to determine if it is growing too, or remaining still and stagnant.
Kobus Gerber, the General Secretary of the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa, told me something while he was in Budapest that may very well be the best advice I have every received. He said, "Let the water flow." I think this is a powerful image that applies to many circumstances, and I believe it is apt advice for the church as well. The church is defined by its parishioners, its people. It is much more difficult to remain still and struggle to hold the water at bay, than it is to release it. The church must let the water flow and allow itself to flow along with it as equal parts. Only then will we know true community and true communion together.
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