Global Partners: Czech Republic

Wednesday August 24 2022

Continuing the series of updates from Church of Scotland partner churches around the world with one of the Church's European partners

Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren

Number of Congregations: 243

Number of ministers: 250

Number of members: 63,975

What is your connection with the Church of Scotland?
We have with the Church of Scotland a partnership which has been active since the 19^th century. Professors and students of theology have been studying in Edinburgh and other Scottish Protestant Theological Faculties. Now we have twinnings of Scottish and Czech congregations and presbyteries. Some of our pastors have been studying in Scotland and some have been serving in the Church of Scotland as ministers. We have organised together camps for young people and families. We invite each other to our General Assemblies and conferences. For several years a pastor from the Church of Scotland has been serving in the Ecumenical Department of our Central Office. One of our staff members has been serving on the Mission Council of the Church of Scotland. The Church of Scotland has been supporting many projects of the ECCB. All together we have great co-operation between our Churches which has to face challenges in the time of Brexit and Covid 19. We trust that we can manage these challenges and our relations will continue to be enriching for all who are participating.

What does this partnership mean to you today?
The most important: we are as brothers and sisters together a part of the worldwide Christian family, of the Body of Christ and we have been experiencing this many times in our fellowship together. The Church of Scotland is one of our very important partner churches. We have similar theological and church traditions, we have also a similar sense of humour, people from the Czech Republic just love Scotland and it is a big help that the language is not a big problem because many people in our Church speak English.

What’s your biggest challenge as a Church?
How can we bring the Gospel to the people in a very secular society? How can we address young people with the Gospel? How can serve as a Christian church in a society where 80% of the population has no relationship to a church? Besides these basic challenges we face the problem that only a few young people are studying theology for the ministry. And then we have to manage a big change in financing the salaries of our ministers. Up until a few years ago we received money from the state for the salaries of the ministers. In a few years we will have to manage this mainly with money from our congregations.

What is your main focus over the next two to three years? 
First of all, we want to build on the spiritual foundation in the Gospel. We experience many fears in the Church that paralyze us, that close us in on ourselves. Faith as trust can free us from fears. Biblical hope can inspire us. We want to focus on key people, supporting and encouraging church workers, pastors, and lay people. To nurture their personal and professional development. To create an environment in which the distinctive charisms of individuals and communities can be put to work in a variety of ministries (mission). Further we want to develop the Church's education, Diaconia, and chaplaincy ministries. We want to learn communication and management from non-profits, to simplify orders and administration, to take advantage of the possibilities of digitalisation, to make better use of real estate, or to dare to get rid of those that are a burden.

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Global Partners: updates from Church of Scotland partners around the world

CCAP Blantyre Synod, Malawi
Uniting Church in Australia
Presbyterian Church of Myanmar
Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa
Iglesia Evangélica Española (Spain)
Church of Bangladesh