"As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace." (1 Peter 4:10)
Dear colleagues, dear sisters and brothers,
Pastors – an endangered species? This was the title of a recent newsletter of a church press agency in French-speaking Switzerland. As the Baby Boomer generation retires, there are few to take their place, whereas new church professions are seductive ...
Admittedly a lurid headline, nevertheless it is based on a reality that many of us experience. Many of the self-evident aspects of our profession are falling away. We pastors are caught up in this transformation and try to identify and understand what we perhaps need to do without in the future—even things dear to us—and what needs to be preserved unconditionally so that we can remain faithful to our calling to proclaim the Gospel. This makes us tired and sad at times, and at other times inspires us to creative developments.
In such uncertain times, it is even more important that we support one another and to experience in a concrete way our solidarity with brothers and sisters in pastoral service beyond all borders.
The next CEC conference has as its theme «No panic on the Titanic» and is dedicated to these developments and processes. Our main speaker will be the Dutch theologian Aarnoud van der Deijl. He will speak about the future of the church (coping with grief and perspectives).
Together with the board of the federation of Hungarian Reformed Pastors in Romania, we have put together an attractive program with many opportunities for discussion and encounter. In addition, the yearly members’ assembly of the CEC will take place.
So, dear colleagues, plan to attend the CEC conference June 14–18, 2025 in Cisnadie (Elimheim) in Transylvania, Romania. The conference center is near Sibiu and easily accessible from the airport there. The conference begins with the evening meal on Saturday and closes Wednesday afternoon after a worship service. We will send the detailed program, registration form, and the greeting of the Romanian association in the near future.
Enclosed please find the invoice for the yearly membership dues, which we ask you to pay before the end of the year.
In the name of the entire board I send you warm greetings.
In heartfelt solidarity
Verena Salvisberg, President