EBWU Conference - Lisbon, Portugal - 10-13 October 2024

EBWU Committee meeting in Budapest, March 2015

Synnove Angen Synnove Angen

The EBWU Committee had the privilege of having our March meeting in Budapest, which is referred (on several internet-pages) as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Budapest is the capital and the largest city of Hungary and one of the largest cities in Central Europe. The river Danube runs through the city with Buda on the west bank and Pest on the east bank.

EBWUs President, Aniko Ujvari, is living in Budapest together with her husband Ferenc, who is a pastor in Jozsef Utcai Baptist Church. She made plans, prepared and was our host during the days of our meeting. We enjoyed the hospitality and appreciated all effort making our stay as comfortable and effective as possible. The taste of the Hungarian Cuisine was excellent!!

Headquarters of the Baptist Union of Hungary and the international headquarters of ITM (International Teaching Ministry) are maintained in the same building in Budapest and our committee meetings took place in this beautiful building that houses both offices, a training center, and a seminary. There are approximately 12.000 Baptists in Hungary.

Committee meetingCommittee meeting

We started our meeting with one day of team building and continued with updates since last meeting, planning and preparing for future events.

One of the highlights in our meetings is shearing news and stories from our member unions! We love listening to "travel-reports" and hearing stories about blessings (and struggles) in women's work in Europe, but above all, we enjoy having the privilege of praying together because it is said in Philippians 4:6-7 : "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Saturday night we visited Pesterzsebet Baptist Church for a women's meeting. The committee members told stories from our own countries, about our different ministries and experiences, shared ideas and activities and encouraged the women to start women's work in their church. Aniko Ujvari shared information about EBWU's work in Europe. 40 women of different ages, as well as the church's pastor, shared fellowship and refreshments around the table this Saturday evening.

Women's meeting at Pesterzsebet churchWomen's meeting at Pesterzsebet church

It is always a big blessing and encouragement for us to meet local women!

Sunday morning we participated in a prayer time for women in Jozsef Utca Baptist Church (Aniko's church). 20 women were sitting together in a circle, sharing the fellowship of mutual care and prayers. Aniko started the meeting with the words in Psalm 117: "Praise the Lord, all you nations, extol him, all you peoples. For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord."

We prayed for personal needs, for the women in Hungary and all over Europe, for spiritual revival and love and for "the empty chairs in church to be filled"!

March 15th is a national holiday in Hungary. (It stands for democracy and freedom and it commemorates the Hungarian Revolution of 1848, which grew into a war for independence from Habsburg rule.)

The Sunday service started with a short historical update and singing of the Hungarian national hymn before we listened to beautiful song from the church choir, was blessed with music from the flute orchestra and we all praised the Lord through singing hymns. The committee members shared our testimonies from the topic "Arise and shine".

Sunday service at Budapest Jozsef street Baptist ChurchSunday service at Budapest Jozsef street Baptist Church

Margaret Brown shared her story about "When I experienced that God loves me", Fabienne Seguin stated that "I am happy because the Lord is on my side", Synnove Angen talked about "When the children's eyes are shining" and Wies Dijkstra told about "An occasion when I was grateful because God created me to be a women". Aniko Ujvari shared the message based on the topic Arise and shine, Isaiah 60,1-2 in Hungarian.