News from Serbia

Dear sisters in Christ, 

We'd like to share with you, our sisters in Christ in Europe and all over the world, something about us and our work in God's field called Serbia. 

We are privileged that in our country the Baptist family is consisted of 4 smaller districts according to the language that is spoken in the areas. Therefore there are: Serbian district (Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kikinda, Pancevo, Subotica, Vrsac, Zrenjanin, Valjevo, Kovin, Parta, Veliko Srediste, Ljutovo, Tavankut, Bela Crkva, Stajicevo, Perlez); Slovak district (Aradac, Backi Petrovac, Backa Palanka, Begec, Belo Blato, Bingula, Boljevci, Celarevo, Erdevik, Glozan, Hajducica, Krstur, Kisac, Kovacica, Kruscic, Kulpin, Lalic, Lug, Ljuba, Odzaci, Padina, Paracin, Pivnice, Savino Selo, Silbas, Srbobran, Stara Pazova, Sid, Titel, Vojlovica); Hungarian district: Subotica, Pacir, Cantavir, Vojlovica, Muzlja, Mali Idjos, Conoplja); and Romanian district: Vrsac, Alibunar, Vladimirovac, Nikolinci, Mesic, Jablanka, Socica, Mali Zam, Malo Srediste, Seleus, Straza, Vojvodinci, Ecka, Barice, Satu Nou). Every district is represented in the Board of the Women Work of Baptist Churches in Serbia by the responsible sister for one district. Gordana Prodanovic is the responsible sister for the Serbian district, and she is the President of the Women Work of the Baptist Union of Serbia; Vjerka Mocko is responsible for the Slovak district, Maria Nadj is responsible for the Hungarian district and Lidia Dega is responsible for the Romanian district. In our board there are two more sisters, Elenka Kukuca is the treasurer and Ana Peckai- Kovac is the Editor of our magazine "Sestrinski List". 

Sisters' meetings are better organized in towns and they usually have their meeting once a month. It is difficult for those who live in smaller and scattered villages to be visited regularly, therefore those sisters have their own meeting according to their agreement or once a year as a Conference. The main two events for the Women's work in Serbia are the Women's World Day of Prayer and Annual Sisters' Conference for the whole country. 

The Annual Sisters' Conference is eagerly anticipated. This is the opportunity to see each other, to meet new friends and sisters, to encourage one another, to share God's love, to know each other better, to share testimonies of God's provision, presence and touch in our lives. 

Usually the Conference is in May and each year in other place. Last year, 2006, we've met in Backi Petrovac, the biggest church building in our country. God blessed them abundantly with the new building and we were honored to have our Conference there. We can proudly say that the main hall was full and we're grateful to our Lord for so many sisters that came and attended the conference. We were also so very honored to have our President of EBWU, Ewa Gutkowska with us. We were encouraged and blessed through her testimony of God's work among women in Europe and the world. 

The main theme of the Conference was based on the Gospel of John 13,3–17; 34–35, with the emphasis on verse 35, "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." It was rather shocking the statement of our speaker Ksenija Magda that love is not the characteristic which the world would attribute to Christians. What happened with the church today who regularly reads these and similar words - by love shall all men know you? 

The theme is based on the chapter 13 of Gospel of John where Jesus' symbolic act of washing disciples' feet is described. Jesus gave a very clear example. This example is in the same time an introduction to Jesus' testament to the apostles and a preparation for the cross. A call to love is the first and recognizable charac- teristic to one who belongs to Christ. Love is the foundation to everything Christ is preparing to do for them/us in that moment. First of all, love is not a feeling, some butterflies in stomach, happiness when we see someone. Our contemporary society sur- rendered too much to these chemical reactions in our bodies. Love starts in the security of our identity in God. 

There were very practical instructions for us as Christians: there is no task bellow dignity for a Christian, not after the great sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. We try to "play so many roles" in our lives. There is no role! There is only what we are in Christ and the ministry He called us to and gave us talents to fulfill it. 

Jesus teaches us, as His disciples then, to abandon our ideas and accept His. Christians show their love to the world by loving those who hate them, slander them, and even trying to take their lives. We're sure no one left empty or not being blessed. We saw in action what means to believe in the living God who first loved us (John 3,16), and because of that love we are capable to love one another and spread God's love throughout the world. 

God's will, next Conference we plan to have on May 20, 2007 in Novi Sad. Hope to see some of you with us! 

May the Lord who loves us so much, bless you all! 

Your Sisters in Christ from Serbia 

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