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Our
host sisters made everything possible for us, that we feel home. At the
beginning of service, the church building was out of electric power,
but that didn't stop us to rejoice and praise our Lord with songs. The
pastor of the church, Darko Kaljik, greeted warmly all sisters who
came to the conference, he was excited because that was the first
Sister's conference held in their church.
Worship team led us in wonderful singing and they even found and old
song "Love your neighbour" as a hymn for the conference. Sisters
responded in a great number, mostly from the northern part of Serbia,
but we were blessed with the presence of some sisters from central and
south Serbia. The main speaker was Melita Vidovic from Belgrade and she
reminded us what good deeds are and what aren't. She also emphasized
the difference between submission and obedience, which we often don't
realize. Submission is serving God with joy, obedience is executing
God's commandments without joy. We can love our neighbour and show that
love in deeds only if our relationship with God is right.
After we go home from the conference, we are responsible:
1. not trying to buy salvation by good deeds;
2. not trying to impress God with your good deeds;
3. to submit ourselves to God
4. in obedience to choose blessings for our lives
5. to cherish daily a personal relationship with God through prayer and studying His word;
6. to cherish the fellowship with sisters and brothers; to not neglect church meetings;
7. to be doers of the word and not hearers only.
We're more than grateful to God for our new leader for sister's work in
Serbia, sister Maria Nagy. Sister Marija Andricek prayed for her future
ministry. Sister Marija had been for a long time the responsible
for Ladies' work in the whole ex-Yugoslavia. At this conference we
were privileged to present our new board member, sister Lidija Gages,
responsible for the Slovak-speaking churches.
A great blessing for all of us were the testimonies of our much more
experienced sisters in Ladies' work, Marija Andricek, Ruth Lehotsky and
Stefica Orcic. Lot of us were moved by the question sister Ruth asked
us: "what benefit has your church from you" and "what benefit has your
home, your neighbours and society because you are a Christian". We were
encouraged by other spontaneous testimonies sisters shared with us.
At lunch time we were asked to meet at least one sister we have never
met before. So, sisters met each other, had fellowship and enjoyed
God's presence, love and fellowship.
We're looking forward to seeing each other at the next conference, and to seeing some of you, sisters from Europe, in our midst.
In Christ's love,
The sisters from Serbia
- Lidija Dega
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