Benefits from IAMS conference for Latvian team

Here are some benefits from IAMS Conference for Latvian team:

1. theological statements in missiology elsewhere in the world 2. widening of view (vision) and exchange of experience in the trend of missiology outside Latvia 3. contacts with people who are involved in related (mission) field in the world

A comment for the 2. Benefit:
The (Lutheran) Church of Latvia is just beginning to think about mission issue and the experience is almost zero (nothing). Our school (St.Gregor's School of Christian Ministry) is actually now the first one who makes the first steps in mission field. So it was very important to meet and talk with the people from different countries, so we do not try to figure out the bicycle again :)

Thanks for your care and welcoming attitude! We continue to be in touch :)

Blessings,

Marika Ivsina
Rev.ArtisDruvietis

Words cannot express...

As a humble archivist attending the meeting, I just want to thank you and the stewards and everyone else for your kind and wonderful work. I could not put it better than Billy Graham (or rather his translator did) during his 1977 visit to Hungary

"Szavakkal nem lehet kifejezni őszinte nagyrabeesülésemet Ön iránt mindazért, amit magyarországi utammal kapcsolatban tett. A látogatás gondos előkészűletei egész héten át nyilvánvalóak voltak, s valószinűleg a hét folyamán is minden erejétől telhetőt megtett azért, hogy ottlétünk naponként eredményes legyen. Igen hálás vagyok mindenért, amit tett .."

This paragraph with Rev. Graham's thanks came from a booklet published in 1978 by the Council of Free Churches in Hungary, entitled Billy Graham in Hungary. It had Hungarian and English texts for all his major addresses and for some other events as well.

On page 41 is the text of Graham's letter to the Council of Free Churches and Co-Workers, headed by Sandor Palotay. The letter is addressed to Rev. Palotay and the English version of the first paragraph reads:

"Words cannot express my deep appreciation to you for all you did in connection with my trip to Hungary. Your careful preparations for the visit were obvious throughout the week, and you certainly did everything in your power during the week to make our trip successful in every way. I am very grateful for everything you did."

That certainly expresses my feeling and I know that of everyone I talked to toward yourself and the local committee and the IAMS staff and the stewards for their hard and good work during the IAMS conference.

May God bless and prosper you. In Christ,

Robert D. Shuster

Archivist, Billy Graham Center Archives, Wheaton College

An international missiological conference – from the viewpoint of a steward

„We are one in the Spirit” – says one of the hymns we sang at the 12th General Assembly of IAMS in Balatonfüred, that was held between the 16th and the 23th of August. I got the chance to take part of this conference as a steward, and also as a participant. This was the first big international conference in my life in wich I attended and I have to say, it was a unique experience for me. As I was waiting for the participants at the airport, as they arrived, many people from many different parts of the world, many different faces, smiles, concerns, but all of us one in our faith – that was such an encouraging feeling. They are all working in the fields of God, planting seeds or harvesting, and they were willing to take such a long journey to meet each other, to change ideas, insights, to become wiser through the knowledge of each other. It was also great to be a host, I was proud of my home country, it filled me with warm feelings when I saw them being amazed by the beauty of Lake Balaton, Budapest, or the countryside. Meeting with all the different cultures, seeing their traditional clothes, taking part in all the different ways of worshipping God was also a very interesting experience and I enjoyed it a lot.
Though, I have to admit, that working in an international conference is not that easy task. We, as stewards worked hard to make the participants feel comfortable, to listen to all their questions or concerns, trying to imagine how it can be when you are in a foreign country and you need help in almost everyting that you usually do by yourself in your homecountry. We tried to be always kind and patient, and it was so good to hear from the participants at the end of the conference, how much they valued our efforts.
It was also great to work together with the other stewards and organizers. During the one week we became such a solidary group, good and deep friendships have started there. The interdenominational environment of the conference also helped me a lot in widening my view of the church of Christ which is one through the redemption beyond all of our theological differences. I had some great conversations with the stewards and the participants from other denominations, and we talked with the stewards about keeping in tuch and continuouing this interdenominational dialogue.
And, of course, we had so much fun in our free time. I really hope that we helped the participants with our cheerfulness to relax and enjoy themselves when they had pauses betveen the sessions and meetings.
When the time to say goodbye arrived, we were quite tired but we almost couldn’t believe that it was already over. After coming home I still see the faces and places of the conference when I close my eyes. I hope they all arrived at home safely, and I hope they all got so much joy from this conference as I myself did.

Georgina Orsolya Kiss

Welcome Home

On behalf of the Local Committee of the IAMS 2008 conference I bring you warm greetings from Budapest. By now you may all have unpacked your suitcases and shared your Balatonfüred experiences with family members, friends and colleagues. We would greatly appreciate if you share some of these in the conference website (http://www.iams2008.com/) for we can learn much from looking at our situation through your eyes (send your contributions (and pictures!) to: iams2008lc@gmail.com). This interactive website also offers the possibility to continue our communication on such an important theme as “Human Identity and the Gospel of Reconciliation” started at Balatonfüred! Thank you Nienke (Pruiksma), for all your hard work putting this website together. For those who forgot to return their evaluation forms, please do so asap!

Hosting you has been a marvelous experience for us as Local Committee of the Central and Eastern European Institute for Mission Studies of the Károli University. It was a great honor for us to welcome the 12th International Conference of IAMS in Hungary. Under the very capable leadership of Ms. Niké Szkárosi as logistical coordinator of the Local Committee we are amazed at what we were able to accomplish. During the last two years she kept us all on track. During the conference - with Rev. László Gonda - she worked twice till early morning hours to get the church visits and the exposure trips on track. Meticulously she kept an overview of all logistical details, and even knew by heart the arrival and departure details and special wishes of most of the participants. Mrs. Gabriella Maros arranged the 1001 details of the conference book sale and with Mrs. Margit Szirmai worked hard on checking out all details for the visa. In our evaluation with the Local Committee and the stewards, this team experience stood out as one of the highlights of the conference, apart from the interaction with you, participants from all over the world. The technical assistant of the company providing the ICT and AV equipment asked Rev. Enikő Hulej, coordinator of the plenary sessions, what next conference our team was to organize. He was very surprised to learn that we were a bunch of rather inexperienced pastors, teachers and students who “did” such an international conference for the first time. We praise God for what He has done in and through us.

Some statistics:
· 231 participants, 7+1 local committee members, 13 visitors, and 11 stewards participated, representing 44 countries.
- Division of participants per continent:

• Africa // 18
• Asia // 23
• Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) // 14
• Europe // 99 Western Europe, 49 Central and Eastern, total 148
• North America // 51
• South America // 8

- Gender division

• total men // 179
• total women // 83

- 188 people visited 49 churches on Sunday
- 252 people participated in eight different exposure visits on Tuesday together travelling together 3000 km
- 24650 photocopies were made
- 40 people had to cancel their participation in the course of the registration process, a number of them because they were not granted visa
- Two national TV channels reported on our conference, twice we were live at the national radio, and a number of national newspapers published articles on the conference

Hosting you as the Central and Eastern European Association for Mission Studies has been unforgettable as well. The theme of the conference: Human Identity and the Gospel of Reconciliation: Agenda for Mission Studies and Praxis in the 21st Century is very important for our region. We feel we have only scratched the surface of this theme, and look forward to learning more from reflections on and best practices in Reconciliation Efforts elsewhere in the world.

In our CEEAMS meeting attended by over 25 people a new momentum could be detected. National, ethnic, cultural, denominational and gender differences – so often prominent - seem to have disappeared. We look forward to partnering with each other and with you in our newly established regional CEEAMS DABOH study group, but also in common Ethnic and Minority issues like that of the Roma. We started the planning process of our next CEEAMS conference 3-6 June 2009 in Kishinev, Moldavia, and hosting the European IAMS conference from 18-21 August 2010 in Iasi, Romania.

In terms of email exchange, the last few days were exactly the opposite from the days preceding the conference, when we nearly made it into the Guinness book of records for the highest number of emails answered within 24 hrs: we don’t receive any emails at all! It turned out that last Thursday the server of the Károli University crashed. So, in case you have tried to be in touch with us by email lately you may have experiences difficulties. Repairs may last for a few more days. Please re-send all messages directed to name@kre.hu to iams2008lc@gmail.com or to amkool@t-online.hu.

Finally, it was wonderful meeting you, although we deeply regret that some did not make it due to not being granted a visa. We look forward to welcoming you back to Hungary, or meeting you at another occasion with more time for interaction.

with wishes of grace and peace, on behalf of the local committee,

Anne-Marie Kool
Central and Eastern European Institute for Mission Studies
Károli Gáspár University

Some reflections of the Conference by Jieren LI

Some reflections of the Conference

I am a native Chinese, originally come from mainland, currently living and working in Nordic countries for more than fifteen years. I was a pastor for a Chinese church in Gothenburg, Sweden. I am researcher of missiology and ecumenism in Lund University, Sweden. This is my first time to participate in the IAMS conference, but not the first time to visit Hungary. In March 1995, I led a short-term mission team to evangelize with local Chinese businessmen in Budapest.
I find there are following highlights in this conference:
Firstly, we may meet and talk the greatest scholars of missiology in our generation. Some of them, such as Bob Schreiter, Stephen Beavans, we only knew through our textbooks, but now we are able to ask questions, and share our insights with them face to face.
Secondly, the conference provides very good program. Human identity and the gospel of conciliation is the greatest need for this age. Some plenary sessions have also interesting subjects for us to discuss. For example, in my group “globalization and mission,” not only main presentations are illuminated, but also questions, debates, are tireless.
Thirdly, this conference provides a important platform for scholars, ministers, missionaries, students to meet each other and establish a wide network for the future development of the mission studies. For instance, in the process of writing my dissertation In Search of Via Media between Christ and Marx: A Study of Bishop Ding’s Contextual Theology, my supervisor David Kerr mentioned his former Korean student wrote a doctoral dissertation about the church in North Korea. There are parallels between these two theses. Since David suddenly passed away in mid-April, I did not have a chance to get that thesis. However, I met Dr. Jooseop Keum, editor of the International Review of Mission.
Finally, this conference is particularly meaningful for me personally, because I could introduce my new published dissertation and distribute here.

Jieren LI
Lund University
Sweden

Post by Atola Longkumer

Leonard Theological College in Central India (the college where I teach) willhave its annual Christian Home Week, almost as soon as I return to the College. The theme for the week is Conflict Resolution and Christian Home. As a convener of the programme, I take back many insights and fresh ideas form IAMS 2008. One of the persisitent facts that emerged from the plenary sessions, small group discussions, parallel groups presentation and the city exposure is the fact that conclicts/tension/hostility are intrinsically realted with human identity and it construct and/or its assertion over against the other, in whatever forms. Dr. Brian Stanley's presentation directed us to the conviction that it is only in time discipleship of Jesus Christ lies the fruition of the complete potential of humanity can take place. To attain/achieve this state is a process, a journey to be undertaken, an IAMS 2008 has brought together a 'cloud of witnesses' comprised of committed mission-scholars who apparently feel passionate about emissioning a better world, as directed by Jesus Christ. I hope we begin the journey with Jesus Christ as our guide towards that reconciled state.

Atola Longkumer, India

A New President Has Been Chosen by the International Association of Mission Studies

A New President Has Been Chosen by the International Association of Mission Studies

The General Meeting of the International Association for Mission Studies (IAMS) chose Jonathan J. Bonk as its new president on 20 August at Balatonfüred, Hungary. The Canadian church history professor and missiologist is currently the Director of the Overseas Mission Study Centre (OMSC) in New Haven, USA, and publisher of an important missiology journal, The International Bulletin of Missionary Research. Since 2OO4, Bonk has served as the vice-president of IAMS. Bonk is a Mennonite. The Mennonite religion is a radical expression of the 16th century Reform tradition.

Bonk spent his childhood and youth in Ethiopia, where his father, a missionary, built more than two hundred centres which ministered to those afflicted by leprosy. Bonk’s childhood in Ethiopia means that today he is still deeply involved in researching and writing about Christian mission in Africa One of his most important contributions to the story of Christian mission in Africa is his Encyclopedia of Missions and Missionaries series which contains the biographies of many of the most important Christian personalities of the continent from the first century up until today. This significant database is appearing in four languages: English, French, Portuguese and Kiswahili. Because of its ecumenical character, it is already enjoying a wide readership:

As a president of the International Association for Mission Studies Bonk hopes that missiologists in the future devote more attention to globalization, to the social consequences of climate change, and to the dangers that lie in the export of a western consumer mentality throughout the world. He is convinced that this would endanger the Earth’s well being.

Other contemporary issues which merit the attention of missiologists include, the spreading of Christian faith, and the implication of the migration of millions of people. In the last five centuries Europeans have migrated all over the world at immense cost to the indigenous peoples where they settled.

Today we are experiencing a new migration which involves multitudes arriving in the Western world and bringing their traditional lifestyle and religion. Many of them are Christians, but their religious practice is very different from that of Western Christians’. “We face several twenty first century-problems as missiologists, and the research of these is our urgent task,” claims Bonk.

There are two hundred and seventy missiologists and missionaries from forty eight countries participating in the Association’s 12th congress, which concludes on Friday, 22 August.

For more information, see the IAMS webpage: www.missionstudies.org

"We are all human beings" - by Cathy Ross

"We are all human beings"

During our discussion after the session on ethnic identity and reconciliation, Dr. Rene Padilla reminded us that indeed "we are all human beings." The previous day we had visited the "House of Terror" - this was the headquarters for the Nazi's and then the Hungarian secret police - in an elegant building in Budapest's main street. It is a museum which shows what happened under two totalitarian regimes: Nazism and Communism. It included a torture chamber with all the gruesome instruments of torture.
I thought: How can we do this to one another? If only we can remember that we have our humanity in common, that we are all human beings and that each of us is created in the image of God, then we could not, we dare not perpatrate these horrors on one another. Whatever our identity, we are all human beings.

Urban Mission Exposure Report by Franz Helm

I was impressed by the so different approaches to urban mission we visited in Budapest: First care for homeless and addicted to alcohol, next the “City Mission” as a week of Christian faith gaining public sphere in the big city, an finally community- and church-building in a housing estate at the periphery. Two experiences of little communities, welcoming and family-like, and one of much planning, organizing and campaigning. In every place we visited we found people living Christian mission and testifying Jesus Christ. The life-stories of the previous homeless and addicted were very touching – indeed an impressing testimony how faith in Jesus Christ leads to redemption. The ones who organized City-Mission confessed that they have to learn and study more so that they can cope with the questions of the people. And the welcoming lively Christian community that was developing in the anonymous surroundings of the blocs in the outskirts testified that constructing church means first of all construction human relationships.
Nevertheless, the visits provoked questionings: Aren’t the small communities and congregations considering themselves little islands of “saved in Jesus Christ” amidst of a huge ocean of people who are “lost”? Isn’t God acting in this City by many means, and Christian mission should be first of all a discovering of this action of God and collaboration with it at many different levels? After conquering public space for Christian faith topics for one week – what is the follow up? How can those, who were somehow touched, find welcoming and company for their further religious searching?
I am very grateful for the experiences and the questions that arose in these encounters in Budapest.

By (Dr.) Martin Conway, Oxford (UK)

This is now the sixth IAMS Conference in which I have shared since my first in Rome in 1988. At that time I had recently been appointed to the job of President of the Selly Oak Colleges in Birmingham, England, and as such as the latest successor to Paul Rowntree Clifford. He had been one of the founders of IAMS at the meeting held in Selly Oak in, I think, 1968, and had told me how strongly he hoped that I would be willing to succeed him in the post of Treasurer for IAMS (in which both Andrew Kirk and now Allan Anderson have in turn succeeded me from Selly Oak!)
It is now Wednesday, and I can say that this is proving to be one of the best of the six I have experienced. The hotel is almost as nice as the one we were in at Port Dickson, outside Kuala Lumpur in West Malaysia, in 2OO4, even if the temperature of the water at the beach was a fair bit warmer there!
And the community is this time even richer in the sheer variety of the people present. Let me mention first the three Orthodox present from Bulgaria and Romania. If the European members can succeed in holding their next all-European conference in an Orthodox centre, then it is to be hoped that we will have a much more significant group of both Eastern and Oriental Orthodox missiologists present at our next world-wide meeting.
The presence here for the first time of a group of doctoral and post-doctoral students from China is also a notable advance. For it is in China, perhaps more significantly than in any other single country, that Christian faith is in these years making a strong and totally unpredictable advance. This is potentially of the greatest significance for the entire future of not just the world-wide Church but indeed for the whole planet and its chance of surviving the present threats from climate change. Let those who doubt this look up (for instance of the Reader my colleague Noel Davies and I have recently published, (in the bookroom: World Christianity in the 2Oth Century – Reader) the text written by John R. Mott after his first visit to China in, I think, 1898 and they will see a prophecy which is becoming astonishingly true only 1OO years later.
It is too early today to know at all exactly what the conclusions of this conference will be, but as I write, I feel confident that we shall take with us as we leave Balatonfüred on Saturday a strong and hopeful conviction that IAMS is continuing to serve a vital promise for the future of both Church and world. Long may it continue to excite and stimulate research and friendships across all the barriers of nations, cultures and political or economic regimes, so that the promise God has shown us all in Jesus Christ can become even more real and living to all humankind. To God be the glory!

Check out the newly uploaded photos of the exposure trips!

By clicking on the little photo show on the side, you will be linked on to the picasa webalbums of the conference!

If you have any photos you'd like to contribute, please come and see Nienke at the Local Committee office on the first floor. A cable to connect your camera is available.

12TH IAMS GENERAL ASSEMBLY - SOME INITIAL IMPRESSIONS BY A NEWBIE

As a “newbie” (first-timer) to IAMS, it was quite interesting to connect faces to familiar names I had previously come across mainly on book covers in my seminary library. I must say I was a bit nervous about meeting these “well-known” missiologists and scholars, more so since, as a librarian, the closest I've come to missiological scholarship is when I catalogue books on missions! I needn't have worried about feeling lost or out of place because there has been nothing but warm smiles and friendly conversation. And where language or cultural barriers made conversation difficult, those smiles conveyed a welcome and fellowship that words could not.

This was especially true when the IAMS participants were hosted by different congregations for Sunday worship. My group of 3 persons were guests of Sentz Imre Church, a Roman Catholic congregation. The fact that none of us in the group is Roman Catholic, and that we needed the help of intrepreters to converse, did not matter at all. The smiles and generous hospitality enabled us to experience, as one of our group observed, a demonstration of the oneness we share as members of the Body of Christ, although we were different in many ways.

The smiles that made an impact on me, and I daresay the others in my group, were the smiles that persevered despite years of suffering and hardship, in the older members of the congregation in particular. Meeting 92-year-old Fr. Placid Kovacs left the greatest impression. A Benedictine, and somewhat of a Hungarian hero, he had suffered ten years' imprisonment in a Siberian gulag and many years afterward unable to his minister openly under Communist rule. Yet he exudes such joy, life and joviality today that one could hardly guess he had been through so much pain. He spend most of his time these days listening to confessions and many come to him because of what he has endured (and perhaps also because he is hard of hearing, we are jokingly told).

Finally, it would be remiss if I didn't mention the patience and longsuffering of the IAMS volunteers and stewards, whose friendliness and smiles did not wane although having had to deal with travel-weary, and sometimes irritable, participants over the past two days. Thank you so much for your service and ready smiles.

Genuine smiles and heartfelt expressions of fellowship in Christ -- these have been my initial impressions of the 12th IAMS Assembly. And maybe I am being totally naive, but these also give me a glimmer of hope that reconciliation can happen despite the myriad of differences that exist ... which is what this 12th Assembly is about, isn't it? Or have I missed the point?

The House of Terror and Pieces of Joy. By Melody J. Wachsmuth

The House of Terror and Pieces of Joy
By Melody J. Wachsmuth

One Tuesday of the IAMS conference, the day was devoted to what was called "Exposure Trips". I participated in the one entitled "Christianity under an Ideology", which essentially wanted to help us understand the Church’s experience during decades of a Totalitarian regime. It was both an intellectually stimulating and spiritually impacting day. First, we went to see the House of Terror: both the Nazis and Communists used this house as a detention center and torture place for "enemies of the state". Next, we went to hear the testimony and reflections from four church leaders, representing various Christian streams in Hungary: Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed, and Baptist. I was most moved by the Benedictine man who served 10 years in the Gulag, and I feel compelled to share the highlights of his story.

Father Oloffson's words stirred me deeply, not just because of his story, but also from the quiet power that emanates from words forged during a crucible of suffering. I scribbled furiously as he spoke, trying to capture the words themselves, but being conscious that I could not capture his fiery spirit that exploded from his body in animated gestures and through his loud, passionately expressive voice. In fact, although he was 92 years old, the best word to describe his demeanor is LIFE: he radiated a full and joyous life.

Shortly before Father Oloffson was sentenced to the Gulag, God gave him a special experience by which He revealed his assignment in the Gulag: to encourage his fellow prisoners. "We were not heroes", he claims, "but we wanted to survive the hell, because it was hell.” To do this, he and some others came up with four rules that enabled their survival over the next 10 years of grueling manual labor in the harsh Siberian climate.

First, he insisted that they should not dramatize suffering, because it only makes one weaker. Instead, anyone who began complaining would have to start recounting his former occupation to his fellow prisoners.

Next, he claimed that they should not go looking for suffering, as it would come regardless, but rather they should be searching for the little joyous moments of life. In fact, they went so far in this as to have the "pieces of joy Olympics". At the end of a day, they would compare who had found the most moments of joy and the two highest would compete the next day. The final winner would have his favorite song sung to him by the others.

Thirdly, he stated that at the right moments, one should boost one’s self esteem by proving oneself better than one’s captors and oppressors.

Finally, he attested that if one who has someone to hold onto, the easier it is to survive suffering. He profoundly said: “We believers cling to the Lord, and we discover that He wants our survival.”

Although not all the group of 26 Hungarians were believers before this experience, they all survived and are all now believers. From stories like this, I always ask myself what sort of Christian I would be when confronted with impossible circumstances. Would I be able to follow the suffering Christ down such a narrow road? Would I have been able, through God’s grace, to take a special assignment in the Gulag and carry it out faithfully during 10 years of hell? It is difficult for a white American such as myself to really understand such a regime and its terrible consequences, so I welcomed this opportunity to learn from such people who are so rich in wisdom and humility. I close with a last quote from Father Oloffson:

"Why am I so happy? Because I am a child of the gospel. And that was my task, to bring this happiness into that situation.”

Missiologists’ Encounter with Hungarian Reality

The IAMS Conference of missiologists in Balatonfüred included an exposure trip on 19 August. Missiologists from the six continental regions gained many insights into the Hungarian reality through their visits to the Roma people, to the Jewish community, and to those who minister the poor and homeless. One group learnt about the situation of Christians during the Nazi and Communist regimes through their visit to the House of Terror Museum in Budapest, where they met survivors of the persecution, one of whom was Olofsson Placid, a 92 year old Benedictine monk, who spent 10 years in the Gulag. Another group explored archival and early library material, e.g., original Luther manuscripts. These scholars also studied documents pertaining to the life of Jewish community in Hungary.

For further information refer to the web-page of IAMS: www.missionstudies.org

From Religious Conflict to a Shared Health Ministry

From Religious Conflict to a Shared Health Ministry

At the International Association of Mission Studies (IAMS) Conference in Balatonfüred, Hungary (16-23 August 2OO8), Indian-born Dr Lalsangkima Pachuau presented a paper “Ethnic Identity and the Gospel of Reconciliation.”. Dr Peter Kanyandago of Uganda who teaches at the Martyrs’ University in Uganda responded to Dr Pachaua’ address by briefly referring to the religious history of his country where there had also been a need for real reconciliation. We would like to share Father Kanyandago’s response with you.

From Conflict to Reconciliation in Uganda

Numerically speaking, the spread of the Christian faith in Uganda seems really successful, as 90% of the population is Christian today. Of the total of 30 million inhabitants 14 million are Catholic and 13 million Anglican. Historically there had always been tension between these two churches, which had often been further complicated by ethnic rivalries.

Uganda used to be a British colony, and the colonial officials and the military supported the Anglican missionary effort. The first Christian missionaries reached Uganda at the end of the nineteenth century. After the Congress of Berlin, 1885, many missionaries from England, France and Germany arrived with the goal of establishing their churches in the young colonies. In order to do their work they often relied on the colonial power.

In Uganda, a British colony, the Anglican missionaries depended on the British colonial authorities, while Catholic missionaries, often from France hoped that the French government would support them. In the years leading up to World War I, there was significant rivalry between these two churches.

This rivalry persisted after World War 1 right through to the declaration of independence in 1962, so much so that political parties were often formed along religious lines with Catholics voting for the Democratic party while Anglicans supported the Congress party. Denominational schools meant that this rivalry continued in education and also flowed over into the workplace with both Catholic and Anglican employers employing Catholic and Anglican workers respectively.

Religious controversies continued through to the 199Os. Today people realise that the politics of separation cause too much trouble and suffering, and the process of reconciliation has begun in small but important ways. Most significantly schools are beginning to cooperate with one another

Several years ago the Interreligious Council of Uganda was established. Its most important contribution to lessen religious rivalry –an interdenominational health care system. Medical instruments and medicines given to the churches are collected at one place, and then supplied to the medical centres and hospitals belonging to different churches. This might seem a small step, but it is an important step towards the overcoming the former prejudices.

The churches are in a dialogue at a higher level as well in an effort to reduce tribal and denominational tensions. Christians of all denominations and from all walks of life seek to be part of a reconciling process in their country.

For further information refer to the web page of IAMS: www.missionstudies.org

CHURCH VISITATION IN BUDAPEST
by Frederick Mukungu from Uganda

As we drove through Budapest City from the Airport on Saturday to the IAMS conference at Balaton, I saw a number of big churches with tall spires along the way. Thinking that some of them were Anglican, I looked forward to visiting one of them the next day.
So came 17 August and all the conference participants boarded buses taking us to various churches. On reaching Budapest City, four of us were collected by an elderly Priest and led to an old Skoda sallon car. He drove us to Almassy Street. As we came out I looked for a church spires around but there was none to be seen, only to be led to a side door of nearby building which was under repair, into an undeground room. That was the church, St Margaret of Scotland Chaplancy or Parish, and the only Anglican congregation in Budapest City. And the Priest who had picked us, the Rev. Canon Denis Moss was its Vicar, assisted by his wife, Maria.
It was a Holy Communion service. As we prepared to start, the Dean of Monmouth Cathedral in Wales joined us. We were told that he was on holiday in Budapest. The service was led by the Vicar who introduced us with my friends Andreas from Denmark, Jaap from the Netherlands and Jeremiah from USA to the congregation. I was privileged to preach to a congregation of about 60. The singing led a choir of about five was wonderful. After the service we had lunch with the congregation.
Canon Moss told us a brief history and composition of the church in Hungary and Eastern Europe. Christianity came to Hungary in the third and fourth centuries with the coming of the Roman invasion. The Anglican church only came in the 1890s and is less than 1 % of the Christians sin Hungary. The whole of Eastern Europe has only one Anglican Diocese whose Bishop stays in England, and the Archdeacon in Vienna, Austria. The Roman Catholic Church is about 66% of the Hungarian Chiristian population, followed by the Reformed Church with 22%, Lutheran Church with 6%, and others.

International Conference of Mission Studies in Balatonfüred

From August 16 till 23, the International Association of Mission Studies (IAMS) will hold its XIIth Quadrennial International Conference and General Assembly on the shores of Lake Balaton, in Balatonfüred (Hungary). Approximately 300 scholars and missionaries from all continents will convene to discuss the theme: “Human identity and the gospel of reconciliation. Agenda for mission studies and praxis in the 21st century.”

About the Conference
What are the challenges, opportunities and obligations for the churches if they want to remain true to their calling in a world in which peaceful co-existence is complicated by ethnic, gender, political and religious differences? A number of eminent scholars will introduce the various sub-themes and open up the discussions. Prof. Dr Miklós Tomka (Pázmány Peter Catholic University, Budapest) will speak on religious identity; Prof. Dr. Lalsangkima Pachau (United Theological Seminary, Asbury) will introduce the theme of ethnic and national identity; whereas Prof. Dr. Wi Jo Kang (Korea) will reflect on missiology; last but not least, Prof. Dr. Brian Stanley (Henry Martyn Centre, Cambridge UK) will open up the discussion on reconciliation.

Besides the plenary sessions, a wide range of topical research papers will be given in parallel sessions. From different thematic perspectives, for example, “Women in Mission”, “Healing and Pneumatology”, Biblical Studies and Mission”, “Mission History”, “Interreligious Studies”, “Globalisation and Mission” and “Ethnic and minority identity and Mission” an overview of missiological thinking on human identity and the gospel of reconciliation in the 21st century will be explored.

The Hungarian context will be part and parcel of the conference. On Sunday August 17th participants are invited to attend church services in Budapest. After the services in the various denominations present in Budapest, there will be time for meetings with the members of the respective parishes and congregations to learn about the life of the Christian communities in the city of Budapest. On Tuesday August 19th the programme has provided the opportunity for exposure trips to explore the various missiological contexts of the Hungarian churches. Participants will be able to meet with the organisers of the project “Urban mission in Budapest 2007” and lay and ordained mission workers among the Roma population.

Addressing another facet of Hungary’s religious story, past and present, a group will explore the Jewish Diaspora in Hungary. Finally another group will be provided “with an opportunity to learn about the vicissitudes of the Christian communities under Communist ideology. All these experiences will allow participants to understand something of the challenge that the Assembly’s theme offers them in the 21st century.

About IAMS
The International Association of Mission Studies was begun in 1968. Its membership consists of 78 institutes and more than 500 individual scholars from Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Pentecostal backgrounds, specialising in the study of missiology, Christian missionary practice and interfaith dialogue. IAMS aims to promote the exchange between the theological, historical, social and practical dimensions of mission studies and promote inter-disciplinary research. It promotes co-operation between institutions and individuals and encourages publications in its journal, Mission Studies.

About the Organisation of the Conference
The XIth Assembly of IAMS meeting in Port Dickson, Malaysia in 2004, deliberately chose Hungary for its XIIth International Conference to raise missiological awareness in Central Europe. A Hungarian conference also allows the wider Christian community to be in touch with the reality of the Christian community in Central and Eastern Europe. The Local Organising Committee is headed by Prof. Dr. Anne-Marie Kool (Director of Central and Eastern European Institute for Mission Studies of the Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church). The public relations officer for the conference will be Csongor Szerdahelyi (Public Relations officer for the Roman Catholic Church in Hungary)

For more information, please check out the conference weblog www.iams2008.com and the IAMS-website: www.missionstudies.org

Balatonfured, 16. August 2008.

Last Minute Information

Dear Friends,

You might by now already have packed your suitcases, or even have started your way to Balatonfüred, Hungary. Time to sent you some last minute information.

Weather
The weather reports are very good. It seems that it will be quite pleasant weather and not too hot. See: http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/businesstraveler/tenday/HUXX0038?from=36hr_topnav_business

Visa
Quite a number of you are very glad to have been granted entry to Hungary, some are still waiting, or are disappointed because they were just informed not to be granted a visa. We, as local committee, are very sad. We have done our best to assist you. The requirements seemed to be rather unpredictable, the more since the decision making whether or not to grant a visa does not place in Budapest, but in the local Hungarian embassies. In January the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had assured us there would not be any problem. For those who cannot attend our General Assembly, you could in an interactive way be part of our conference process through our conference blog, www.iams2008.com.

Logistics of the Parallel Groups
In the box "Documents of Interest and Importance" om the left of the page, you find a list of papers that will be presented in one of the six sessions of one of the eight Parallel groups. The maximum capacity of each group is 30, with a slight exception for the DABOH track. Upon arrival you will be asked to sign up for the various sessions of the parallel group of your choice you would like to participate in. Although we advise that you that you focus on one group in particular, you are free to “shop around”, on the condition that you have signed up for that group. So while traveling take a look at this paper list, so that you can take an informed decision in signing up for one of the sessions.

Call for Pictures
Dr. Gerald H. Anderson is writing up the history of IAMS. He invites you to bring any photos from past meetings that you think might be included in the history he is writing. The photo must have identification about where and when (year) it was taken, with names of those in the photo.

Call for Pianist
Each morning we will start our day with a brief moment of worship. We wonder whether one of you would be willing to accompany the singing by playing the piano. Please let Ms. Enikő Hulej know as soon as possible! (eniko.hulej@lutheran.hu).

Telephone cards
In case you need to call our SOS number, +36 70 3036390, you can buy telephone cards for domestic and international calls at all kiosks, also at the airport.

Practical Information for the Journey

Welcome on the weblog!

Below you will find some practical information that you may need before you set out for Hungary. During the conference this blog will be one of the places for information, updates, documents and much more. Please feel free to comment, leave your suggestions or send us information that you would like to see linked or uploaded to the blog (which will be subject to prior scrutinisation by the Local Committee, responsible for the blog).

In the section "Important Documents" you will find the entire Practical Information Guide which contains helpful information for your trip to Hungary and your onward journey to Balatonfüred.

We are looking forward to meeting you next week!

Practical Information


Welcome to Hungary!
Isten hozott Magyarországon!

1. Transportation from the Airport to Hotel Füred
Most participants will arrive at Terminal 1, 2A or 2B of Ferihegy Airport (Budapest) in Hungary (http://www.bud.hu/english) on the 16th of August. The organizers provide shuttle buses (in the morning, at noon, and in the afternoon) to transport all participants to Hotel Füred, Balatonfüred. The last bus will depart to Balatonfüred at 17.00 hrs. Stewards are at all terminals to welcome you and to inform you about the shuttle buses.

Those who arrive later will be informed to stay overnight in the Ecumenical Guest House (EGH) (H- 1117 Budapest, Magyar Tudósok krt. 3. Tel.: (36-1) 371-2690 E-mail: oikumene@meot.hu) in Budapest, to join the conference the next morning on their way to the Church visits (at 9.00 am in front of the EGH). The cheapest way to get to EGH is to take the Airport Minibus.

In case you need any assistance in transportation matters do not hesitate to contact Gábor Draskóczy, our “minister of transportation”. You can reach him through the conference SOS cell phone number: +36 70 3036390.

Those who arrive before the departure time of the bus will be requested to wait at the airport and look for our stewards with IAMS 2008 signs.

Late arrivals
• In case you miss the transfer buses on August 16th and you get stuck somewhere at the Airport or at one of the train stations in Budapest please do call the SOS telephone number +36 70 30 36 390.

• For those who plan to arrive on another day than August 16th and would like to get to Balatonfüred by train please consult Hungarian Train Schedules at:
http://elvira.mav-start.hu/elvira.dll/xslms/index?language=2

• Airport Shuttle Services to Budapest and Balatonfüred at:
http://www.justbookit.hu/index.php?id_lang=1&showoffer=airport_shuttle
http://www.bud.hu/english/transport

• Airport Taxi to Downtown Budapest at:
http://www.zonataxi.eu/en/tartalom/fooldal/

• Hotels around main train stations in Budapest at:
http://www.ohb.hu/guide/railway_stations.en.html
(Please arrange your own reservation.

Early arrivals

For those who arrive to Budapest before the 16th of August we provide a transfer bus to Balatonfüred departing from the city center near the Pest side of Elisabeth Bridge (Erzsebet Hid) at “Március 15. tér” (bus parking place) at 11.00 a.m., 16th of August. We recommend you to arrive there on time since we might not have all confirmations from participants who are willing to travel with us. The bus will leave at 11.15 a.m. at the latest.





2. Currency and Money
The Hungarian currency is the Forint. Currency rate for US Dollar is 1 USD = 150 Forints and for Euro, 1 Euro = 235 Forints. Major credit card such as VISA and MasterCard are also widely accepted. Banks, ATM machines and Money Exchange offices are within walking distance from the Hotel, but you can exchange money also at the Airport or in Budapest.


3. Introduction to Balatonfüred
Balatonfüred is a small town with a population of 13.500. It is surrounded by gently sloping hills and is situated on the northern shore of Lake Balaton
People arriving in Balatonfüred - either by rail, by road or by water - can feel the well-balanced mixture of past and present at once. First they are attracted by the geographical conditions of the town which has been radiating good Pannonian spirits for centuries: it is surrounded by gentle mountains from the north and Lake Balaton from the south. It is an ancient settlement which was already inhabited during the reign of the Roman Empire. Visitors can come across the relics of the past at every step. Ancient residential districts, old buildings, churches, intimate vineyards, parks and old trees send their message to the people of our present time.

Here you can find more information on Balatonfüred:
http://www.balatonfured.hu/en_index.php?fmenu=balatonfured&amenu=koszonto.

Information on the Churches of Balatonfüred:
http://www.balatonfured.hu/en_index.php?fmenu=balatonfured&amenu=templomok


4. Conference Venue details and Hotel Accommodation
The General Assembly will take place at HOTEL FÜRED, where all participants will be staying.


Hotel Füred
H-8230 Balatonfüred,
Széchenyi utca 20.
Tel. +36 87 581 260
http://www.hotelfured.hu/





The conference hotel is beautifully located right at Lake Balaton, with a private access to the lake. The hotel has 172 guest rooms – most of them with lake view.


5. Contact Details
Please do not hesitate to contact us at the Local Committee Office in case you have any unanswered questions.
e-mail: iams@kre.hu or,
Phone: +3612162054/101

Mobile number for SOS calls: +36 70 3036390