The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) has welcomed a delegation from the Hungarian Reformed Church (HRC) for a visit focused on sharing approaches and experience in youth ministry.
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Hungarian Youth Ministers Visit the Presbyterian Church in Ireland
Led by Rev Ablonczy Áronand Mr Yusuru Kawase from the HRC Youth Department, the group arrived on 22 October and is due to stay until 26 October.
Uel Marrs, Secretary of the Council for Global Mission, will be working directly with the group during their visit. He welcomed them, saying:
“The Councils for Global Mission and Congregational Life and Witness are delighted to be able to share in hosting this delegation of 16 youth leaders and school chaplains from the Hungarian Reformed Church. It presents a wonderful opportunity to compare notes on youth ministries. Indeed, we are excited by the potential that even a short visit like this offers for learning together, especially given the challenges and opportunities encountered in discipling young people today.”
PCI’s valued and longstanding relationship with HRC dates back to the mid 1980s, and since then, several direct congregation-to-congregation links have been established. PCI’s global mission partnership with the HRC also includes the work of mission workers Csaba and Ilona Veres, as well as the sponsoring of a number of HRC leaders-in-training, who have come to study at Union Theological College.
Over the course of their visit, the delegation is learning about the denomination’s history, its work with young people and the resources and initiatives it uses to support discipleship in the younger generation.
Speaking about the trip, the Moderator, Rt Rev Dr Richard Kerr, said:
“It is a pleasure to welcome our friends from Hungary and to share with them something of the life and ministry of PCI. The relationship between our two denominations is very important to us. We are also encouraged and grateful for the opportunity to hear of the faithful youth work taking place in Hungary. Visits such as this one provide a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another as we invest in the faith and future of our young people.”