+ Continues on page Pokraèování na stranì 77

Transkript

1 lwers in full blm naturally evke ur feelings f admiratin as we ntice their intricate beauty and variety. The bserver feels uplifted by the magical appearance f the blssms and may feel nearer t the Creatr. We have spent fur days in the fellwship f Gd s children. What expectatins did we have f this gathering? As far as the weather was cncerned, Cntents: Editrial - Natasha Legierski st Cnventin Infrmatin - Phts...75 Intercessry Prayer - Daniel Feriance...76 Czech Republic Missin Trip - Richard Mazanec...78 Jhn Hus - Natasha Legierski...79 Mistr Jan Hus - Nataa Legierská...79 The Saturday Night Cncert...80 Cnventin Eches in Pictures, Part Syn, 2. èást - Marie Frydrychvá...82 Makers and Builders f a Cnventin - Michael Sivulka...84 Antnie and Antnin Springle - 60 th Wedding Anniversary...85 Blessed Is the ManJhn Jeren, Sr Frm Our Churches - Trnt, Hatch Hllw Baptist Church...86 Frm Our Readers...88 In Memry - Linda Hanzel, Olga Vinter, Stan Hynek...90 Memrial Time at the 91 st Cnventin...91 Childrens Crner...92 Yuth Scene - Keep in Tuch - Elizabeth Legierski...93 Frm the President - Rbert Dvrak...94 Frm the Executive Secretary - Gerge Smmer...94 Ladies Page - Testimny - Ludmila Dedeciusvá...95 Cnventin Pht Glrius Hpe / Slavná nadìje July 2000, Vl. 26, N 4 (USPS ) ISSN Published Bi-Mnthly by The Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin f USA and Canada Peridical pstage paid in Philippi, WV. Publicatin Office: Glrius Hpe 1524 Lancaster Dr., #134, Oakville, ON, L6H 2Z2, Canada Editr-in-Chief: Natasha Legierski natasha.legierski@primus.ca Electrnic Publishing and Art: Vit Malek malek@ican.net Assistant Editrs: Janice Cermak, Ján Bank Editrial Staff: Gerge Smmer, Gerge Legierski, Jseph Nvak Yu may send articles t abve address POSTMASTER: Send address changes t Glrius Hpe / Slavná nadìje Rt. 1, Bx 58D, Philippi, WV USA Next issue deadline - August 15, 2000 it was perfect. The accmmdatins were neat and pleasant. The yuth tk every pprtunity t get invlved in sprts, and became friends with the yuth grup frm Slvakia. The middle-aged and lder generatins drew clser t ne anther, and ld friends shared their experiences f the past mnths. Sme returned t the cnventin after many years f nt attending in ne case it was after a perid f 60 years! A bright patch f flwers reminds me f a grup f believers. The appearance and character f each flwer are unique, just as each persn is unique in the eyes f Gd. Flwers draw attentin t themselves by varius means. A beautiful blssm may be withut fragrance, r the fragrance may be unpleasant. In a different case a beautiful fragrance may be verpwering r even pisnus. By planting flwers in the right lcatins, an experienced gardener is able t create a beautiful envirnment. A visitr t the garden is surrunded by a symphny f blssms, and his heart resunds with praises t the Creatr. Every flwer needs certain elements t live and t blm in its full beauty. If it lacks certain imprtant elements, the flwer may begin t wilt r even die. Its place in the garden becmes empty, the harmny disrupted. As autumn arrives, the flwers change in appearance and sme n lnger appear in the fllwing seasn. Different flwers are planted in their place and the cycle repeats. Many precius suls have cme and gne thrugh ur Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin. In Gd s eyes, every sul belnging t ur fellwship tday is just as precius. Thrugh + Cntinues n page 77 vìty rzvinuté d plné krásy nutnì vzbuzují bdiv svým pùvabem a rzmanitstí. Klemjducí, vnímající kuzl kvìtù, se jistì cítí pvznesen a mná cítí blízkst Stvøitele. Prili jsme ètyøi dny v becenství Bích dìtí. C jsme si slibvali d tht sejití? C jsme èekávali? C se týèe pèasí, byl pøím vynikající. Ubytvání byl pìkné a pøíjemné. Mláde vyuila kadé chvíle k rùznému sprtvnímu vyití a navázala pøátelství se skupinu mládee ze Slvenska. Støední a starí generace vyuily pøíleitsti k vzájemnému sblíení. Dluhletá pøátelství se sdílela s pritky uplynulých mìsícù. P nìklikaleté dluce se k becenství knvence pìt pøipjili úèastníci minulých let (v jednm pøípadì t je dknce p edesáti letech!). Pestrý záhn kvìtin mi pøipmíná skupinu vìøících lidí. Kvìt svým zjevem i charakterem je unikátní tak, jak je èlvìk unikátní v Bích èích. Kvìty na sebe upzròují rùznými zpùsby. Krásný kvìt mùe být bez vùnì, aneb vùnì není pøíjemná. V jiném pøípadì kuzlující vùnì je mamná neb dknce jedvatá. Zkuený + Pkraèvání na stranì 77 Frnt cver: Aldersn-Braddus Cllege-Chapel Shearer s Quadrangle, waterclur by Dr. Herbert Waters Back cver: Cnventin Pht by Jhnny Prusa Phts :Gerge Smmer and Vlastimil Pjman 74 Printed n recycled paper Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

2 91 st Annual Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin f USA and Canada June 29July 2, 2000 Aldersn-Braddus Cllege at Philippi, West Virginia Our Hpe fr Living in the New Millennium The ne wh is in yu is greater than the ne wh is in the wrld 1 Jhn 4:4b Rbert Dvrak President Je Nvak Vice-President Gerge Smmer Executive Secretary Natasha Legierski Ladies Missin President, Editr-in-Chief f Glrius Hpe Dr. Andrew Kmetk Rev. Bill Rtar Rev. Stan Mantle Rev. Richard Mazanec Dr. Stephen Markwd - A-B President Ludmila and Gerge Dedecius Marija Smmer Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

3 Intercessry Prayer Daniel Feryance d s prgram n earth depends upn His redeemed peple. He has given t His children all f the tls necessary by which t accmplish His purpses n earth. This tl is called intercessry prayer. It is cnsidered the mst unselfish kind f praying. This prayer is directed tward peples, places and even natins that g beynd the reach f the intercessr. The intercessr must be brn againa child f Gd Except a man be brn again, he cannt see the kingdm f Gd. He has n interest, n part, n lt in the things pertaining t Gd s Kingdm. Gd is nt his Father and therefre he has n entrance int His presence. His first prayer shuld be, Fr whsever shall call upn the name f the Lrd shall be saved. The intercessr must be in fellwship with the LORD The fact is that the Lrd uses nly clean vessels. But yur iniquities have separated between yu and yur Gd, and yur sins have hid His face frm yu, that He will nt hear. Hwever there is a remedy fr this deficiency as well as the first. This is what I call first aid. If we cnfess ur sins He is faithful and just t frgive us ur sins. It ever amazes me t see the wrd just in restratin, but there it is, in 1 Jhn 1:9. King David struggled with this questin f prayer lng ag. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the LORD will nt hear me. This is nt the end f the stry; it ges n t victry. But verily Gd has heard me; He has attended t the vice f my prayer. Blessed be Gd, which has nt turned away my prayer, nr His mercy frm me (Ps. 66:18 20). Intercessry prayer requires an interest in the subjects f the intercessin As we grw in the Lrd, in His grace and knwledge, we becme increasingly interested in what He is ding in the wrld. Walking in the Lrd s intimacy allws us t hear His heart beat fr the wrld fr which He gave His life s bld. The apstle Paul presented his sn in the faith, Timthy, as an example f smene wh carried Gd s interests n his heart. Fr I have n ne else like him, wh takes a genuine interest in yur welfare. Fr everyne lks ut fr his wn interests, nt thse f Jesus Christ (Phil. 2:20 21). Timthy was first f all well grunded in the wrd f faith. He knew exactly what the message was that the Lrd wanted him t carry t the wrld. He was ready. Great things are accmplished fr Gd thrugh individuals, smetimes by nly ne persn. This was the case with the revival in Israel. Nehemiah was that ne persn. He inquired abut the state f Jerusalem when he was in captivity. The wall f Jerusalem is als brken dwn and the gates theref are burned with fire. And it came t pass when I heard these wrds, that I sat dwn and wept. Fllwing this he murned, fasted and prayed. He had sme very pertinent infrmatin that mved him t tears; he was cncerned and decided he was ging t d smething abut it. He als cnfessed the sins f the peple. He identified himself with the entire natin and cmmitted himself t the LORD fr its restratin. When Sanballat the Hrnite, and Tbiah the servant, the Ammnite, heard f it, it grieved them exceedingly that there was cme a man t seek the welfare f Israel. We wh are gathered tgether here in Philippi, WV, cannt escape the fact that we are t seek the welfare f ur brthers and sisters in the Czech Republic and Slvakia; therwise we had better change ur name. Is there truly a cause? Frty-ne years f ttalitarian rule by the Cmmunists has left its imprint n the present-day spiritual climate. Ida and I can testify first-hand f the difference between ding missinary wrk in the late 40s and nw in the new millenium. The devil has had a free hand fr t lng. One retired schlteacher wept as she tld f the evil dne t her students when she had a free hand t spread atheism. Ida tld her f the grace f Gd, and that very evening she stepped ut f darkness int Gd s marvelus light. Tday she is rejicing in her deliverance frm sin s slavery. The mst imprtant prayer in which we can be engaged The mst cmmn prayer fr missins and fr missinaries invlves mstly material needs. Lrd, bless all f the missinaries, supply all f their needs! Yes, we need t pray fr the prtectin f thse wh put themselves int harm s way. The daily prvisin f thse wh leave this land f plenty is wrthy f cnsideratin. We dn t want ur representatives wh have left ur wn persnal cmfrt zne t suffer. But hw des the wrkman lk upn his wrk? The wdchpper lks t a very sharp ax, the mwer lks ut t a sharp scythe, the architect t his sharp pencil. These all lk t their tls. That is all with which they have t wrk. S hw abut the missinary? What is his tl? Yes, that is right, the Wrd f Gd. Is there a mdel fr us t fllw? Yes, there is. Finally, brethren, pray fr us, that the Wrd f the Lrd may have free curse, and be glrified, even as it is with yu: And that we may be delivered frm unreasnable and wicked men: fr all men have nt faith (2 Thess. 3:1 2). The nly instrument the missinary has that is applied directly t Gd s wrk and ministry is the Wrd f Gd. This is the missinary s main tl, the Swrd f the Spirit. This is what he r she desires will be sharp, effective, executing Gd s intents and purpses. It is the Wrd that is ging t have t create a need in the hearts f the unsaved fr salvatin, it is ging t have t cnvict f sin and it is ging t have t bring the New Birth int the 76 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

4 heart f the sinner. In talking abut the whle armr f Gd, the apstle Paul mentins prayer as being a part f that armament. Praying always with all prayer and supplicatin in the Spirit And fr me, that utterance may be given unt me, that I may pen my muth bldly, t make knwn the mystery f the Gspel (Eph. 6:18,19). S we have seen that the Wrd shuld be backed by much prayer in rder fr this Wrd t penetrate int sin-hardened hearts. Then t, the ne wh is ding the speaking needs prayer fr bldness, that the crrect utterance shuld be given him when he annunces the glrius truth f the Gspel. This is what I call effective intercessry praying. Prayer begins with salvatin. It begins in small steps but always increases in intensity and meaning. The prayer life-line must be kept pen by cnstant cnfessin f sin. Prayer is intensified when Gd s interests are brught int play. He cares fr the whle wrld. Our praying strengthens the caring prcess. Infrmatin knwing the needs plays a very big rle in ur prayer life. The Lrd has cme t ur aid in this; we are living in an infrmatin age. Every week Ida and I get a message frm a missinary church in Munich, Germany. By 4 p.m. we have a cmplete reprt f all f the day s activities fr that particular Sunday. Hearing the Well dne I have fught a gd fight, I have finished my curse, I have kept the faith: Hencefrth there is laid up fr me a crwn f righteusness (2 Tim. 4:7,8). In all spiritual wrk, the eyes f the wrkman must be n that finishing line, the day f reckning. We are nt rewarded at the end f the day. Our time has nt yet cme, but it is cming. Gd rewards faithfulness. There is n wrk s hard as intercessry prayer. We dn t see the utcme after the first hur, nr week nr mnth. When I think that I can make a difference, that I can uphld the tiring hands f smene thusands f miles frm me yet I can reach him, tuch his heart, pick up his sagging arms and carry the lad with him. All this Gd is giving us thrugh intercessry prayer. D nt be anxius abut anything, but in everything by prayer and petitin, with thanksgiving, present yur requests t Gd. And the peace f Gd, which transcends all understanding, will guard yur hearts and yur minds in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:6 7). In rder t make yur prayer-life mre meaningful as well as fruitful, I have included the mst recent prayer requests that we culd gather frm Slvakia. Mst f these are requests that are nging. I didn t include in this list the very serius ecnmic situatin in Slvakia. If I may insert int this list ur wn planned trip t Nrthern Slvakia fr this cming September and Octber, Ida and I are bth planning n tw mnths f ministry in the newly planted church in the twn f Kezmark. We will certainly need yur intercessins. S being affectinately desirus f yu, we were willing t have imparted unt yu, nt the Gspel f Gd nly, but als ur wn suls, because yu were dear unt us (1 Thess. 2:8). [Cnventin sermn, Friday, June 30, 2000] Editrial Cntinues frm page 74 ur existence, we can nt help but affect ur surrundings. What type f flwer d we resemble? Are we truly a part f the harmny arranged by ur Creatr? The fulfillment f ur expectatins regarding the cnventin is partially determined by ur individual stance, ur mtivatin and ur internal state. I was very tuched by the sincere interest shwn by the lder generatin fr the yuth and the children; this is an indicatin f the right kind f mtivatin. Mtivatin by the Hly Spirit leads t prayer as well as t wrk fr Gd s kingdm. We returned hme excited by the new frms f rganizatin and the wrk ur Cnventin is planning fr the dawn f the third millennium, may the Lrd be willing. I believe that the excitement felt by thse wh attended the cnventin will transfer nt thse wh were nt able t attend. I believe that ur cnventin garden will blm and thrugh its brightness will inspire every participant t give praise t ur Gd the Creatr, wh jins us thrugh His lve int a harmnius fellwship f His children. Editr-in-Chief Natasha Legierski Editrial Pkraèvání ze strany 74 zahradník, zpùsbem, jakým rzsadí kvìtiny v zahradì, vytvøí pøekrásné prstøedí. Na návtìvníka zahrady dýchne symfnie kvìtù a srdce se rzezvuèí chválami Stvøitele. Kadá kvìtina ptøebuje k ivtu urèité prvky, aby se rzvinula d plné krásy. Pøi nedstatku nìkterých dùleitých prvkù kvìtina chøadne neb dknce zahyne. Její míst v zahradì zùstane prázdné, harmnie je naruena. S pøíchdem pdzimu kvìtiny zmìní svu pdbu a nìkteré se v nvé sezónì ji nebjeví. Na jejich místa jsu zasázené jiné kvìtiny a cyklus se pakuje. Spleèenstvím naí Èeskslvenské baptistické knvence prl mnh vzácných duí. V Bích èích je vzácná kadá due patøící d tht spleèenství i dnes. Svu existencí nutnì slvujeme své klí. K jakému druhu kvìtù vak patøíme? Jsme pravdu suèástí harmnie zaranvané tím nebeským Zahradníkem?! Naplnìní naeh èekávání, týkající se knvenèníh setkání, je pdmínìn sbním pøístupem kadéh z nás, mtivací a vnitøním rzplením. Velice mne slvil upøímný zájem naí starí generace generaci mladí (zvlátì dìti a mláde), který svìdèí té správné mtivaci. Mtivace Bím Duchem vede jednak k mdlitbám, a také k práci na Jeh díle. Dmù jsme se vrátili plní djmù a nadení z nvých frem rganizace i práce naí knvence na prahu tøetíh tisíciletí, dá-li Pán. Vìøím, e nadení úèastníkù letníh setkání se pøenese i na ty, kteøí na knvenci nebyli. Vìøím, e knvenèní zahrada rzkvete a svu pestrstí pvznese kadéh úèastníka k chválám Bha Stvøitele, který nás svu lásku spjuje v harmnický celek becenství Bíh lidu. éfredaktrka Nataa Legierská Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

5 Czech Republic Missin Trip, May 2000 Richard F. Mazanec n Mnday, May 22, my wife, Cra, drve me t the Nashville Internatinal Airprt here in Tennessee. It was midafternn befre I barded the U.S. Air plane headed fr Philadelphia, PA, where I met a grup f seminary students frm Raleigh, NC, with my friend, their missins and evangelism prfessr, Dr. Jsef Slc, frm Suth Eastern Baptist Thelgical Seminary. Later all 17 f us barded the British Airways flight headed fr Lndn. It was a seven-hur trip. Upn arrival we barded a bus which tk us t anther terminal building where we cntinued with British Airways t Prague, which tk an additinal tw hurs. S, by that time it was already early afternn Oslava River, a twn f 5200 inhabitants. A small family-wned htel became ur hme away frm hme. Our translatr, Alexandra, frm Brn, came t jin us. Tw yung wmen frm Suth Eastern Baptist Thelgical Seminary, Raleigh, NC, als were a part f ur team: Alicia frm Jacksn, TN, wh sang and played the guitar, and Ada frm Michigan, wh really was int sprts. On Thursday mrning we visited tw English classes at the Zakladna skla (Basic Schl). We sang and gave ur testimnies, and the students had the pprtunity t ask questins. During mrning break the students invited ur team t g dwn t the gymnasium t play basketball. They Richard and Cra Mazanec played against the yunger members f ur team and truly had a ball. The interactin had a wnderful effect upn all wh participated. We all had becme friends, and the students asked us t autgraph varius items fr them. Andrew and Alena, a Baptist cuple frm Brn, live in Namest. They have pened their apartment hme t thse wh are interested in cming fr prayer and Bible study each week. Thursday afternn was spent distributing invitatins t view the Jesus film at the Kin (cinema). Thirty peple attended that evening. Furteen indicated they had made decisins fr Jesus Christ. They prvided their names as well as their addresses and were given New Testaments and gspel tracts. Friday was largely spent distributing mre invitatins fr the secnd shwing f the Jesus film. We apparently were lacking in faith because we were truly verwhelmed when 200 peple (students, adults and sme families) arrived. Ten f them prvided us with infrmatin needed fr fllw-up regarding spiritual The Barque bridge in Námì frm 1737 which crsses the Oslava river with statutes f Saints and Archangels. The Church n the left is the Barque church f St. Jhn the Baptist built in The building n the right is the Základní kla. The autmbile is the everywhere present kda. Tuesday, May 23. Jsef s brther, Mils, was there t meet us with a chartered bus. We were then taken t varius places t be prvided with vernight accmmdatins. The six-member team t which I had been assigned was taken t a hstel which was prvided by a Methdist church...nthing fancy but adequate. Later we met with the ther teams at the Baptist church n Vinhradska ulice (Street), where Brther Mils Slc is pastr, fr a time f gd fellwship and a super supper meal. While tw rental cars were being btained fr ur team n Wednesday mrning, ur team members helped distribute invitatins in the neighbrhd f the church t a frum, r discussin, regarding Christianity. These invitatins were drpped int mailbxes fund in the entrance ways f apartment buildings where we culd gain entrance. In sme cases peple understandably were nt t eager t unlck the uter dr fr us. Later that day ur team made its way t Namest n the The missin team is seen apraching the Základní kla in Námì cncerns. Please pray fr Andrew and Alena as they try t cntact these varius individuals regarding their need fr Jesus Christ in their lives. 78 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

6 Jhn Hus hn Hus is a figure f wrld imprtance. Mre than half millennium 585 years have passed since he was burned at the stake. His wrds still speaks t us tday. Faithful Christian, seek truth, listen t truth, learn truth, lve truth, hld nt truth, defend truth t the death; fr the truth will save yu frm sin, frm the devil, frm the death f yur sul and finally frm eternal death. Jhn Hus: The Interpretatin f Faith. T the Faithful Czechs Knstanz, June 27, 1415 Gd be with yu. As result f the events arund me, I have written as if I was t die tmrrw. Yet nce again, my death has been pstpned, s I write t yu, my faithful friends f the Lrd, t shw yu my gratefulness fr as lng as I can, being cnsled by the pprtunity t speak t yu thrugh a letter. I tell yu that Gd knws why he has pstpned my death and the death f my dear brther Jerme, f whm I have hpe that he will die withut fault, and he has suffered mre curageusly than I, a miserable sinner. Gd has given us a lng time t recall all f ur sins s that we may regret them; he has given us time s that the great and lengthy temptatin might Hus place f residence in Prague remve great sins and bring cnslatin, he has given us time t remember ur king the Lrd Jesus Christ ur merciful Gd. We can recall his suffering and hrrible death, hnr him, and therefre suffer willingly urselves, knwing that nthing happens by chance. We can recall that thrugh much suffering many saints entered the kingdm f heaven; sme were cut t pieces, sme drilled, sme biled, thers fried r buried alive, thers stned, thers crucified, thers crushed between millstnes, thers dragged by hrses, thers drwned, thers burned, thers trn t pieces, mcked, jailed, beaten; wh culd describe all the trture endured by the saints f the Old and the New Testament fr Gd s truth, and especially thse wh acted and preached against the evil and crruptin f the clergy. It will be a strange thing, if whever des nt suffer nw will stand against evil especially against the evil f the priest which des nt allw itself t be tuched. + Cntinues n page 89 Mistr Jan Hus istr Jan Hus je svìtdìjná pstava. Od jeh upálení uplynul 585 let, tedy více, ne pùl stletí. Jeh slva k nám prmluvají i dnes. Vìrný køesane, hledaj pravdy, sly pravdu, uè se pravdì, miluj pravdu, prav pravdu, dr pravdu, braò pravdy a d smrti; neb pravda tì vysvbdí d høiecha, d ïábla, d smrti due, a kneènì d smrti vìèné. Jan Hus: Výklad víry. Vìrným Èechùm V Kstnici dne 27. èervna 1415 Bùh s vámi! Mìv veliké dmnìní z mnhých pøíèin, psal jsem, jakbych mìl zejtra umøíti. Ji pìt znamenán prdlení smrti, píi vám, milstiví, a vìrní pøátelé, v Pánu Bhu, jetì abych svu vdìènst dkázal, dkavad nejdéle mhu, maje vdy utìení, e mhu k vám prmluviti p lístku. A pravím vám, e Pán Bùh ví, prè prdlévá mu smrtí i méh milstivéh bratra Jernýma, nìm mám nadìji, e svatì umøe bez viny a e stateènìji se má i trpí, neli já neastný jsem høíník. Dal nám Pán Bùh dluhý èas, abychm lépe své høíchy zpamatvali a jich stateènìji eleli; dal nám èas, aby dluhé a veliké pkuení sòal høíchy veliké, a pøinesl utìení, dal nám èas, abychm pamatvali svéh krále Pána Jeíe Bha milstivéh, hrzné pamatvání jeh phanìní a smrt ukrutnu jeh váili a prt mileji trpìli; abychm také pmnìli, e není th svìta náhdu. Abychm pamatvali, e skrze mnhé utrpení svatí jsu veli v králvství nebeské, nìkteøí p kusu øezání, jiní vrtání, jiní vaøení, jiní za iva døení, jiní za iva phrabáni, jiní kamenváni, jiní køiváni, jiní mleni mezi ernvy, jiní vláèeni kòmi, jiní tpeni, jiní páleni, jiní kletìmi trháni, phanìni, aláøváni, biti kvami, a kd mù vecky muky vypsati, které jsu v nvém i starém záknì svatí trpìli pr pravdu Bí a zvlátì ti, jen jsu knìsku zlst Hus place f residence in Knstanz, Germany (nectnst) trestali a prti ní kázali. A divná vìc bude jestlie kd nyní netrpí, bude-li státi stateènì prti zlsti a zvlátì prti knìské, je pr sebe nedá dtknuti. A ji jsem tmu rád, e jsu mé kníky musili èísti, v nicht je zlst jich tevøena, a vím, e jsu je pilnìji pøeètli, neli svaté ètení, chtìjíce bludy nalézti. Dán list ve ètvrtek pøed virgilií sv. Petra u veèer v aláøi v kvech v èekání smrti. + Pkraèvání na stranì 89 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

7 The Saturday Night Cncert Frm left: Jan Alac, Marija Smmer, Ken and Gerge Pspisil, Natasha Legierski, and Jhn Senak Elizabeth Legierski and Jhn Alac, Jr. Viera Bank Katherine Legierski and Marija Smmer The Nesvadbas Jdi Nesvadba, Elizabeth Legierski and Rachel Nvak Brian Drs Kristina Vlasic Dnna Nesvadba and Natasha Legierski Amy Nesvadba Richard Mazanec Guest frm Slvakia tefan Dráfi Peter Magldský 80 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

8 Paul Senak, Jan Alac and Natasha Legierski The Old Fashin Hymn Singing with Bb Dvrak at the pian Jud Bracey Manas The Mystic Obecenství in Chapel Obecenství at the Smmers Obecenství in Pryestley Hall Dana Nesvadba Katherine, Gerge and Elizabeth Legierski The Kmetks and Ondrej Naïa Petrákvá and Viera Bank Gerge Cper frm TWR and Natasha Legierski Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

9 Syn Vìnván vem mladým lidem, kteøí jsu neastní a cítí se nepøijati a dmítnutí. Na základì vyprávìní mue, který tent pøíbìh pril, zapsala stal jsem dva rky a jeden rk, take jsem byl dsuzen na tøi rky vìzení na Pankráci. Na Pankráci mì zaøadili mezi kasaøe a d nich jsem se nauèil t, c jsem jetì neumìl. Zlba a zarputilst ve mnì rstla. Tuil jsem se pmstít úplnì vem, plicii, reimu, celému lidstvu. Pral jsem se i v kriminále a na bachaøe jsem si trufal být drzý. Nemalvali se se mnu a pøelili mì d nejpøísnìjíh zaøízení. D Kartuz ve Valdicích. Pøiel jsem mezi nebezpeèné ivly, ke kterým patøili i plitiètí vìzni. Byl tam mnh køesanù, mnh katlických knìí i prtestantských faráøù. Celé jedné smìnì se øíkal Vatikánská smìna. Já se tu seel s nìjakým baptistickým kazatelem Vilémem Pspíilem. T, c jsem nemhl pchpit, byla skuteènst, jak tit lidé drí phrmadì, jak si pmáhají. Nenávidìl jsem je a kde se dal, tam jsem nìkterému z nich ublival, abych h prvkval. S chutí jsem vìzení ztrpèval právì tmu baptistvi. Ve Valdicích jsem byl d rku V rce 1961 mì prpustili, ale prte jsem u dluh nepracval a pracvat jsem ani netuil, rychle jsem vytvøil nvu partu a chtìl jsem být rafinvanìjí ne pøed tím. Dluh t nevydrel. P dvu mìsících mì pìt dsudili a thle se nìklikrát pakval, take jsem dhrmady stál asi pìtkrát pøed sudem, tøikrát jsem byl dsuzen a pìt rkù jsem si dsedìl. Znvu vyhledávaný Kdy jsem se pìt dstal na svbdu, mìl jsem zakázanu Prahu. Byl jsem zahøklý, tvrdý a nebezpeèný. S partu jsem pøepadávali hmsexuály, eny jsme bírali kabelky, vykrádali jsme chaty. Plicie la prti nám nastr. Jeden z mých kmplicù zahynul pøi pøestøelce. Mì plicisté znali d phledu. Legitimvali mì, kdekliv jsem se bjevil. Nenávidìl jsem svu tváø a snail jsem se rùzným zpùsbem mìnit svùj vzhled. ivt pr mne ztratil cenu. Chtìl jsem h sknèit. Pkusil jsem se skèit pd vlak, ale výpravèí mì strhl v pslední chvíli zpìt. Zbil jsem h za t a dstal se zpìt d kriminálu. Musel jsem zaplatit blestné a neschpenku. V tmhle vìzení jsme budvali sídlitì Spøilv v Praze. Pøi práci mi spadla cihla na hlavu a já ztratil vìdmí a na delí dbu jsem jsem chrnul na pùl tìla. Pr bavu, e bych mhl umøít a smrt by byla kvalifikvána jak pøímý následek práce ve vìznici, mì na návrh vìzenskéh lékaøe prpustili d civilníh léèení. Jetì rk mi vìznice platila nemcensku. Dìlal jsem si z th legraci. V bdbí reknvalescence mi Nárdní výbr pøidìlil jak peèvatelku starí enu, sestru Èervenéh køíe, Marii Dvøákvu. Zaèal jsem jí øíkat babièk a nejprve jsem ji zneuíval, jak jen t l. Bral jsem jí peníze, prpil jsem vechny její úspry, puíval jsem ji jak zástìrku, kdy jsem chtìl trpit výtrnsti s partu. Ona mì vak mìla ráda. T byl nepchpitelné. Vìdìla, e nikh nemám, Marie Frydrychvá 2.èást tuila, c jsem pril a milvala mì. Zkusila de mne jak pes, ale snáela t s neskuteènu trpìlivstí a jen jediné vdycky prsila, abych jí nechal kafe a lámání d kafe. Tím myslela kusek chleba. Znvu jsem spáchal velku výtrnst a t pøi Mìlnickém vinbraní. Prte jsem tlik nenávidìl plicii, strhl jsem tam jejich vysílaèku. Zase mì pstavili pøed sud, tentkrát jak prtistátníh ivla, avak pìt zasáhla babièka. Nevím, jak t tat jednduchá, prstá ena dkázala, ale ujali se mì psychiatøi. Dktr Plzák vystupil pøed sudem a znaèil mì za èlvìka, který utrpìl velku psychicku depresi v mládí a prt za své jednání nemùe. Byl jsem svbzen, ale nenávidìl jsem svìt i sebe. Definitivnì jsem se rzhdl sknèit se ivtem. Mìl jsem dýku a pistli, a tyt dvì zbranì jsem pkládal za svu jisttu. S mým nejlepím kamarádem jsme se pili a já mu pøikázal, aby mì zavradil. Nechtìl. Byl t v zimì, venku na snìhu. Ppadl jsem dýku a vykøikl jsem: Kdy mì nechce bdat ty, ubdám se sám, a vráel jsem si dýku d tìla, abych si udìlal hlubké rány. Chtìl jsem vykrvácet. Kamarád si naknec ddal dvahy, vzal mu dýku a zaèal mì bdat d zad. Upadl jsem d bezvìdmí. Prbral jsem se v nemcnici. Jak jsem se tam dstal, nevím. Øekl jsem, e jsem byl pøepaden. Vìøili mi? Kd ví? Jak stará dbrá víla z phádky, se tu vak bjevila babièka Dvøákvá. Sedìla u mne, dávala mi bklady, vlala lékaøe, kdy byl tøeba. Zachránila mì, ale já t nestál. Jetì se zavázanýma rukama jsem byl babièku pzván na svatbu dvu starých lidí, jejich pøátel. Mje babièka si tam pvídala s jinu starí enu, kteru mi pøedstavila jak sestru Velebilvu d baptistù. Mje babièka byla katlièka, ale já se její víøe vdycky jenm smál a nic jsem tm nechtìl slyet. Dknce jsem ji rztrhal i mdlitební kníky. Naprst nechápu, jak mì mhla mít ráda. Ta druhá ena s ní nyní mluvila ivtì s Bhem. Zaslechl jsem jen pár vìt, ale zaujaly mì. Chtìl jsem umøít, sebevradu jsem plánval dennì, ale c kdy je Bùh? Nikdy jsem nìm nepøemýlel. Ale c kdy je? Pøed smrtí bych tt mìl jetì vìdìt. Pøi svatebním phtìní jsem slvil tu druhu enu a nìc malièk jí pvìdìl svém ivtì. Hlavnì, jak jsem neastný, a e chci sknèit. Ona se na mì pdívala a pravila: Ty jsi zachránìný, vdy pr tebe platí milst. Pjï, musí jít k nám. Je tam dnes setkání, mladí nìc pøipravili, hdnì zpívají, pjï! Pkrèil jsem rameny. Zpíval jsem rád, c bych t nezkusil. A tak jsem vydal jetì ten den na Vinhrady k baptistùm. Milvaný Sedl jsem si dzadu, aby na mì nikd mc nevidìl. Psluchal 82 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

10 jsem písnì i t, c se v pøedu mluvil. Byl tam nìjaký kazatel Krik. Jeh slva mì ke knci tak zasáhla, e jsem se rzplakal a utekl ven. Stydìl jsem se. Pøipadal mi, e lidé tam uvnitø, jsu vichni krásní, èistí, a já napak hrzný. Pdezíral jsem je, e se na mì kukali a mysleli si mnì jen t patné. Ostatnì, z th jsem pdezíral vechny. Utekl jsem ven, ale nedal mi t a na chdníku jsem se rzhdl, e pøece jen jetì pèkám na sestru Velebilvu, abych s ní mhl mluvit. Vyla a já jí sbì pvìdìl témìø vechn. Tie nasluchala. T nevadí, øekla, kdy jsem sknèil. O t víc musí pøijít znvu. Zaèíná evangelizace. Pøijï a bì dpøedu, a dbøe slyí, t je pr tebe. Pøiel jsem tedy znvu. Babièky se mì ujaly a strkaly mì prstøedkem pravdu dpøedu, take jsem byl sevøen zleva i zprava a nemhl jsem uhnut. Kázání byl na téma Kristus a Zacheus. Slyel jsem nìc takvéh pprvé v ivtì a dcela jsem zapmnìl, e jsem v nìjakém sbru. Vidìl jsem Jeíe Krista, vidìl jsem jeh nadpøirzenu mc. Kdy kazatel na knci zvlal: Kd chce jetì dnes k Jeíi?, vykøikl jsem: Já. Celé shrmádìní ztichl. Zarazil jsem se. První mylenka mi naeptávala: Tak a teï u ses dèista zbláznil. T, c ti vichni pøedpvídali, se právì stal. Klem byl hrbvé tich, slyel jsem jen dech tìch starých en ve své blízksti. Zdál se mi, e velice dluh se nedìje nic, ale pak se zvedla sestra Velebilvá a bjala mne. Hned ptm vstala jiná babièka a udìlala tté. Osmìlil jsem se a phlédl jí d èí. Nephrdala mnu. Opatrnì jsem ji také phladil p rukávì. Neucukla. Pøicházeli dalí a dalí, pdávali mi ruce, usmívali se na mì a pøijímali mì. Byl t naprst pprvé v mém ivtì, kdy mì nìkd takt pøijímal a já cítil, e mì pøijímá Kristus. Ptm ke mnì pøiel kazatel, který kázal Zachevi. Mladý mui, my se d nìkud známe? øekl mi. Vy jste mi také pvìdmý, ale nemám pnìtí, kde bychm my dva se mhli setkat. Tak snad v hspdì, usudil jsem. Kazatel se malièk usmál a zakrutil hlavu: V hspdì asi ne, ale pslyte nebyl jste zavøený ve vìznici ve Valdicích? V tu chvíli jakby mi spadla ruka z èí. Najednu jsem h uvidìl. Byl t ten baptistický kazatel Vilém Pspíil, kteréh jsem tak èast a rád trápil a vymýlel si pr nìh nejrùznìjí pøíkøí. Teï tu stjí pøede mnu, rzevírá naruè a øíká: Tak tì vítám d Bí rdiny. T, c jsem v tu chvíli pril, mhu jen tìk ppsat. Ale naráz jsem mìl jisttu, e Bùh je a t, c zaívám, je jeh díl. Ten, kterému jsem nejvíc ublival, pøijímá mì, vyvrhela dkpnutéh vlastní matku, èlvìka bez rdièù a bez pøíbuzných, d Bíh králvství, d té velké rdiny Jeíe Krista. Zalil mì prudký a neèekaný pcit tìstí. Vìdìl jsem, e tt nemhl zpùsbit nikd jiný ne Bùh. An, pravdu jsem se v té chvíli znvu nardil. Zatuil jsem p Bibli, zatuil jsem pznat tht Bha celým srdcem. A pznával jsem h. Pmáhali mi. Dzvìdìl jsem se Jeívì narzení, Glgtì, dzvìdìl jsem se, e Jeí za mì umøel na køíi, e mì miluje a pøijímá mì mezi své. Nauèil jsem se mdlit. Dstal jsem se ke zbrani, která jediná je tak úèinná prti zlu. Já, který jsem celý ivt il jen zl, jsem se najednu mhl prti zlu ve mnì i klem mne bránit mdlitbu. Nauèil jsem se ít v becenství s Jeíem Kristem a pznal jsem nvé pøátele, kteøí mì uèili èíst Bibli. Pstupnì se v mém ivtì zmìnil úplnì vechn. Pøestal jsem kktat, pøestal jsem mít prblém s nèním pmèváním, pøestal jsem pít a kuøit, de veh jsem byl svbzen v Kristu Jeíi. Babièku Dvøákvu jsem u nevydíral, ale uèil jsem se ni starat jak skuteèný vnuk. H1avnì jsem vak mhl dpustit své matce. Dknce jsem se za ní znvu rzjel, abych jí t øekl. Tentkrát jsme plakali ba. Prsil jsem ji, aby i na pøijala Krista, e jí vechn dpustí. Ona se bála. Ale já ji mhu milvat. Dnes iji pravdu úplnì nvý ivt. Jsem jiný èlvìk. Jsem asten a dstal jsem ten nejlepí dar. Pán mi dal dar lásky. Miluji své klí, miluji své nepøátele. Mnì, kterému kdysi láska zcela chybìla, Pán Jeí lásku natlik dplnil, e mhu milvat a pøetékat lásku. Je t zázrak. Nikdy se tét lásky nechci zbavit. Pán mi dal nvý ivt. Pznávám t, kdy veèer uléhám, kdy rán vstávám, pznávám, e je milstivý, e je laskavý, e jej smím milvat a splu s ním smím milvat i statní, vèetnì nepøátel. Tut lásku ptøebujeme my vichni, ale tut lásku mùeme dstat jen d Jeíe Krista. Pøeju vám tut lásku. Je t nvý svìt. Skuteèné tìstí. ít s Jeíem Kristem u tady na zemi a ptm p celu vìènst. All cnventin gifts may be sent in the enclsed envelpes: US residents may use the Business Reply envelpe r send their gifts t Vera Drs, 6621 Elmdale Rd., Middleburg Hts, OH, 44130, and Canadian residents may send their gifts t Henry Pjman, 1516 Pembrke Dr., Oakville, ON, L6H 1V9, Canada. Make checks payable t Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin, and n the bttm write t what accunt yu are sending yur gift: Cnventin, Glrius Hpe, Trust Fund, r Schlarship Fund. MOVING? Please write t: Glrius Hpe Rt.1, Bx 58D Philippi, WV USA Include yur mailing label frm a recent issue f Glrius Hpe fr faster service. The cassettes with the Czech music, which we ffered in the Christmas President s letter, will be shipped ASAP. We are srry fr a delay, but we faced technical difficulties. Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

11 Michael (Mike) Sivulka ichael (Mike) Sivulka was brn in Kamienka, Slvakia, n December 19, His family immigrated t the United States when he was a year and a half ld. Michael, his mther, and lder sister arrived in the United States t meet their father and settled shrtly in Pennsylvania befre mving t the Chicag area. It was there, as a yung by, that he attended a Methdist Sunday Schl and began t learn abut the Lrd Jesus. He ultimately was the ldest sn f five children. When he was twelve years ld, his father insisted that he leave schl t help earn a living fr the family. His first earnings came frm walking the railrad tracks and picking up cal t sell t the neighbring families fr heating. Sn he was selling newspapers utside the Miehle Printing Press C., and had the distinctin f having a frnt-page article Tp rw frm left: Gerge Pspisil, Jhn Senak, bttm rw: Mike Sivulka, Jan Alac, and Natasha Legierski written t prmte his sales. Befre lng, he wrked himself int the cmpany as a cleaning by. During thse years he and his family faithfully went thrugh the rituals and liturgy f the Russian Orthdx Cathlic Church. In his early twenties, he attended a party where he met an attractive yung lady by the name f Helen Skula. He recalls that Helen sat at the player pian and pumped the pedals t make the music, but wuld nt dance. He was impressed by her persnality and smething different abut her frm the ther girls. After meeting Helen, he became a regular at the Skula husehld. He attended BYPU with Helen at the Trumball Avenue Czechslvak Baptist Church. In the summer f 1931 he attended his first Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin, which was held in Chicag that year. He was quite impressed with the dynamic, yung leadership f the Cnventin and their jubilant lve fr the Lrd. On Thanksgiving Day that same year, Michael received the Lrd Jesus Christ as his persnal Savir under the leadership f Rev. Jhn Frt. Thse were difficult days as his parents felt that he had deserted their teaching and church. Fr several years they wuld nt have anything t d with him because f his new-fund faith in Jesus. He grew in the Lrd and began t lead singing and help the Street Meetings held n 26 th Street. In Spring f 1934 he and Helen Skula were married. Ruth (Skula) Hminuke and Libbie (Skula) Ewaka became his sisters-in-law. Mike and Helen cntinued t serve the Lrd diligently thrugh the Lawndale Church and then mved n and became the live-in janitrs fr the Czech Baptist Church n 58 th Avenue in Cicer, Illinis. Dr. Harry Gray (nw living in Iwa) came as pastr while they were there. Mike wrked as a tl and dye maker but was always vibrant in his service fr the Lrd. He and Helen attended night schl at Mdy Bible Institute fr a number f years. During that time bth he and his wife felt the Lrd calling him t g back t schl and cmplete his educatin t prepare fr the ministry. S, Mike went t wrk nights in the tl and dye shp and went t Nrthern Baptist Seminary during the day. Gd was always faithful t supply the needs f his grwing family Judy (Sivulka) Shff f La Verne, CA, Michael Edward Sivulka (deceased) and Rbert Jseph Sivulka f Vista, CA. Nt lng after he enrlled in seminary he became the interim pastr f the Trumbull Avenue Yugslav Church. He and Helen were an active part f the Cnventin during thse years. The Sivulkas mved t Califrnia in late Rbert Dvrak with Michael Sivulka There Mike wrked as a design engineer t prvide fr his family and cmpleted his Bachelr f Arts degree at the Califrnia Baptist Seminary. He served as sng leader, Bible teacher and interim pastr in a number f churches during thse years. At the insistence f Hank Bubelik, Mike and Helen began t make the trip east whenever pssible t attend the dearly lved cnventins. They always lked frward t that time 84 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

12 f spiritual encuragement, fellwship, and reunin with friends and relatives. Cnventin time was a highlight f the year. Mike and Helen celebrated their 50 th wedding anniversary in 1984, and Helen went t be with the Lrd tw years later. Afer her passing Mike became a vlunteer hspital chaplain fr the next five years and served faithfully in his church and cmmunity. Mike nw has fur grwn grandsns frm sn Rbert, Sr., and wife Deanna: Rbert Jr., serving with Utah Gspel Missin; Steve, a cmputer analyst, wh, alng with his wife, Diane, serves in their hme church in the cllege department; Greg, and his wife Jelena (and sn Benny), serving with Calvary Chapel Eastern Eurpean Missin in Nvi Sad, Serbia; and Michael, West Pint graduate, serving as captain in the U.S. Army in Ft. Benning, Gergia, with his wife Christine. He als has tw granddaughters, the daughters f Pastr Dn and Judy (Sivulka) Shff: Christine (Shff) Welch, whse husband Jim is pastr f Peninsula Cmmunity Church in Pals Verdes, CA, and children are Jeremy (13), Lindsey (9), Danny (7); and Shelly (Shff) Adams, whse husband Guy is Senir Vice President f Warner Pacific Cllege (Church f Gd) in Prtland, OR, and children are Brk (5) and Claire (2). We list the members f his family t acknwledge that each f Mike s children and grandchildren is invlved in Christian ministry, a tribute t the gdly life f Mike and Helen Sivulka. Every Thanksgiving mst f the family (that are in the area) gather fr their annual Thanksgiving Retreat in the nearby muntains f Califrnia three days and tw nights f family time. On Thanksgiving evening we gather tgether fr ur praise service t recunt the blessings f the Lrd during the past year, and a time f celebrating the anniversary f the evening that ur Dad, granddad, and great-granddad gave his heart t the Lrd, giving his family a wnderful gdly heritage. Mike has regularly made the trip t Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin, which cntinues t be a highlight f the year. This year, because f sme severe health prblems that have arisen, he is unable t attend in bdy, but will certainly be with his dearly lved cnventin in spirit. Thugh weak in bdy, he cntinues t praise the Lrd, quting scripture and bursting ut in sng. He remains a dynamic testimny t the nursing staff, ther patients, and their families. Mike is nw residing at Park Vista at Mrningside, 2525 N. Brea Blvd., #52B, Fullertn, CA Submitted by Judy (Sivulka) Shff, daughter Antnie and Antnin Springle On July 10, 2000, Antnie and Antnin Springle had their 60 th wedding anniversary. This is a very special celebratin and especially a testimny f lve between tw peple wh have remained faithful t each ther all these years. Cngratulatins!! Dne 10. èervence 2000 se manelé Antnie a Antnín pringlvi dili 60. výrèí svatby. Je t velice vzácné jubileum, zvlátì svìdèí-li lásce dvu lidí, kteøí zùstali svému slibu vìrní. Blahpøejeme!! Prtestant Man f the Year The Organizatin f Prtestant Men recgnized utstanding area Prtestant churchmen at the rganizatin s annual spring banquet (Canfield, Ohi). Jhn Jeren Sr. was ne, given the award fr Prtestant Man f the Year. Cngratulatins!! The clear sign f yur faith is nt what yu say but what yu d. Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

13 Czechslvak Baptist ChurchTrnt ut in yur hearts set apart Christ as Lrd. Always be prepared t give an answer t everyne wh asks yu t give the reasn fr the hpe that yu have (1 Pet. 3:15). Dear readers, the Czechslvak Baptist Church in Trnt sends yu the greeting f ur Lrd and Saviur Jesus Christ: Peace be with yu! In the fllwing lines we d like t The Czechslvak Handel Cnsrt describe the atmsphere in ur church. We are als bringing yu sme infrmatin abut significant events in ur church during the last three r fur mnths. In a nice church fellwship we are experiencing precius mments with Gd s Wrd and in prayers. We knw that the Lrd is raising His disciples frm us. He leads us t the jyful study f His Wrd. In ur Bible study we have recently finished 1 and 2 Thessalnians the main tpic was prclaiming the gspel in the end times. In the last few weeks we have been studying the Old Testament bk f Deuternmy under the title The Schl f Obedience t Gd s Law. We are als aware f the imprtance f the sanctificatin prcess f Gd s children. S we endeavr t acknwledge the Lrd in all ur ways. We are als learning t trust in the Lrd with all ur hearts and t bey His will and His cmmandments. We realize still mre and mre that the prcess f spiritual grwth leads us t reach ut in ministry t ur neighbrs. The Lrd is giving us a practical visin fr the missin f ur church. First we are addressing with the gspel thse frm ur church fellwship and frm ur families. This ministry is als tuching a brader Czechslvak public in the greater Trnt area. One f the missinary events, a shwing f the mvie Jesus in the Czech language, tk place in ur church n April 8. We especially used phne cntacts and the Czechslvak press in Trnt t infrm ur public; there were als persnal invitatins. This mvie was seen by apprximately 50 visitrs frm the Czechslvak public in Trnt as well as by the members f ur church. The annymus questinnaire after the end f the mvie shwed that the seed f Gd s Wrd had been swn well. We want t wrk bediently, waiting fr the Lrd, wh blesses with grwth seed that has been swn. We will cntinue in persnal utreach and scial ministry fr ther peple as well as in further undertakings. One f them is Czech and Slvak Day f Canada, which this year takes place n June 24 n the premises f Masaryktwn in Trnt. The service f ur church chir, which rehearsed als with sme guest singers frm the Czechslvak public, is part f the verall rich prgram. This event pens precius pssibilities f persnal cntacts and utreach ministry amng ur cmpatrits. One f the significant cmpnents f the preparatin fr utreach activities was the cnference f the churches frm Windsr, Kingsville and Trnt, which tk place in ur church n May 21. The main tpic f the cnference was The Ministry f the Salvatin f Suls. In the jyful atmsphere f glrificatin f ur Gd, fur papers were presented based n the wrds f the Lrd Jesus Christ frm Matthew 28:18-20: All authrity in heaven and n earth has been given t me. Therefre g and make disciples f all natins, baptizing them in the name f the Father and f the Sn and f the Hly Spirit, and teaching them t bey everything I have cmmanded yu. And surely I am with yu always, t the very end f the age. The end f May was als rich in events in ur church. Drs Fellwship: Kingsville, Windsr, and Trnt Open Trnt was ne f thse undertakings, participated in by 96 histrically and architecturally significant buildings f the city. Our church als pened its drs t the public. On Saturday, May 27, we prvided visitrs with nt nly a histrical lecture abut the building but als infrmatin abut the present life in ur church. On Sunday, May 28, fr the first time we heard a perfrmance frm a new vcal bdy cnsisting f members and friends f ur church, The Czechslvak Handel Cnsrt. They perfrmed The Utrecht Jubilate by Handel. The English text f this wrk is taken frm beautiful Psalm Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

14 The ministry f ur church is develping step by step in varius areas. We cmbine Bible teaching and missin with charitable and scial activities. Thank t the skilled and self sacrificing brthers, sisters and friends, we are able t maintain the building regularly and t carry ut varius prjects f recnstructin. The life f the church is enriched by visitrs frm ur hmeland. In March, brthers Lubmír Vyhnanek and Dalibr Krupa presented the ministry f TWR Slvakia nt nly in ur church but als in ur cmmunities in Windsr and Kingsville, and in an evangelical cmmunity in Kitchener. Brther Jiri Dedecius and his wife Lydie frm Czech Republic, serving fr many yurs in the field f Gd s Kingdm, visited us and ministered in ur church as well as in Kingsville and Windsr during the days f June. Dear readers, thank yu fr yur prayers fr the Trnt church. Please, cntinue with them als in the future. Our desire is that Gd may give in His time blessed grwth t the seed that has been swn and regularly watered. Pastr Jan Bank Èeskslvenský baptistický sbr v Trntì le Pána Krista psväcujte v svjich srdciach. Buïte vdy pripravení da dpveï kadému, kt by vás iadal zdôvdnenie nádeje, ktrá je v vás. (1.Pet.3,15) Milí èitatelia, vetkých vás srdeène zdravíme z Èeskslvenskéh baptistickéh zbru v Trnte pzdravm náh Pána a Spasite3 4a Jeia Krista: Pkj vám! V nasledujúcich riadkch vám chceme aspò trchu priblíi atmsféru náh zbru. Súèasne vám prináame infrmáciu niektrých významných pdujatiach v nam zbre za psledné 34 mesiace. V milm zbrvm becenstve preívame vzácne chvíle pri Bm Slve a na mdlitbách. Vieme, e Pán si z nás vychváva One Way frm Kingsville svjich uèeníkv. On nás vedie k radstnému pznávaniu Jeh Slva. Na naich biblických hdinách sme nedávn uknèili túdium 1. a 2. listu d Tesalník s zameraním na zvestvanie evanjelia v psledných èasch. Teraz sa u niek3 4k týdòv venujeme biblickému túdiu starzáknnej knihy Deuternmium pd názvm kla pslunsti Biemu záknu. Pritm si uvedmujeme, aký dôleitý je prces psvätenia Bích detí. Snaíme sa teda pznáva Hspdina na vetkých cestách. Uèíme sa tie splieha na Neh celým svjím srdcm a by psluní Jeh vôli a Jeh prikázaniam. Stále viac si uvedmujeme, e celý tent prces duchvnéh rastu nás vedie k slube evanjelia naim blínym. Pán nám dáva praktickú víziu misijnej sluby náh zbru. Oslvujeme v nej evanjelim najprv tých najbliích z náh zbrvéh splèenstva a z naich rdín. Tát sluba sa vak dtýka aj irej èeskslvenskej verejnsti v blasti ve3 4kéh Trnta. Jednu z misijných udalstí bl premietanie filmu Jei v èeskm jazyku, ktré sa uskutènil na pôde náh zbru dòa 8. apríla. Nau verejns sme pdujatí infrmvali najmä prstredníctvm telefnických kntaktv a krajanskej tlaèe; návtevníkv sme pzývali tie sbne. Premietania sa krem èlenv Grup frm Windsr under Habudas leading náh zbru zúèastnil kl 50 návtevníkv z èeskslvenskej verejnsti v Trnte. Annymná anketa p sknèení predstavenia ukázala, e semienk Bieh Slva bl dbre zasiate. Oèakávajúc na Pána Bha, ktrý dáva zasiatemu semenu vzrast, chceme pslune pracva ïalej. T znamená jednak sbnú misijnú a sciálnu slubu naim blínym, ale aj ïalie pdujatia. Jedným z nich je Èeský a Slvenský deò Kanady, ktrý sa kná dòa 24. júna v priestrch trntskéh Masaryktwnu. V pestrm prgrame pslúi aj spevkl náh kstla, ktrý nacvièval aj s niektrými hsujúcimi spevákmi z èeskslvenskej verejnsti. Týmt pdujatím sa tvárajú ïalie vzácne mnsti sbných kntaktv a misijnej práce medzi naimi krajanmi. Významnu súèasu prípravy na misijnú èinns bla aj knferencia zbrv z Windsru, Kingsvillu a Trnta, ktrá sa knala v nam zbre dòa 21.mája. Hlavnu tému knferencie bla Sluba záchrany duí. V radstnej atmsfére slavy Pána Bha dzneli tyri referáty na základe slv Pána Jeia Krista z evanjelia pd3 4a Matúa 28,1820: Daná mi je kadá mc na nebi aj na zemi. A tak chïte, èiòte uèeníkmi vetky nárdy, krstiac ich v men Otca i Syna i Svätéh Ducha, uèiac ich zachváva vetk, èk3 4vek sm vám prikázal. A h3 4a, ja sm s vami p vetky dni a d sknania sveta. Záver mája bl tie bhatý na pdujatia na pôde trntskéh zbru. Najprv t bla akcia Drs Open Trnt, ktrej sa zúèastnil 96 budv mesta, významných p stránke histórie a architektúry. Aj ná kstl tvril svje dvere verejnsti a v sbtu, 27. mája pskytl návtevníkm nielen histrickú prednáku samtnej budve, ale aj infrmácie súèasnm ivte náh zbru. V nede3 4u, 28.mája sa predstavil svjim prvým vystúpením nv- + Pkraèvanie na strane 91 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

15 Tuesday, May 16, 2000 Dear Gerge, I trust that yu and Marija are bth in gd health. Were still able t be up and abut and are invlved in numerus activities, teach Sunday schl, sing in chir, etc. Als, theres always plenty t d here n the farm. Yu may be interested in knwing that next Mnday Im planning n jining the grups that are ging t Czech Republic fr 11 days with Br. Jseph Slc. Im t meet them in Philadelphia. There may be 17 f us in all. Im t be part f a missin team f six ging n t Mikulv. Were t return t the U.S. n June 1. Yur prayers wuld be much appreciated. Yurs in Christ, Richard F. Mazanec ) June 16, 2000 Dear Gerge, Dad is ding a little better this week, and we have had sme encuragement frm the dctrs. He is sitting up a lt mre, and able t talk n the phne. We had an appintment with a medical pthalmlgist this week. When he came int the rm, he repeated my dads name and said, Are yu frm the Tatra Muntains? They really hit it ff. He is frm abut 60 miles suth f my dads village. He spke t my dad the entire time in Slvak, and thinks that he is ging t give my dad back visin in his left eye. His name is Jan Lukac. We are delighted with this encunter, and will be sending him Glrius Hpe. We send yu and the entire cnventin ur lve and prayers fr a time f victry as yu gather tgether at the end f the mnth. In His lve, Judy and Dn Shff ) Phillips, Wiscnsin, June 12, 2000 Dear Gerge and Marija: Greetings frm Wis. Gd is s gd t us. We pray fr yu all and we have wnderful memries f ur cnventins. We enjy Glrius Hpe s much. Natasha des a super jb. And all the editrials and messages that are published. I remember when my brther Henry Bubelik came t visit us and remarked, Rbert Dvrak wuld be a wnderful president. Gd is s gd. His lve is everlasting and His mercies endureth unt all generatins. We thank Gd fr Gerge and Marija, fr their unending hspitality and graciusness all these years. Great is yur reward! Lvingly, Helene Mikulencak ) Tuesday, July 11, 2000 Dear CSBC Family! Tday, I came hme with a beautiful blue fiberglass cast n my left leg, and the dctrs kind instructin,ill see yu in five weeks! Yu can surmise that all went well with my surgery. This is a nte t express my heart-felt thanks fr yur sincere prayers fr Jane and me as we traveled back t Clevelandand fr my physical welfare. Our Gd prved Himself strng n ur behalf. Thanks, frm a grateful heart. (Psalm 37:23,24) Pastr Dan and Jane Widlicka Update: July 25,2000 Its been 3 weeks since surgery and his ankle seems t be healing well. 3 mre weeks befre the fiberglass cast cmes ff and therapy begins. He is a patient patient! The jy f the Lrd is ur strength. Neh.: 8;10. Thanks fr praying fr us. ) Kemptville, ON, July 18, 2000 Dear Gerge, First f all may I say that we thrughly enjyed Cnventin this year! What a sweet fellwship we enjy each time! The music, speakers, fdjust great, nce again this year. We realize the amunt f wrk yu and Marija put int this and we really d appreciate all yu bth d!! The Lrd bless yu fr yur faithfulness! Sincerely, Ester Tarr ) July 14, 2000 Dear Gerge and Marija, Thank yu bth fr a Cnventin that went smthly thrugh all the sessins and was enjyed by all participants. We may have had fewer peple present but we felt there was a gd spirit f cperatin. Trust yu are bth well and enjying the idea the Cnventin is behind yu. In His lve, Andy and Alice Kmetk ) July 15, 2000 Dear Gerge and Marija, Greetings in the name f the Lrd! We want t thank yu and yur staff fr a wnderful time we all had at the Cnventin this year. It was truly a blessing t be with all the brthers and sisters and fellwship with them. Thank yu again fr all yur hard wrk keeping the Cnventin ging. Gd bless yu, Gerge and Drthy Pspisil ) Windsr, July 5, 2000 Dear Gerge and Marija Once again Cnventin has cme and gne and we are left with precius memries. The majrity f the peple have n 88 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

16 idea hw much wrk is invlved in preparatin, in fact we can nly guess. We want yu t knw we had a wnderful time and appreciate all yu did t make ur time at Philippi s enjyable. Thank yu als fr the pprtunity fr fellwship at yur place. We especially enjyed the visit with Brther and Sister Dedecius. May Gd bless yu with gd health and give yu a restful and enjyable summer. With Lve, Fred and Anne Opcensky ) Dear Marija and Gerge, Thanks fr all the special things yu d. But, mst f all, thanks fr being yu! Thank yu fr heading the Cnventin and making it s wnderful. I persnally want yu t knw hw much I appreciate all the wrk yu put int it. I was very glad t be able t attend it. It is a highlight f the year fr me. Yu are in my daily prayer. Lve Mary Schun ) June 17, 2000 Drahá sestra v Pánu Jeivi, Viera. Fr Thu art my hpe; O Lrd Gd, Thu art my trust frm my yuth. Psalm 71:5 Prijmite srdeèný pzdrav s prianím mnhej Bej milsti v Jeh pkji a radsti v Òm. Zamý3 4am sa nad tu ve3 4ku lásku Pána Jeia, e priiel na tút zem, pustil slávu u Otca a dal sa pribi na krí za nae hriechy. T je láska, ktrú nikt tu na zemi nepchpí, è Pán Jei pre nás vyknal. Ïakujeme mu z srdca, e môeme kadý deò preíva Jeh lásku a Jeh dpustenie. Je úasné, e sme Jeh deti vykúpené Jeh drahu èistu krvut je naa nádej v tmt svete. Ja z Bej milsti ijem. Pán ma drí v Jeh svätej dbrej ruke. Ak sa máte Vy? A tie sestra Schun? Z lásky Pánvej psielam pmc na Slávnu nádej. U nás èast padajú dade a je tie ds hrúc. Slávnu nádej psielam d kraja veriacim, keï ju preèítam. Prúèam Vás i seba d Bích rúk a d Jeh chrany. Vaa sestra v Pánvi Mary Hgh ) July 25, 2000 Dear Natasha, Well here we are back hme after ur 2 1 / 2 week vacatin including the wnderful time we had at the cnventin. It has been a pleasure fr me and my family meeting yu and yur many talents yu have f the Lrd. I am sending yu sme pictures which yu can have and enjy f the cnventin. Lrd willing, we hpe t meet again and in the meantime, we will be reading yur articles in the Glrius Hpe. Lrd Bless yu and yur family, Gerge and Drthy Pspisil and Family ) SEND Internatinal Mateøská Praha 6 - Lyslaje Èeská Republika Tel./Fax: 02/ carter_and_chris_leshuk@cheerful.cm May 8, 2000 Dear brthers and sisters, We are missinaries with SEND Internatinal. We are finishing up 2 years f frmal Czech language studies here in Prague. We have been invited t serve with a small lcal evangelical church, which meets in an area f Prague, which currently has n ther evangelical church (Stdùlky area in Prague). A number f years ag, we visited the Czechslvakia Baptist Church in Trnt, Canada. This grup was very encuraging. At this church we picked up cpies f yur magazine Glrius Hpe (Slavná nadìje) which cntained an insert f recent reprts f the varius Baptist missinaries already serving in the Czech Republic and Slvakia. We wuld appreciate if yu culd send us a cpy f yur current magazine and please add us t yur mailing list. If yu als have a list f ther publicatins (evangelistic materials, etc.) which wuld be helpful, we wuld be very thankful t receive this list. Tgether in the Lrds Service, Carter Leshuk Jhn Hus Cntinues frm page 79 I am glad that they had t read my bk, which revealed their evil and I knw they read it mre attentively than the hly writings in an attempt t find faults. This letter is handed ver n Thursday, the day befre the vigil f St. Peter, in the evening as I wait in chains fr my death. In life, the greatest and mst prfund thing is t be a wittness f truth. Let us becme servants f the truth, which unites us all. We are bund t carry the message f truth even tday. (ThDr. Jakub Trjan at his lecture Jhn Hus, T.G. Masaryk and the present. July 2000, Trnt) Natasha Legierski, translated by Peter Branda Jan Hus Pkraèvání ze strany 79 Nejvìtím a nejhlubí v ivtì je být svìdkem pravdy. Staòme se sluebníky pravdy, která nás vechny sbliuje. A t pselství svìdectví pravdì nás zavazuje i dnes. ( ThDr. Jakub S. Trjan, prdìkan Evangelické fakulty Karlvy univerzity v Praze, pøi pøednáce Jan Hus a T.G. Masaryk a dneek 9. èervence, 2000 v Trntì.) Nataa Legierská Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

17 Linda Elizabeth Hanzel Linda Elizabeth Hanzel, 51, f Bath Twnship, went hme t be with her Lrd and Savir n May 8, 2000, after a six-week struggle with leukemia. Brn in Campbell, Ohi, Linda was a resident f Bath Twnship since She is survived and will be greatly missed by her husband, Dn; children, Jenny and Mike; father and mther, Mr. and Mrs. Jhn Jeren, Sr., f Campbell, Ohi; brther and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Jhn Jeren, Jr., f Pland, Ohi; father-in-law and mther-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Jhn Hanzel f Orange Village, Ohi; and many ther belved aunts, uncles, cusins, nieces, nephews and friends. Service was held n Friday, May 12, 2000, at Grace Church, Fairlawn, with the Rev. Jeff Bgue fficiating. Safely Hme I am hme in Heaven, dear nes; Oh, s happy and s bright! There is perfect jy and beauty In this everlasting light. All the pain and grief is ver, Every restless tssing passed; I am nw at peace frever, Safely hme in Heaven at last. Did yu wnder I s calmly Trd the valley f the shade? Oh! but Jesus lve illumined Every dark and fearful blade. And He came Himself t meet me In that way s hard t tread; And with Jesus arm t lean n, Culd I have ne dubt r dread? Then yu must nt grieve s srely, Fr I lve yu dearly still: Try t lk beynd earth s shadws, Pray t trust ur Father s will. There is wrk still waiting fr yu, S yu must nt idly stand; D it nw, while life remaineth Yu shall rest in Jesus land. When that wrk is all cmpleted, He will gently call yu Hme; Oh, the rapture f that meeting, Oh, the jy t see yu cme! Olga Vinter January 10,1913 May 16, 2000 On May 16, 2000, Olga Vinter was escrted by Heaven s angels int the presence f her Lrd and Savir, Jesus Christ. Olga passed away at the age f 87 years and 4 mnths. She was brn at Mirtyn, Pland, n January 10, 1913, t the family f Ludwig and Amalia (nee Marek) Leyman. The family arrived and settled in the Flradale District in During the winter f there was a revival in Minitnas during which bth Olga and Karel Vinter accepted Jesus Christ as their persnal Lrd and Saviur. They were bth baptized in February 1931 by Rev. K. Bhatec. Olga married Karel Vinter n Octber 20, Tgether they raised three children. Olga was active in church wrk. She was a charter member f the First Czechslvak Baptist Church, Minitnas. In her yuth and earlier years, Olga sang in the chir, played the mandlin, and participated in church activities. Until frced by ld age, she was active in Marie s Circle. Olga and her husband, Karel, mved frm the farm int the twn f Minitnas in In 1983, Olga mved int the Pineer Baptist Ldge, where she resided until her passing. Olga was predeceased by five infant brthers and tw infant sisters; by her father, Ludwig (1960); mther, Amalia (1960); husband, Karel (1980); and sister, Ruth (1999). Left t murn her passing are children: Ruth (Jseph) Jersak, Jseph (Margaret) Vinter, and Nemi (Aldrich) Nvtny. Als surviving are 10 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, sister-in-law Anna (Fred) Opcensky, ne niece and three nephews. Stanley Hynek May 5, 1919 July 9, 2000 Stanley Hynek was brn in Maly Spakv in Vlyn, Pland, n May 5, In 1925 the Hynek family mved t Slvakia. The family immigrated t Canada in Their new hme became the twn f Dauphin, lcated between Winnipeg and Minitnas, in Manitba. 90 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

18 Stanley was baptized by Pastr Frt in The same year he came t Trnt. Here he fund a fellwship f believers in the Czechslvak Baptist Church, where Pastr Zajicek preached. He married Marie Tuczek n April 20, Their family was blessed by tw children, daughter Linda and sn Richard. The Lrd f life and death called His faithful servant Stanley Hynek t eternal glry n July 9, Memrial Time at the 91 st Annual Cnventin Sunday July 2, 2000 Elinr Pilat Antal, January 2000, Cleveland, OH Andrew Chipka, February 2000, Cleveland, OH Arthur Friedman, June 2000, New Prt Rickey, FL Je Gregr, February 2000, Hatch Hllw,PA Linda Hanzel, May 2000, Akrn, OH Shirley Higgins, June 2000, Windsr, ON Ann Hlubicka, June 2000, Prtland, TN Bettie Hlubicka, January 1999, Prtland, TN Thmas Kelly, March 2000, Cleveland, OH Mary Kibelbek, February 2000, Cleveland, OH Ed Klesch, March 2000 Edith Kubik, February 2000, Cleveland, OH Ilene Kubik, August 1999, Cleveland, OH Angela Lckett, Nvember 1999, Cleveland, OH Karel Luksa, September 1999, Suttn, ON Bess Paige Mathews, Helmet, CA William Parubek, December 1999, Cleveland, OH Margaret Patrick Pilat, January 2000, Cleveland, OH Paul Racinsky, Octber 1999, Minitnas, MB Jerry Rand (Racinsky), February 2000, Trnt, ON Julia Gregr Sayban, Nvember 1999, Hatch Hllw, PA Paul Skalsky, January 2000, Disputanda, VA Carl Tmcik, December 1999, Cleveland, OH Maria Vlcekva, March 2000, Presv, Slvakia S. E. Warringtn, December 1999, Cleveland, OH Victr Wilcx, January 2000, Sun City, AZ Jim Wright, September 1999, Cleveland, OH Jhn Vyt, March 2000, Cleveland, OH Tm Zapla, March 2000, Cleveland, OH Trnt Pkraèvání ze strany 87 zalené vkálne teles, Èeskslvenské Händlv Knzrcium, zlené z èlenv a priate3 4v náh kstla. Na prgrame bl Händlv diel The Utrecht Jubilate, ktréh anglický text je prevzatý z prekrásneh almu 100. Práca náh zbrvéh splèenstva v Trnte sa teda pstupne rzvíja v rôznych blastiach. Biblické vyuèvanie a misijné aktivity spájame s charitatívnu a sciálnu èinns- u. Vïaka ikvným a betavým bratm, sestrám a priate3 4m sa vyknáva pravidelná údrba budvy a pstupne aj rôzne rekntrukèné práce. ivt zbru ve3 4mi bhacujú návtevníci z naej vlasti. V marci tht rku bratia 1 4ubmír Vyhnánek a Dalibr Krupa prezentvali slubu TWRSlvakia nielen námu zbru, ale aj naim splèenstvám v Windsre, Kingsville a evanjelickému splèenstvu v Kitcheneri. Brat Jiøí Dedecius a jeh manelka Lydie z Èeskej republiky, dlhrèní slubníci na pli Bieh krá3 4vstva, nás navtívili a pslúili nám i zbrm v Kingsville a Windsre v júnvých dòch. Milí èitatelia, ïakujeme i prsíme vae mdlitby za zbr v Trnte. Túime p tm, aby semenu Bieh Slva, ktré je zasadené a pravidelne plievané, dal Pán Bh svjím èasm pehnaný vzrast. kazatel Ján Bank Hatch Hllw Baptist Church Has a New Pastr raise Gd, Heaven is a free gift. It s a jy fr me t intrduce myself and the ministry Gd has called me t at Hatch Hllw Baptist Church in nrthwestern Pennsylvania. Hi! I am Russ Kepple, I m single and a graduate f Practical Bible Cllege, NY, and f Liberty University, VA. I accepted Christ as my Savir at the age f eight at a church camp. Last Octber the cngregatin f this rural church agreed t accept my ffer as a bivcatinal interim pastr. It has been a delight, but a challenge t juggle time and respnsibilities, having a full-time jb as well as serving as pastr. 1 Samuel 30:9,10 best describes ur church. Many are weary with hnr, having served the Lrd in their yuth, while thers are still able t crss ver in pursuit f the will f Gd. I believe the biggest challenge fr ur churches is t recruit believers t team up with ther believers in a variety f evangelism ministries fr a set time cmmitment each year. Pray fr us! 1 Cr. 1:26 31 Russ Kepple, Pastr Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

19 Each ne f us has a bit different view f the garden f Eden. Kadý z nás má zahradì Eden trchu jinu pøedstavu. 92 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000

20 r as lng as I can remember, Cnventin has always been an event in my summer hlidays. My friend Jdi and I always gt excited befre Cnventin, remembering the previus years. When we gt there, we experienced fellwship with ld friends and made new nes at the same time. This cmbinatin f hanging ut with ld friends and meeting new nes wrked tgether t create great memries. Befre this year, Cnventin during the schl year always seemed t me a distant memry. This year, hwever, I realized things I had never really thught abut. Fr ne thing, I nw see that planning all the big and small events alike that make up Cnventin is smething that must be planned and wrked hard at thrughut the whle year by many peple. I knew that befre this year f curse, but I guess I never really thught abut it. Yu can say that I tk Cnventin and all the wrk peple put Yuth Grup int it fr granted. In my naivety I assumed everyne had just as much time as I had t play sccer and be with their friends (r whatever they wanted t d). This year I finally realized that just like all the hard-wrking peple there, I m respnsible fr smething t. Sure we all g t have fun, but we als g there t share urselves and ur gifts with thers, and this takes a bit f wrk. It was my mm wh helped me realize this befre we went t Cnventin. As yu might knw, I m the girl wh always plays the vilin every year. This year, I didn t want t play. My Rev. Je Nvak and Yuth Grup reasn? Well, I had nthing prepared, I didn t want t get up in frnt f all thse peple, and the excuses can g n and n but when it really cmes dwn t it, I just wasn t ding it fr Gd, and s all the jy and fun came ut f it. S I came t Cnventin with this attitude and n the first day, I fund smething t play. I was ging t play a vilin-guitar duet with Jhnny Alac. My attitude being what it was, I was reluctant t practice that first night, but as the evening wre n, I fund myself enjying it mre and mre. Maybe it was at that mment when the fun came back int it that I began playing fr the Lrd again, r at least realized that I shuld be playing fr Gd and nt selfishly keeping it t myself. In the end I, nce again, enjyed playing fr the Cnventin cngregatin, even thugh I was mre than a little nervus. As I think abut it nw, I remember a verse in the Bible that says that Gd lves a cheerful giver, 2 Crinthians 9:7: Each man shuld give what he has decided in his heart t give, nt reluctantly r under cmpulsin, fr Gd lves a cheerful giver. S unless we use ur gifts t give t thers and serve Gd, and d that with a willingness f heart, then we are unwrthy f the gifts bestwed upn us. The nly way t becme wrthy and serve jyfully is t surrender urselves, and everything given us, t Gd and then remain in Him as He will als remain in us. Remain in me and I will remain in yu. N branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can yu bear fruit unless yu remain in me. Our gifts will nt bear fruit unless we first give them t grw in the vine. Elizabeth Legierski Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July

21 have been reflecting n ur cnventin week, June 29 July 2. Appreciatin keeps welling up within fr the gdness nce again f the experience. Fr thse f yu wh were present, here is a warm fllw-up greeting t yu. It was great t be reunited with s many f ur cmmunity. We d each ther a lt f gd just by mutually sharing the Aldersn-Braddus campus and participating in the meals, activities, Bible studies, prayer times, and services tgether. I think we all feel by Sunday afternn that Gd has been present with us and that we have cme t fresh anticipatin f what fellwship will be like when all the Lrd s peple, including the whle f ur cnventin, are ne day gathered n Gd s eternal territry. Fr thse f yu wh culd nt be present in Philippi with us, equally warm greetings t yu. And they cme nt nly frm the president but frm all yur cnventin brthers and sisters. We feel deeply cnnected t yu and wish nly that we might have had the benefit f yur physical presence at annual cnventin. Perhaps that will be pssible next time arund. I hpe s. Hw abut putting next year s cnventin in yur calendar right away fr next summer. The dates are mved back by ne week t July 5 8, We re hping als t have a cmbined, large Independence Day/Canada Day picnic at a state park in West Virginia near Philippi, fr any wh can be there ne day earlier, July 4 th. That will be a party! Mre infrmatin abut that preliminary event will be frthcming in the spring. Nw just a wrd f encuragement fr thse wh may have hesitatin abut the cst f attending cnventin. We are ding everything in ur pwer t keep expenses t a minimum. The General Bard has been wrking n that matter, and we will take it up nce again at midyear meetings in Campbell, OH, in Nvember. Nevertheless, this wrd may als be apprpriate (suggested by ur insightful executive secretary, Gerge Smmer): The cnventin may cst smething, but the results are priceless. Elsewhere in this issue yu will find mre cmplete cverage in picture and narrative f what went n at this year s cnventin. Please take time t read thrugh it. Then imagine yurself in the picture. That, unquestinably, is where we wuld like t have yu. Finally, Gd bless yu fr yur cntinuing interest in the Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin. Yur prayers and giving mean everything t ur life tgether. Hearty thanks fr the mnetary cntributins that s many f yu make regularly t ur missin and peratins. Yu are a gift frm Gd t the cnventin cmmunity. Thanks s much. It is a matter f principle fr the Lrd s peple that, as Gd gives buntifully t us, we must remember t share the wealth fr missinal purpses. I feel certain that what yu send t the cnventin s missin and peratins, yu send with a smile n yur face, gladness in yur heart, and a deep cmmitment t Jesus Christ. I want t tell yu that it is received in the same spirit, bth by the cnventin and, I believe, by the Lrd as well. In return there are prayers f thanksgiving fr yu and all yur life. All best wishes fr jy and refreshment in this gd summer seasn. Rbert Dvrak wuld like t take this pprtunity t express my gratitude and special thanks t President Dr. Rbert Dvrak; Jiri (Gerge) and Lydia Dedecius, Judsn Bracey, Marija Smmer, Rbert Dvrak, Flrian Manas, Helen and Vlastik Pjman, Ami Nesvadba, Jhn Alac, Jr., David Legierski, Andy Kmetk, Je Hdul, Kathy Prusa, Dan Widlicka, and many thers participating in the prgram, fr making the 91 st annual cnventin successful. Withut yu it wuld nt be pssible. I believe that we received a lt f Gd s blessings. Thanks!!! Please nte the fllwing imprtant dates:! The mid-year meeting f the General Bard f the Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin f USA and Canada will be held in Christ Cmmunity Church, Campbell, Ohi (frmer Campbell Baptist Church), n Friday, Nvember 3, 2000, at 1:00 P.M. Evening service will be held at 7:00 P.M., fllwed by ld-fashined hymn singing, with Bb Dvrak at the pian.! The 92 nd Annual Czechslvak Baptist Cnventin f USA and Canada will be held frm July 5 t 8, 2001, at Aldersn-Braddus Cllege, Philippi, West Virginia. (This is the new date f the 92 nd Annual Cnventin). Gerge Smmer, Executive Secretary Cnventin Web page is nw being updated regularly 94 Glrius Hpe Slavná nadìje July 2000