Nevšední příběhy všedních dnů - Czechoslovak Baptist Convention

Transkript

Convention Mission Statement
The Czechoslovak Baptist Convention of USA and Canada
exists 1) to assist in extending the gospel of our Lord Jesus
Christ in lands of central and eastern Europe, particularly the
Czech and Slovak Republics; 2) to support the work of Baptists
and other evangelical churches in North America that minister to
persons of Czech and Slovak descent, and 3) to provide a Christian context for worship, fellowship, teaching, and appreciation
of heritage among those in the United States and Canada who
bear interest in the nationalities we represent.
Misijní poslání konvence
Československá baptistická konvence Spojených států a Kanady
byla ustanovena za účelem: 1) napomáhat v šíření evangelia
našeho Pána Ježíše Krista v zemích střední a východní Evropy,
zvláště v České a Slovenské republice; 2) podporovat práci baptistů a jiných evangelikálních církví v severní Americe, které slouží
českým a slovenským potomkům; 3) předložit formu bohoslužby,
obecenství a učení, vážit si dědictví těch, ve Spojených státech a
v Kanadě, kterým leží na srdci národy, které reprezentujeme.
Contents:
Editorial - Natasha Legierski................................................................. 98
Christ in the Act of Thanksgiving - Thomas Cosmades................... 99
The Power of God - Robert Dvorak.....................................................100
God’s Servant, part 2 - Miroslav Sauer..............................................102
Boží služebník, část 2. - Miroslav Sauer.............................................103
News from the Mission Field................................................................104
Zprávy z misie...........................................................................................105
Bible Study, Part 2 - Donald Shoff.....................................................106
Biblická studie, část 2 - Jan Franka.....................................................108
The Springle Family Reunion...............................................................110
Youth Scene - Johnny Alac....................................................................112
From Our Readers..................................................................................112
TWR: The Listeners Post - George Cooper.....................................113
Children’s Corner: Fireflies, Part 17 - Jan Karafiát ..........................114
Broučci, část 17 - Jan Karafiát............................116
From the President - Robert Dvorak...................................................118
From the Executive Secretary - George Sommer............................118
Ladies’ Page - Esther Tarr, Donna Nesvadba....................................119
Convention Echoes in Pictures - Part 2.............................................120
Glorious Hope / Slavná nadìje
SeptemberOctober 2005, Vol. 31, No 5
(USPS 009334), ISSN 0700-5202
Published Bi-Monthly by
The Czechoslovak Baptist Convention
of USA and Canada
Periodical postage paid in Philippi, WV.
Editor-in-Chief: Natasha Legierski
1524 Lancaster Dr., #134,
Oakville, ON, L6H 2Z2, Canada
email: [email protected]
You may send articles to above address
Desktop publishing and art: Vit Malek
Assistant Editors: Janice Cermak, Ján Banko
Editorial Staff: George Sommer,
George Legierski, Joseph Novak
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to
Publication Office:
Glorious Hope / Slavná nadìje
Rt. 4, Box 58D, Philippi, WV 26416-9717 USA
email: [email protected]
www.ab.edu/czslbaptconv
Next issue deadline - October 15, 2005
98
A
n autumn morning. The sun’s
heating rays cover the full spectrum of colour and all its various
shades, ranging from yellow, beige and
brown, to a deep crimson hue. Tremulous leaves on trees are reminiscent of
delicate trills played on a keyboard. The
wind blows, and falling leaves sound like
the strings of a harp. Nature resounds
in a hushed symphony of colours and motion. Sunlight bathes
nature in a shining robe of optimism.
Autumn. This word signifies some sort of end. It is an end
of everything that was awaited during spring and brought about
in the summer. Nature is cleaned during harvest. The quality of
a year is determined by autumn—good or bad, fertile or unfertile. Autumn testifies about how hard someone worked during
the year. After a hard year it is easy to fall into melancholy and
the pessimism that inevitably follows. A person feels tired and
exhausted. Suddenly he or she awakes to a beautiful autumn
morning with a clear blue sky and bright sunshine, to a morning
offering optimism to all who are willing to be aware.
Aware of what God has prepared for us. During everything a
person experiences, is confronted with, and has to battle against,
he or she can take time to stop, breathe, and take a look around
at the surrounding nature, consciously absorbing its beauty.
Someone who is able to do this is surely filled with gratitude

Continues on page 117
P
odzimní ráno. Slunce svými paprsky rozehrává pestrou škálu
barev všech možných odstínů. Od žluté, přes béžovou, hnědou
až po temně rudou barvu. Chvějící se listí připomíná jemné
trylky na klávesnici piana. Vítr zavane a padající listí téměř zní jako
struny harfy. Celá příroda zvučí v tichou symfonií barev a pohybu.
Slunce odívá krajinu do zářivého roucha optimismu.
Podzim. Tento výraz s sebou nese náznak nějakého konce. Podzim tvoří tečku za vším tím, co bylo během jara očekáváno a co se
v létě událo. Na podzim se sklidí úroda. Podle podzimu se hodnotí
kvalita roku—dobrý nebo špatný, úrodný či neúrodný. Podzim svědčí
o tom, jak člověk během roku pracoval. Po těžkém roce se může
snadno upadnout do melancholie přinášející pesimismus. Člověk
se cítí unaven, vyčerpán. Tu se probudí do překrásného podzimního rána s modrou oblohou a zářicím sluncem. Do rána nabízející
optimismus každému, kdo je ochoten vnímat.
Vnímat to, co Pán Bůh pro člověka připravil. Při všem, co člověk
prožívá, s čím se potýka, s čím těžce zápasí, při tom všem se může
zastavit. Zastavit se a nadechnout, rozhlédnout se a vědomě se
kochat přírodou, která ho obklopuje. Ten, kdo se dokáže zastavit,
je jistě naplněn vděčností nejen za tu přírodu, ale za všechno, co
má a co se v jeho životě odehrává. Možná, že při jednom takovém
zastavení byl Anthonio Vivaldi inspirován, krásou Boží harmonie

Pokraèování na stranì 117
Cover: Convention midyear meeting 2005
Photos: Vlast Pojman, John Jeren, Jr.,
George Sommer, Darko Siracki

     SeptemberOctober 5 Printed on recycled paper
Christ in the Act of Thanksgiving
Thomas Cosmades
T
hanksgiving has its origin in Christianity. The most reflective exultation in the
New Testament is summarized in these
words: “Thanks be to God for His inexpressible
gift! (II Corinthians 9:15). Sinners redeemed
by the atoning sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ
have the profoundest sense of thankfulness and
appreciation. God offered the costliest provision
to redeem sinners in order to reconcile them to
himself and transfer them from death to life.
Christian people are called by their Lord to
put into words their deep sense of gratitude.
The New Testament records three distinct occasions when God’s son expressed very specific
thanksgiving to the Father for the fulfillment of what he commissioned him to fulfill. These glowing incidents admonish his
follower never to falter in his/her indebtedness to give thanks.
The faith of the Christian is always expressed with a thankful
heart: “...giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share
in the inheritance of the saints in light…And whatever you do, in
word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving
thanks to God the Father through him”
(Col. 1:12; 3:17).
I. Thanks for the miracle of the
fish and the bread Matthew 15:36;
John 6:11; Psalm 104:27, 28
David prophesied about this miracle
with amazing clarity (cf. Psalm 104:27,
28). In the words of the Psalmist
God stands out as the GIVER. The
GIVER of all benefits (cf. James 1:17)
became Incarnate in order to provide
the mightiest of all gifts for mankind.
The beloved Son died for the sin of the
world (cf. John 3:16).
The striking element in the Father’s
giving his Son to all mankind, and
through his Son meeting every person’s
need is COMPASSION (Matthew
15:32; Mark 8:2). Before giving thanks
for the miracle Jesus said, “I am not
willing to send them away hungry” (32). Through this we see
the Lord’s compelling urge to do everything for the human race
--all the way to laying down his sinless life on the cruel cross.
How willing are you to carry out some ministry which will be
costly to you, whether in the area of evangelism or an act of
social ministry for His sake?
We shouldn’t forget his crucial question, “How many loaves
do you have?” (15:34). He is ever willing to do amazing deeds in
our midst. What are you offering to bring about his miraculous
intervention? He could have fed the four thousand without the
      SeptemberOctober 5
seven pieces of bread and those few small fish.
But he showed the importance of human participation in opening the way for this amazing
miracle.
“Then He gave thanks” (36). All evangelists
record his thanks to the Father, but do not mention his words. This points to his oneness with
the Father who had sent him to extend tangible
help to every individual. Jesus Christ performed
all his deeds in perfect harmony with the Father.
The Father-Son cooperation was absolute in all
He did. He thanked the Father for the authority
and privilege he had given him to come to the
world in order to extend assistance of all sorts.
Can we learn from the Lord’s expressions of thanksgiving? Do
we always thank God? For what do we thank him? What do we
offer to him? To what extent do we present ourselves for the
multitudinous acts that God wishes to execute through us?
At this point, we ought also to remember his command,
“Gather up the fragments left over, that nothing may be lost”
(John 6:12). Are you a good steward of God’s manifold benefits,
including the food on your plate? Or
are you a waster of the provisions on
the table? Wasting his benefits is a
paramount display of ungratefulness.
II. Thanks for the miracle of raising the dead John 11:41, 42
Christ raised the dead. There are
three such cases in the four Gospels. In
the raising of Lazarus John mentions
the thanksgiving of our Lord: “Father,
I thank you that you have heard me.
I knew that you always hear me, but I
said this for the benefit of the people
standing here, that they may believe
that you sent me” (11:41, 42).
This thanksgiving prayer of our
Lord has rich content for extensive
theological discussion. As in the previous miracle, the gist of the thanks is
the complete unison and oneness of
the Father and the Son. Our Lord thanked the Father for sending him to the world with the authority and privilege to give
life to both the physically and spiritually dead. This is a divine
act in which the Father and Son work together in total unison.
The Son did not do anything on his own. He is praying that
people may believe in him as being sent from the Father (cf. John
12:28–30).
Jesus Christ emphasized this frequently (cf. John 5:20, 21).
He thanks the Father that he always hears him, including the

99
The Power of God:
Its Intensifying Strength
Dr. Robert Dvorak
Isaiah 40:28–31
T
here are at least four stages in life through
which most human life normally passes.
The first is childhood. We begin our
journey weak and vulnerable. First hours, weeks,
and months outside of the womb are hard and
threatening, all but impossible were it not for the
faithful, loving care of parents.
What were you able to do for yourself in
those days but scream “bloody murder”? Thank
goodness none of us remembers that part of
our individual history. Any major bump, quite
sustainable five, ten, or twenty years later, could
in infancy finish the child off.
Parallel with this weakness, however, is the growing power to
get one’s way, which begins to develop almost from the earliest
moments of emerging into this world of sights, sounds, and hard
realities. This commanding of attention refines itself as childhood
years accumulate. To get one’s way— to get fixed up, comfortable,
and taken care of—the baby yowls. Then everybody in the room
rushes to attend to its needs, and everyone has her or his own
idea about what to do. Baby likes that very much!
The second stage is youth—manhood or womanhood just
around the corner and the gaining of ability to prove self, to
show off and dazzle others with growing physical power, beauty,
and grace.
Yet at the same time this season of life is characterized by
plenty of insecurities. How easily the ego and id bruise, having
not quite enough history or maturity to cope. More seasoning
needed, more time and experience. They’ll get there, these young
adults; their day is coming. But not yet! To get one’s way—to
get fixed, comfortable, and taken care of—one must do a lot of
pretending, flexing of muscles, and hoping that nobody will call
the bluff. Full power is not yet in hand.
The third stage is one’s prime. O, Lord God, at precisely what
moment does this arrive? When is it that wits are finally under
control, the economic house in order, and a place and position
under the sun fixed in place? Perhaps even the admiration of
others who take note? At this point body and mind are working
in wonderful sync with each other. “God is in his heaven and
all’s right with the world!”
Pardon me, but when, exactly, does this occur? When does
one come to the top of his or her game, empowered to live
harmoniously with any and all circumstances life is dishing up?
To be at “prime!” The trouble is, like the Federal Reserve Bank
rate with which this stage of life shares its name, prime keeps
dodging around. Up and down it goes, like a yo-yo. Lo here, lo
there!
Maybe there is a day in the span of one’s time on earth
100
when real power for real life comes about. But
how come I cannot identify when it happened
for me, now that I am sure that the moment is
well past? Or why am I unable to feel convinced
it will ever take place, now that I am growing
suspicious of the whole idea? To get one’s way—to
get fixed, comfortable, or taken care of, it takes
another lifetime to figure out what went wrong
with this one. It takes another whole run at
things to correct the voluminous mistakes and
stupidities already accumulated in this experience
of “prime.”
The fourth stage is—I’m sorry to report—
decline. One already knows that if personal power ever did exist
it contained little more than a surface kind of depth. Having
arrived at this stage in the journey, a person now understands
with some pointedness the testimony in the 40th chapter of Isaiah,
verses 6–8a:
A voice says, “Cry out!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All
people are grass, their constancy is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades, when the breath of the Lord
blows upon it. Surely the people are grass. The grass withers,
the flower fades….
Then also does the truth of Ecclesiastes, Chapter 2, come roaring through:
What do mortals get from all the toil and strain with which
they toil under the sun? For all their days are full of pain,
and their work is a vexation; even at night their minds do
not rest.
and
I hated all my toil in which I had toiled under the sun, seeing
that I must leave it to those who come after me—and who knows
whether they will be wise or foolish? Yet they will be master of
all for which I toiled and used my wisdom under the sun.
Oh the mirage, abridgements, the vanishing quality of so much
that we think is terrifically important in life! The declining or
waning season of life is ushered right out of view in much of
our surrounding society. To get one’s way—be fixed, comfortable,
or taken care of—sometimes even requires leaving the remainder
of one’s long-term welfare in the hands of others.
There you have them. Four stages, four pursuits after that
most elusive prize: power in living. By all measurement, the whole
experience does not end well. At the end, one is left without
power in the heart and lungs. When this point is reached, then
it is required of each one of us to hand back every vestige of
whatever small power we may ever have exerted. It’s all over. Mr.
Rockefeller occupies space not substantially grander than that of
a deceased vagrant.
      SeptemberOctober 5 Personally, I would like to organize things differently and
bring another conclusion to bear. But I do not run the universe.
The One who does has let old Job give the ultimate summation: Naked came I from my mother’s womb and naked I shall be
making way back to earth.
Is that all there is?
Of course not. I am a minister of the gospel; of course this is
not all. But it is real. And unless you make your peace with your
creaturely circumstances, you will never catch on to the rest of
the story. First of all the acceptance that in this life you have only
what is permitted to you: 1) a relatively brief borrowing of time,
2) the possibility of improving upon some raw potential planted
a long time ago in your genes, and 3) the certainty that each of
us must be ready to give up everything at a moment’s notice.
Thereafter you find there are supports to life also allowed, among
them: 1) use for a while of a great planet crafted by no mere
human hand, 2) consumption of goods and services in whose
production none of us has had more than
the minutest participation, and 3) a course
of life that, by grace, has repeated instances
of protection, blessing, sustenance, and
delight in spite of what we deserve. That is
to say, my own personally generated power
for life is small indeed, but much has been
given me, I know, when I reflect wholly on
my experience.
When you have come to an embracing
of these conclusions, you are ready for the
hugely good news. It arises out of Isaiah
40:28–30—some of the sweetest words in
all scripture.
The Lord is the everlasting God, the
creator of the ends of the earth. He does
not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to
the faint. He strengthens the powerless.
Even youths will faint and be weary,
and the young will fall exhausted; but
those who wait for the Lord shall renew
strength, they shall mount up with wings
like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk
and not faint.
Therefore, relax! Breathe with some ease. The Lord is your
friend.
In the preceding messages of the 95th convention week, you
have been hearing all about real power. 1) The encouragement
to stay right in place (wherever that may be) until you have been
clothed with power (someone else’s provision for you of a necessary wardrobe); then stay in place no longer, but do what needs
to be done in God’s name. 2) The promise of Acts 1:7 that you
shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. It is
an explosive change intended for life’s long journeying, and it
will affect all who come close to you. 3) The locus of this power
is Jesus Christ, who is, was, and always will be behind anything
that matters. Remember, in the beginning before everything
came, the Word was! Neither forget how St. Paul teaches that
God put his power to work for us in Christ when he raised him
from the dead.
The point is, something has been broken loose about us and
our ways, about inabilities, weaknesses, sin outcomes, about the
frustrations of never arriving no matter what the present stage
of life or how long we live.
Here is a pivotal understanding for any Christian: life is not
just about you or your experiencing of it. It is about you and
God together. It is about the very Spirit of Christ within you.
At the well-spring of who you are, at the determination point
of what direction you will take from now on, is this security:
Christ in you!
Here is the important reminder at the beginning of the Isaiah
40 text:
Have you not known? Have you not heard? Where have you
been? When will you understand? The Lord, the everlasting
One, creator of the ends—far ends—of the earth, does not grow
fatigued, faint-hearted, or dispirited. You
may faint. You may sink into powerlessness.
But he gives power back to you.
It is as if an even exchange: his power
for your powerlessness. What a deal! And
according to the text it picks up speed:
walk /run/fly! There is no reining it in, no
brakes to slow things down. The source is
ever renewable. It is as pervasive, deep, and
unquenchable as the eternity and infinity
of God’s own being.
This, by God, is what is in you.
That your body may fail you? What’s
that got to do with anything? Winding
down will not prevent life. You just walk
from then on without wearisome flesh (a
concept youth cannot possibly begin yet
to understand). You’ll take a hike without
lungs, run without breath, fly without
wings. These are the prospects for those
“who wait upon the Lord.” Can you bear
such a big gift?
I once put an “elect lady,” Dorothea Johnson, in the ground.
I was standing at the edge of her grave with a minister’s words
and prayers as she descended. She had exhausted herself well into
the 90s range of life years. But we had known each other pretty
well toward the end of that time, and now a little bit we smiled
at each other as the words came tumbling out:
…shall mount up with wings, shall run unexhausted, shall walk
to the end of eternity….
Isn’t it a magnificent hymn, All Hail the Power of Jesus’
Name?
[Editor’s Note: This sermon was delivered by Robert Dvorak, president of the convention, on the final day of the 95th Czechoslovak
Baptist Convention, July 11, 2004.]

101
God’s Servant
or
Extraordinary Tales of Ordinary Days
Miroslav Sauer
Part 2
Alcohol – My Only Joy
T
he route that I drive ends in one small village. The Socialist administration rented
out a house to five adult men in this
village. They always rode with me in the bus,
always in a horrible state: always drunk, sometimes almost unconscious. I had to then clean
up after them, washing the seats as well as the
rest of the inside of the bus. I didn’t like taking
them, but when they were in a sober state, it was
ok. Things went so far, however, that eventually
nobody wanted to drive them and they had to
stay at the bus station overnight. In the end we
were forbidden to drive them. At first, everything
inside me rebelled against my orders. I felt sorry for them, and
so I drove them against orders. They were grateful for that.
One of these five men was Baldur by name. He rode with me
once and told me the story of how his girlfriend had left him. He
didn’t want to live without her, and so he decided he would drink
himself to death. As he said, so he did. His friends supplied him
with alcohol and Baldur didn’t even leave the house. For weeks
he didn’t eat anything, but just drank. He didn’t have the will
to live. After a while I saw him at a bus stop. His
girlfriend had promised to meet with him, but he
had waited in vain. Looking terrible, just skin and
bones, Baldur could hardly stand on his own two
feet. Suddenly his feet gave out under him and he
fell to the ground. I jumped out of the bus to help
him up. His body was cold. I drove him to his house
and helped him inside. He talked about ending his
life, and it was obvious he was in need of some help.
I prayed quickly, then said that if he were to take his
life, that same day he would find himself in hell. I
went on to tell him that Jesus loves him and is able
and willing to help him. Baldur broke down and
cried. He couldn’t understand it or believe it. He
had gone through prison and he considered himself
to be the worst of men! How could anyone love him? He just
couldn’t get that concept into his mind. I promised him that I
would come back to him as soon as I had driven my bus back to
the garage. Even though it was already late in the evening, I had
to go see him. During the ride there I asked for strength and
guidance, how to talk with him so that he would accept what
I was telling him. We were the same age. Only after fifty years
did Baldur find out that Jesus loves him. Maybe he had heard it
102
earlier in his life, but didn’t apply it to himself.
I entered the house and was shocked at the
havoc that greeted me. Hundreds of bottles
were strewn about and the dirt was beyond
description. He didn’t have anything to eat. I
didn’t know where to start. So, I left everything
as it was and began to take care of him. It was
a Friday night and I had Saturday morning off.
I left cleaning up for the morning and gave my
undivided attention to Baldur. I told him about
the Lord Jesus, who came to Earth, so that no
one had to experience eternal death. I explained
to him that he had to repent, so that he could
have a new life. He did so that same night. I
prayed with him, and in tears, he gave himself
over to Jesus. I asked on his behalf that he would find mercy….
Then Baldur prayed for the first time in his life, without me
having to dictate anything to him. He prayed that God would
forgive him. He was sorry for everything and asked: “Lord Jesus,
take me to you.” He shed bitter tears.
I prayed for his healing and for strength. He couldn’t walk,
he could only take a few steps. The next day I made Baldur some
chicken soup and brought him other various treats. He couldn’t
get more than a few spoonfuls of soup into him. I
also brought him a Bible and audio cassettes with
evangelical sermons. We read the Bible together
many times. I let him know that he needed to reconcile himself not only to God, but also to other
people. He confided to me that he had a son, who
he had seen perhaps twice in his life. He found his
son’s address and contacted both his son and his
wife. His son was twenty-two years old, and came
at once to visit his father.
Baldur only lived for a few more months. He read
the Bible and listened to the word of life through
brother Erlo Stegera’s sermons. His four housemates mocked him, but listened with him (I will tell
you their story some other time). Baldur ended up
falling into a coma. After a few days the Lord called him home.
His son sat with him to his last breath. Even his wife came to
his funeral.
“…whoever comes to me I will never drive away…” John 6:37
“…if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed…” John 8:36
Translated by Elizabeth Legierski

      SeptemberOctober 5 Boží služebník
aneb
Nevšední příběhy všedních dnů
Miroslav Sauer
2. část
Alkohol—Jediná Radost
A
utobusová linka, na které jezdím, končí v jedné vesnici. Sociální úřad v ní pronajal dům pěti dospělým mužům. Jezdívali
se mnou posledním autobusem v hrozném stavu. Opilí, někdy
téměř v bezvědomí. Musel jsem pak po nich uklízet, umývat sedačky
i vnitřek autobusu. Nerad jsem je bral, ale když byli ve střízlivém stavu, šlo to. Došlo to tak daleko, že je už nikdo nechtěl vozit a museli
zůstat na autobusovém nádraží do druhého dne. Nakonec nám je
zakázali vozit. Zpočátku se to ve mne všechno bouřilo. Bylo mi jich
líto, a tak jsem je bral i přes zákaz. Byli za to vděční.
Jeden z nich se jmenoval Baldur. Jel se mnou a vyprávěl mi,
že ho jeho přítelkyně opustila. Nechtěl
již bez ní žít, a tak se
rozhodl, že se upije
k smrti. Jak řekl, tak
udělal. Kamarádi ho
zásobovali alkoholem a
Baldur ani nevycházel
z domu. Celé týdny nic
nejedl, jen pil. Neměl
chuť žít. Po nějaké
době jsem ho viděl na
zastávce. Přítelkyně
mu slíbila, že ho přijede navštívit. Čekal
marně. Byl na něho
hrozný pohled, kost
a kůže. Sotva se držel
na nohou. V tom se
mu nohy podlomily a
spadl na zem. Vyskočil
jsem z autobusu, abych
mu pomohl. Jeho tělo bylo studené. Dovezl jsem ho před dům a
pomohl mu do bytu. Mluvil o tom, že si vezme život. Bylo mi jasné,
že potřebuje pomoci. Krátce jsem se stišil k modlitbě. Potom jsem
řekl, že jestliže si vezme život, ještě ten den bude v pekle. Dále jsem
hovořil o tom, že Pán Ježíš ho miluje a může mu pomoci. Baldur
se rozplakal a nemohl to pochopit ani tomu uvěřit. Vždyť prošel
vězením a sám se prohlašoval za nejhoršího člověka! Jak ho někdo
může milovat? To mu nešlo do hlavy. Slíbil jsem mu, že se vrátím
hned, jakmile odvezu autobus do garáže. Přestože už byla noc, musel
jsem zpátky k němu. Cestou jsem prosil o sílu a vedení, jak s ním
mluvit, aby to přijal. Byli jsme stejně staří. Teprve po padesátce
se dozvěděl, že ho Pán Ježíš má rád. Možná to slyšel i dříve, ale
nevztahoval to na sebe.
Vešel jsem do bytu a zhrozil jsem se nad tou spouští. Stovky
prázdných lahví a špína k nepopsání. Neměl nic k jídlu. Nevěděl
jsem kde začít. Nechal jsem tedy všechno tak, jak bylo a začal jsem
se starat o něho. Byl pátek večer, v sobotu ráno jsem měl volno.
Odložil jsem uklízení na ráno a věnoval jsem se jen Baldurovi. Vyprávěl jsem mu o Pánu Ježíši, který přišel na tuto zem, aby nemusel
nikdo věčně zahynout. Vysvětlil jsem mu, ze se musí obrátit, aby
mohl začít nový život. Učinil tak ještě tentýž večer. Modlil jsem se s
ním a předal ho v slzách Pánu. Prosil jsem za něj, aby našel milost..
Baldur se modlil poprvé v životě aniž bych mu předříkával. Modlil
se, aby mu Pán odpustil. Litoval všeho a prosil: „Pane Ježíši, vezmi
si mne k sobě.“ Hořce plakal.
Prosil jsem za jeho uzdravení a o sílu. Nemohl již chodit, zmohl
se jen na pár kroků. Druhý den jsem Baldurovi uvařil slepičí polévku
a přinesl jsem mu různé dobroty. Nedostal do sebe víc, než pár lžic
polévky. Přinesl jsem také Bibli a audio kazety s evangelizačním
kázáním. Několikrát jsme spolu četli Bibli. Pověděl jsem mu, že se
má smířit nejen s Bohem, ale i s lidmi. Svěril se mi, že má syna,
kterého viděl asi jen dvakrát v životě. Zjistil si adresu a navázal
kontakt s manželkou i se synem. Synovi bylo dvaadvacet. Přijel
hned tátu navštívit.
Baldur žil jenom několik měsíců. Četl si Bibli, Slova života a
poslouchal kázání bratra Erlo Stegera. Jeho čtyři spolubydlící se
mu posmívali, ale poslouchali s ním. (Jejich příběhy zmíním někdy
příště). Baldur nakonec upadl do bezvědomi. Za několik dní si ho
Pán vzal k sobě. Jeho syn u něho seděl až do posledního dechu.
Na pohřeb přišla i jeho manželka.
„…a kdo ke mně přijde, toho nevyženu ven…“ Jan 6, 37
„Když vás Syn osvobodí, budete skutečně svobodní.“ Jan 8, 36

Bible Study … Continues from page 107
and eventually they reached and rescued all nine miners. It was
almost unbelievable that all the miners involved in that terrible
accident were rescued unhurt.
The governor of the State of Pennsylvania spoke to the media
shortly after the miners had been rescued and stated that the
18-hour interruption was an act of providence. It allowed them
to pump more water out of the mine before the drilling broke
through into the chamber where the miners were trapped. He
said, if things had gone according to schedule, all the miners would
have drowned.
How true that is with many of the crises we face. We will
not understand the full significance of the things that happened
to me until one day we stand in His presence. Until that day, I
pray that God will enable us to join with the apostle Paul and
say in the face of our difficulties, Hallelujah anyhow!

103
From Africa
From the Czech Republic
Ruby Mikulencak (current head of SIM Ghana)
The Potmas
This year, sister Ruby celebrated her twenty-fifth anniversary
of service in Ghana. Memories of these past years, both joyful
and painful, would surely fill hundreds of pages. All of them,
of course, lead to a grateful heart for God’s presence in every
situation.
Prayer requests:
• Pray that the help provided in food aid will create a
hunger for God, and that many will find Jesus Christ
as their Saviour.
• Pray for wisdom and insight
leading the SIM Ghana team into
new priorities and emphasis.
• Pray that with the challenges
of leadership sister Ruby will
not lose sight of God, and that
she will not run ahead of or lag
behind the Spirit’s leading.
E-mail: [email protected]
Mark and Gretchen, plus their four children born in Prague
(Lukas, Noemi, Benjamin and Elise).
To the sisters from Convention, the name Potma is not unfamiliar. For a number of years now, this family has been doing
missionary work in the South City. They have been able to find
a unique way of reaching those that do not yet know Christ.
Teaching English has become their bridge. The Potma family
have presently traveled to their home in Windsor (ON, Canada).
Various tasks and responsibilities accompany a visit home (e.g. visiting with those
who support their work, motivating and
speaking with potential missionary workers, visit TEAM’s home office, continuing
ongoing education for future ministry,
undergoing required medical evaluations,
and visiting with family and friends). Let’s
hope there will be time enough to relax and
recover! The Potmas will be flying back to
Prague in July of 2006.

The Poenarus
Dan—surgeon
Ditta—nurse
Chriss and Daniel—creative boys, full of energy
After an exhausting
period of time serving in the exotic land
of Africa, the Poenar
family traveled from
Kenya for a four-month
vacation at home in
Canada. A vacation
with a rich programme
will cer tainly bring
many closer to missionary work as well as
their day-today lives.
In their most recent
letter, the Poenar family
expressed a desire for
this vacation to become
an opportunity to motivate others for missionary work and to strengthen friendly ties
in North America. The whole family is visiting Toronto’s congregation the Sunday of October 2, 2005.

104

The Marks
Edith and Jerry Mark visited the Czech Republic in the year
2004. They began working with seniors there, and they now
return to this work. They will also continue the Potmas’ work
(teaching English and working in the church in the southern
part of the city). We must not forget that English instruction
leads to Bible studies. The Marks also live in Canada (Minitonas,
Manitoba). Their desire to spread the gospel led to the decision
to spend the next nine months under the TEAM organization
in Czech Republic (from September 2005 to May 2006).

Note:
These missionaries are supported by the Convention, mainly
through our Women’s Missionary Union. We would like to provide
information for you on a regular basis, information on their work
and especially on the thousands of different ways God’s power is
manifested, which take one’s breath away. For this type of work,
continual prayer and sincere support (not just financial) is a precious foundation. We are disclosing the e-mail addresses of these
missionaries with encouragement to readers not to forget about
God’s servants. All it takes is a couple of hits on the keys, clicks on
the mouse and the words of comfort or encouragement that result
will warm a heart even hundreds of kilometers away!
Editor-in-Chief Natasha Legierski.
      SeptemberOctober 5 Afrika
Markovi
Ruby Mikulenčáková (nyní již vedoucí SIM Ghana)
Edita a Jaroslav Markovi navštívili Českou republiku již v roce
2004. Započali práci se staršími lidmi a nyní se k této práci vrací.
Budou rovněž pokračovat v práci Potmanů (vyuka angličtiny) a ve
sboru v Jižní městě. Nesmíme opomenout, že vyuka angličtiny vede
k biblickému studiu.
Markovi také pochází z Kanady (z Minitonas, provincie Manitoba). Touha šířit evangelium vedla k rozhodnutí ztrávit dalších devět
měsíců, pod hlavičkou TEAM, v České republice (od září 2005 do
května 2006).
Sestra Ruby letos oslavila 25. výročí služby v Ghaně. Vzpomínky
na uplynulé roky by jistě zaplnily stovky stránek. Vzpomínky pěkné
a veselé, vzpomíky smutné a bolavé. Všechny však vedou k vděčnosti
za Boží přítomnost v každé situaci.
Podněty k modlitbám:
• za to, aby pomoc nabídnutá v oblasti potravinového zásobování vzbudila hlad po Bohu, a aby mnozí našli Ježíše
Krista jako Spasitele.
• za moudrost a správný pohled (co se týče vedení SIM týmu
v Ghaně) k novým prioritám a na co je kladen důraz
• za to, aby sestře Ruby nezastřely problémy, které s sebou
nutně nese vedoucí postavení, pohled na Boha, a aby sestra “držela krok” s Duchem Svatým (to znamená: Ducha
Svatého nepředbíhat a ani za Ním nepokulhávat).

Poenaruovi
Dan—chirurg
Ditta—zdravotnice
Chriss a Daniel—tvořiví hoši, plní energie
Po vysilujícím období služby v exotické Africe, Poenaruovi
odcestovali z Kenyi na čtyřměsíční prázdniny domů, do Kanady.
Prázdniny s bohatým programem jistě mnohým přiblíží práci i
všední život misionářů. Poenaruovi ve svém posledním dopise vyjádřili touhu po tom, aby se tyto prázdniny staly příležitostí misijně
motivovat druhé a upevnit přátelské svazky v Severní Americe. Celá
rodinka navštíví sbor v Torontě v neděli 2. října 2005.

Čechy

Poznámka:
Tito misionáři jsou podporováni naší konvencí, zvláště sestrami. Chceme vám pravidelně přinášet informace o práci, kterou vykonají a zvláště
o Boží moci, která se projevuje tisíce různými způsoby, až se tají dech.
Při takové práci je vzácným základem ustavičná modlitba a upřímná
podpora, nejen finanční. Uveřejňujeme také elektronické adresy misionářů a vyzýváme čtenáře k tomu, aby na Boží služebníky nezapomínali. Stačí pár úderů do klávesnice, ťuknutí na myš a slova útěchy či
povzbuzení prohřejí srdce i na mnoho kilometrů vzdálených!
Šéfredaktorka Nataša Legierská
MOVING ?
Please write to:
Glorious Hope
Rt.4, Box 58D
Philippi, WV 26416 USA
Include your mailing label from a recent
issue of Glorious Hope for faster service.
Potmaovi
Marek a Gretchen a jejich čtyři děti, narozené v Praze: Lukáš,
Noemi, Benjamin a Elise
Setrám z konvence jméno Potma není neznámé. Již několik let
tato mladá rodinka misijně slouží v jižní části Prahy. Jedinečným
způsobem navazují kontakty s těmi, kteří neznají Pána Ježíše Krista.
Mostem se stala vyuka angličtiny. V současné době Potmaovi odcestovali domů, do Windsoru, (Ontario, Kanada). Návštěva domova s
sebou nese spoustu úkolů a povinností (např. setkání s těmi, kteří
tuto práci podporují, oslovení potencionálních misijních pracovníků, setkání s domovskou misijní organizací TEAM, pokračovat ve
vzdělávání se, projít věchna potřebná lékařská vyšetření, setkání s
rodinou a přáteli). Věřme, že bude čas i na odpočinek a zotavení!
Do Prahy se Potmaovi vrátí v červenci 2006.
Check our Convention Web page:
www.ab.edu/czslbaptconv

105
Philippians – Epistle of Joy
Joy in Difficulties
Part 2
Dr. Donald Shoff
Philippians 1:12–18
M
any people consider Beethoven
one of the greatest musicians
of all time. He began losing
his hearing when he was 31 and gradually descended into a life of silence until
eventually all he had left was the memory
of sounds. He went through a period of
severe depression and considered suicide.
But eventually he began to recover and
started composing once again. Before long
he reached a point where he was able to
say: There is no greater joy for me than to
pursue and produce my art. Oh, if I were
only rid of this affliction I could embrace the
world. But I will seize it by the throat; most
assuredly it shall not get me wholly down.
In that condition of total deafness he
produced some of the greatest musical
works of all time. Whether one appreciates Beethoven’s music or not, one has to
admire his indomitable spirit. Neverthless,
as far as we know, Beethoven never came
to the point of rejoicing in his adversity.
He endured it and emotionally rose above
it but never embraced it as a friend.
What a contrast with the apostle Paul.
In the first chapter of the book of Philippians, he expresses his reaction to one of
the most painful events of his life. He says
in verse 12, Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really
served to advance the gospel. He doesn’t
recount what it was that had happened
to him. There was no need to do so; the
Philippian believers knew already. As we
follow the accounts of his life and ministry
as recorded in the Book of Acts and the
epistles, we can arrive at an understanding
of what he meant by what has happened to
me.
He was Christ’s apostle, divinely
commissioned to take the gospel to the
106
Gentiles. He was a master missionary
strategist and from every indication, it was
his intention to fulfill the Great Commission in his lifetime. He did not just plant
churches. He planted churches in centers
of influence, places where they would have
a great impact on a whole region.
He poured a lot of time and effort into
the church at Antioch. Antioch was not
only the capital of Syria, but also the hub of
the Roman Empire in the East. He planted
a church in Ephesus, the most influential
city in Asia Minor. Ephesus was the center
of Diana worship and home of the massive
Temple of Diana that brought thousands
of visitors every year to the city. This
structure was one of the wonders of the
ancient world, being four times larger than
the Parthenon in Athens. Luke’s assessment of Paul’s ministry in Ephesus gives
us an appreciation of his church-planting
strategy: This went on for two years (i.e.,
his teaching and preaching), so that all the
Jews and Greeks who lived in the province
of Asia heard the word of the Lord.
He also founded a church in Philippi,
a key city in Macedonia, located on the
much-traveled highway that linked the
eastern provinces with Rome. He started a
church in Athens, a university town and the
center of intellectual life of Greece. Ideas
espoused in Athens radiated throughout
the civilized world of that day.
He planned to preach the gospel in
Rome, the capital city. Usually what happened in Rome had repercussions throughout the civilized world. In fact, he wrote
the book of Romans, not only to set forth
the theological basis of the gospel, but
also to prepare the church in Rome for his
coming. From Rome he planned to go on
to Spain—the ends of the earth in the minds
of most people of that day.
Well, now he is in Rome…but as a
prisoner. He is not free to move about
and to evangelize that great city as he had
once anticipated. Instead he is chained to a
Roman soldier. Godly ambition thwarted.
What he had given his life to accomplish
now seems frustrated. Why? Was not
Christ’s commission to take the gospel to
the ends of the earth? If so, why is he now
a prisoner? If God was able to protect him
from the plot of the Jews in Jerusalem, why
is he now a prisoner?
What would your reaction have been? I
am embarrassed to think of how I would
have handled it. However, notice the
apostle Paul’s response to one of the great
disappointments of his life: Now I want you
to know, brothers, that what has happened to
me has really served to advance the gospel….
And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will
continue to rejoice (12, 18).
In essence he is saying, this isn’t what I
planned and it certainly is not what I would
have chosen, but the cause of Christ is
being advanced, so Hallelujah anyhow!
Let’s bring this truth out of the first
and into the twenty-first century. Let me
personalize that phrase what has happened
to me. I know a man whose goal was to be
president of the company he worked for by
the time he was 40. The year he turned 40
they replaced him with a younger man.
I know a lady whose dream was to have
a happy, godly family. When she stood
at the marriage altar and said until death
alone shall part us, she meant it with all her
heart. Unfortunately, he didn’t. Today she
struggles not only with loneliness but also
with the task of being the breadwinner for
the family as well as being mom and dad
to her two children.
I knew a couple that loved each other
dearly. They worked hard, lived frugally
and looked forward to their retirement
years together. However, they were not
prepared for the call from the doctor when
he told them the tests indicated the cancer
had spread. Today, the husband faces
retirement…alone.
What has happened to me—you fill in
the blank. We have all walked the road of
difficulty to some degree. For all who have
tasted deep disappointment and hurt, these
four insights that follow are for you.
First, What has happened to me can
provide opportunity for our most effective
witness. He says, what had happened to
me has really served to advance the gospel…
throughout the whole palace guard…(1:12,
13). The palace guard was ten thousand of
Rome’s best—an elite group of the finest
soldiers from every corner of the Empire.
Then he adds, not only has the gospel
advanced to the palace guard, but to everyone else. That is, to everyone else in Caesar’s
palace. Many of these were government
officials with significant influence in the
government.
Roman guards worked six-hour shifts.
So, every six hours Paul was likely face-toface with four new, rude, profane pagan
soldiers. This may sound a lot like the place
where you work. You may be tempted to
ask, how can I bear witness for Christ in
this cesspool? Not so the apostle Paul. He
was thrilled that every six hours he had
a new audience with whom to share the
gospel.
The power of the gospel, and Paul’s
faithfulness in proclaiming it, is reflected
in the closing greeting of this Epistle: All
the saints send you greetings, especially those
who belong to Caesar’s household (4:22).
Also, this greeting is a strong testimony to
the truth that difficulties provide opportunities. The greatest impact on Caesar’s
household was not the impact of Paul’s
words, but rather, the impact of a life filled
with joy, while struggling with hurt. Joy in
difficulties, like a stone thrown in a pond,
creates an ever-widening circle.
The apostle Paul came to faith in Christ
as a result of a face-face-meeting with the
risen Christ. Given the supernatural nature
of the events surrounding his conversion,
it is easy to overlook the part a man by the
name of Stephen had in Paul’s salvation.
The Lord seems to refer to the impact of
Stephen’s testimony when He says to Paul,
It’s hard for you to kick against the goads.
The frenzied crowd that stoned Stephen
laid their garments at the feet of a young,
zealous Pharisee named Saul. As Stephen
was dying, Paul heard him pray, Lord, do
not hold this sin against them. The memory
of how one believer in Jesus Christ reacted
in the face of injustice was not only a goad
to his conscience, but the single most
powerful witness Paul received in his preconversion days.
The most effective witness we give to
our neighbors, family or co-workers is
usually not what we say with our lips, but
how we react when the bottom falls out
of our lives.
Secondly, What has happened to me
can be a means of bringing revival to the
church. Paul states, Most of the brothers in
the Lord have been encouraged to speak the
word of God more courageously and fearlessly
(1:14). This is another way of saying that
the church at Rome had been in a state
of spiritual decline. The church needed
revival, and God used an unlikely means
to bring it about. He used the hardships
of one Christian brother to stir to fervency
the hearts of a whole congregation.
There were also some in the church at
Rome who were jealous of the apostle Paul
and were happy to see him in prison. He
tells us, Some preach Christ out of envy and
rivalry…out of selfish ambition, not sincerely,
supposing that they can stir up trouble for
me while I am in chains (1:15, 17). Note
Paul’s reaction to the carnal group in the
congregation, But what does it matter?
The important thing is that in every way,
whether from false motives or true, Christ is
preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes,
and I will continue to rejoice (1:18).
He did not react in bitterness. He
didn’t fight back. It was that spirit of quiet
trust in God that was the means God used
to bring revival to the Roman Church.
Are fellow Christians challenged by
the way they see us react to suffering?
Judy’s dad, Michael Sivulka, was a vital
part of this Convention for many years.
He went to be with the Lord some three
years ago. For the last six months of his
life he had an inoperable tumor and the
pain grew increasingly severe. At night
when he couldn’t sleep because of the
pain, he would sing. At his funeral two
nurses who had taken care of him shared
how God used Mike’s joyful spirit to touch
their lives. One of them came to faith in
Christ and the other to a closer walk with
Him. It was not Mike’s words but his joy
in suffering that God used to touch their
lives.
What has happened to me can also open
the door to our most effective ministry.
How very much poorer the world would be
if Paul had not been a prisoner. If he had
been free to travel and minister personally
in those scattered churches, he would have
had little reason to write letters. The prison
epistles—Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians
and Philemon—are a rich treasure that the
Holy Spirit has used in untold lives through
the centuries.
Lastly, What has happened to me can
lead us to a discovery of the secret of
victorious living. Philippians 4:13 is one
of the best-loved and most memorized
verses in the Bible. How often, when I
have faced a task too big for me, has the
Holy Spirit brought these words to mind,
I can do everything through him who gives
me strength (4:13). Paul may never have
learned that marvelous truth, had he not
faced a difficulty beyond his own power to
handle.
In July 2002, nine Pennsylvania coal
miners were trapped 240 feet below
ground at the Quecreek Mine in southwestern Pennsylvania. The miners knew
there was an abandoned mine nearby but
they did not know how close. When their
drills broke through into that abandoned
mine, 50 million gallons of water flooded
the shaft of the Quecreek Mine they were
working.
Some miners escaped; however, nine
were trapped by the rising water. They
ran to the highest part of the mineshaft
and waited. Rescuers did not know at that
time if anyone was still alive down below.
However, they marked the most likely
spot the miners would be if they were still
alive. They brought in drilling machinery
and frantically began drilling through the
equivalent of 20 stories of solid granite.
One-third of the way down the bit broke
and drilling came to a halt.
It took 18 hours to repair the bit, and
hope faded that anyone would be found
alive. However, the rescue team kept drilling

107
Radosť v utrpeniach
Fil 1,12–30
2. Časť
Pastor Jan Franka
N
a jednom balkóne, ktorý sa hlboko nadklaňal ponad ulicu, sedela
skupina ľudí a pozorovala ľudí
prechádzajúcich sa ulicou. Skupina na
balkone bola tak blízko ulici že mohli tajne
načúvať všetkým rozhovorom dole idúcich,
rozprávať sa s nimi, kriticky sa vyjadrovať
o ich chôdzy, smere cesty, o jamách na ceste,
a pod. Aj keď sa vyjadrovali o problémoch
dole idúcich, predsa boli iba divákmi a všetky problémi o ktorých diskutovali boli iba
teoretické. Na rozdiel od nich, na ceste sú
chodci ktorým spomínané problémi nie sú
iba teoretické, ale nadovšetko praktické.
Pre chodcov problémi na ceste (prečo je
na ceste mláka, jama, ostrá zákruta a pod)
nevyžadujú momentálne pochopenie, ale
rozhodnutie–ktorým smerom pôjdeme, ako
to urobíme a pod.
Ľudia na balkóne a ľudia na ceste sa ceste
sa môžu zaoberať tou istou otázkou, ale
podstata je rozdielna–jedny iba teoretizujú,
druhý sú v strede konrétneho problému. Našou témou je radosť v utrpeniach, a pre ľudí
ktorý sa tou témou zaoberajú iba teoreticky,
môže to znieť veľmi nereálne, nemožne,
alebo aj fanatický. Ostávame v kresťanskom
kontexte utrpenia a predsa človekova logika
v utrpení nepripúšťa radovať sa. Čítajúc
svedectvá veriacich ktorý prešli cez určité
utrpenie, bývame posmelený, lebo Pán dáva
silu aj v takých ťažkých momentoch nie iba
vydržať, ale radovať sa. Spoznávame že
radosť nie je z utrpenia, ale z Pána, a toto je
kľúčoví moment ktorý nachádzame v našom
oddieli. Aby sme porozumeli ľudí ktorý trpia
v Pánovi a radujú sa, musíme aj mi byť v tom
istom Pánovy. Pekne to vyjadril Peter v 1 Pet
4:1 „Keď Kristus trpel telesne, vyzbrojete sa
tým istým zmýšľaním...“
Pozrime sa cez text v Fil 1:12–30 ako sa
Pavel radoval aj keď trpel.
108
Pavlovo uveznenie
V Písme máme tri záznami o Pavlovom
žalarovaní. V každom z nich vidno Pavlov
postoj: nezúfať, ale veriť v Boha a oslavovať
ho. Pavel si uvedomil že aj keď je v službách
najsilnejšieho kráľa, jemu, ako poslovi, sa
nekladú koberce na uvítanie, ba opačne:
palicovanie a veznenie. Satan, panovník tohoto sveta, sa protivil rozširovaniu Božieho
kráľovstva. Vidno to už v prvom Pavlovom
vezení vo Filipis (Sk 16, 23–40) keď boli
ohrozené záujmi vládcov tohoto sveta.
Nepredpokladamáme že Pavel písal tento
list už zo svojho prvého vezenia, o ktorom
máme záznam že trvalo krátko a Pavel bol
vyslobodený. Druhé Pavlovo vezenie bolo
v Cezarei (Sk 21, 27–23, 35). Pavel bol
znovu uveznený pre zvestovanie Krista. Toto
vezenie trvalo dlhšie, ale jeho záznam v liste
Filipanom hovorí že celá stážnica (pretórium) počuli že je uveznený pre kázanie
Krista a nie smesi istý či Cezarea, kde bol
uveznený, mala takú veľkú stážnicu o ktorej on hovorí. Tretie Pavlovo vezenie bolo
v Ríme, známejšie ako prvé uväzneni v Ríme (Sk 26–28). Veľká je pravdepodobnosť,
že slová radosti a potešnia pre Filipanov,
boli napísané práve z tohoto vezenia, alebo
z takzvaného druhého Pavloho veznenia
v Ríme ktoré Pavel neprežil.
Vezenie ukázalo na radosť v Pánovi
Pavel mal plod Ducha radosť, a radovanie sa aj v utrpeniach, je iba pohľad na
radosť z iného uhla. Ide o istý plod Ducha,
iba okolnosti sa lišia. Vezenie, ktoré malo
zastaviť Pavlovo zvestovanie Evanjelia,
vykonalo opak, iba poslúžilo k zvestovaniu
– z čoho sa Pavel veľmi radoval. Pavlova
služba bola ohraničená, ale iný boli posmelený. V prvej cirkvy vzniklo slovo „Martír“
čo doslovne znamená svedok. Toto slovo sa
stalo synonimom pre svedkov v utrpení pre
Krista. Martíri boli ako semeno Evanjelia:
čím bolo viacej marírov, tím sa Evanjelilum
rýchlejšie rozširovalo. Vezenie malo znemožniť, ale ono iba pospešilo zvestovanie
Evanjelia.
Pavel bol v okovách pre Krista a počulo o
tom niekoľko tisíc vojakov v strážnici. Celkom bolo nezvyčajné že je niekto v okovách
nie pre politické, alebo kriminálne, ale pre
náboženské dôvody. O Pavlových okovách
počuli aj „všetci ostatný“, pravdepodobne
kresťania a nekresťania. Pre Pavla bolo dôležité že vo vezení nešlo o neho, ale o Krista.
Nie je on centrom záujmu, ale Kristus. Nikto
sa nepýtal kto je Pavel, ale kto je Kristus.
Okovy určite boleli, ale srdce sa radovalo,
lebo Kristus bol položený do stredu pozornosti. Aj „bratia“ sú posmelený z toho
že Pavel tu nevidí koniec všetkého, ale sa
raduje v Pánovi a nezúfa. Pavlov postoj
otvoril dvere zvestovania evanjelia. Bratia
neboli poslaný, ale posmelený Pavlovou
radosťou a dôverou v Pána. Dobrý príklad
je viacej ako poslanie alebo rozkaz.
Uveznili Pavla, ale nie aj Krista
Pavel je v okovách, ale nie aj Kristus,
ktorého zvestoval. Raduje sa z toho že
Evanjelium ide ďale a nie je uväznené spolu
s nim. Evanjelium nestojí na Pavlovi, kazateľovi, tebe alebo mne, ale na Kristu. Boh si
vždy vzbudí tých ktorý ho budú niesť ďalej.
Aj keď Boh dovolil vezenie, to Pavla nezbavilo zodpovednosti za svoje počínanie si
vo vezení. Svojim postojom mohol niekoho
posmeliť, alebo aj deprimovať.
Vidno že Pavlovo vezenie posmelilo
niektorých bratov na kázanie Krista, sice,
niektorý z dobrej vôle, ale niektorý so závisti. Tí prví vyšli na ulice kázať z lásky ku
Pavlovi, ale nadovšetko z lásky ku Kristu.
Povzbudení boli Pavlovou odanosťou Kristu. Taktiež, keď videli že ani vezenie nezobralo Pavlovi radosť z Pána, boli posmelený
v kázaní. Možno ich kázne neboli tak silné
ako Pavlove, ale Duch bol ten istý. Tí druhý
vyšli na ulice kázať so závisti voči Pavlovi.
Mohých bolí úspech druhého človeka, tak
to bolo aj s tímito kazateľmi. Nečítame
o nich že sa Pavel sťažuje na ich učenie,
ale na motív kázania. Niektorý z nich asi
Pavla nemali rád, lebo vedľa neho nemohli
prísť do výrazu. Pavel je vo
vezení, teraz prišiel ich čas. Ich
najväčší problém bol že kázanie
videli ako súperenie–kto lepšie
odkáže. Domnievali sa že tím
keď oni teraz budú kázať, Pavel
bude žiarliť. No Pavel sa raduje,
lebo Evanjeliu pre ktoré je on vo
vezení sa zvestuje. Oslobodený
je od toho že to koná niekto iný ,
alebo že to koná nieto lepšie ako
on. Však to nie je jeho dielo, on
je iba Pánov vojak ktorý verne
koná svoju službu. Výsledky
patria Pánovy, nie Pavlovy. Pavel nestaval
cirkev na sebe, ale na Kristu, preto bol
schopný radovať sa z úspechov kazateľov
ktorý pokračovali kázať tam kde on zastal.
Dôvera v Pána pôsobí radosť a mier
Pavel sa vo vezení opiera na dve pomoci:
modlitby filipských (stále prosí aby sa modlili pre neho) a božskú pomoc (napomíhanie
Ducha Ježiša Krista; Fil 1,20). Tieto dve veci
mu poslúžia na spasenie. Nevieme či tímto
myslel na vyslobodenie z tela hriechu, podobne ako to písal do Rimu v R 7, 24, alebo
skôr to môžeme rozumieť ako vyslobodenie
z vezenia. Pavel je istý že pred Kristom bude
spravedlivý, bez ohľadu či bude oslobodený,
alebo nie. Vie že za sebou nechal čistú „tvár“
v službe, bez ohľadu že niektorý zneužívajú
jeho neprítomnosť. Vždy dôveroval iba
Bohu, záležalo mu najprv čo si Boh myslí
o jeho službe, a tento postoj mu teraz prináša
radosť a mier.
„Vrúcne čakám a dúfam“, na koniec súdenia, hovorí Pavel, ale nie v nedočkavosti
či bude odsúdení alebo nie, ale ako Ježiš
z tohoto všetkého bude oslávený. Pavel
konal všetko pre Ježišovu slávu, preto chce
aj ukončením tohoto procesu osláviť Pána.
Ak bude vyslobodený, Ježiš bude oslávený
v ďalšej plodnej práci. Ak bude odsúdený,
zomrie preto že zvestoval Krista. Oby dve
cesty vedú k istému cieľu–osláviť Ježiša
Krista. Ak by si mohol vyberať, vybral
by si smrť, ktorá pre neho nie je koniiec
existencii, ale odchod k Pánovy. Hovorí:
„tiahne ma“, radšej by bol navždy s Pánom ktorého zvestoval, ale nie je sebecký,
ostal by aj s veriacimi, lebo vie koľko ešte
duchovnej práci zostalo. Netúži po tom čo
by bolo jemu lepšie, ale čo je užitočnejšie.
Smrť mu je predo dverami, ale on má pevnú
nádej že zostane, a už sa vopred raduje novej
službe. Veril že vyslobodenie by znamenalo
rast viery Filipanov, lebo sa modlili pre
Pavlovo vyslobodenie. Nevieme presne
povedať či bol Pavel z tohoto vezenia vyslobodený, alebo oslávil Krista mučeníckou
smrťou. Jeho vernosť Pánovi aj v najťažších
životných momentoch je príkladaná aj pre
súčasnú kresťanskú generáciu. Jeho city
k Pánovy neoboli založené na okolnostiach
v ktorých sa nachádza, ale v skutočnosti že
Ježiš miloval najprv Pavla, „ešte vtedy keď
bol hriešny“ a dal aj svoj život pre Pavla.
O svojich utrpeniach píše aj do Korintu
„Lebo toto terajšie ľahké bremeno súženia
získa nám prenesmiernu hojnosť večnej
slávy, keď nehľadíme na viditeľné, ale na
neviditeľné“ 2 Kor 4,17–18. Toto je kontext
Pavlovej radosti.
Žite hodne
Mnohý skúsili pravdivosť porekadla:
to čo jeden pokazí, ani desiati nenapravia.
Mesto Filipis sa pýšilo na svoje vydobité
práva v rímskej ríši. Rímsky občan mal
mnohé privilégiá, ale aj záväzok voči svojmu štátu: žiť hodne ako rímsky občan. Na
tomto úzadí píše Pavel 1, 27 „Len nažívajte
tak, ako je hodné evanjelia Kristovho“. Aj
veriaci Filipský trpia a Pavel ich povzbudzuje aby v utrpení žili hodne evanjelia. Mnohý
v utrpení zapreli svoju vieru v Krista, preto
ich Pavel povzbudzuje „nie iba mne, aj vám
sa dostalo milosti trpieť pre Krista“. Radosť
ktorú mal Pavel so svojho Pána a Spasiteľa
Ježiša Krista nemohi vytrieť ani vezenie a
hrozba smrťou. Teraz spolu pre Krista trpia,
ale chce aby sa spolu z Krista aj radovali.
Silné prenasledovanie v ľuďoch pôsobý
strach a Pavel im píše: „Nedajte sa zastrašiť“. Pravdepodobe nešlo iba o obavy, ale
o skutočný strach. V pôvodine je tuná použité slovo ktoré sa používalo pre splašené
zvieratá, ktoré nekontrolovane utekali, šliapali jedna po druhom a nedali sa zastaviť.
Protivenie nepriateľov bolo iba znamením
od Boha že nepriatelia zahynú a veriaci budú spasený.
V danom momente sa im to
nezalo, ale Pavel dvíha ich
pohľad viššie, podľa toho
ako to vidí Boh. Keď sa začali pýtať: prečo Boh dovolí
prenasledovanie, zlo (dnes
choroby) a celú svoju silu
sústredili na problém a nie na
Pána, malo to za dôsledok že
strácali vedomie Božej moci
a dobroty. Dnes so študovania
tohoto odielu môžeme vidieť
že ich utrpenie nebolo náhodné, nebolo to
ani vyjadrenie Božieho hnevu, ale vyjadrenie Božej milosti. V krajinách kde veriaci
zažili prenasledovanie pre svoju vieru
v Krista, akoby sa veriaci boli vedeli viacej
radovať so spasenia v Ježišovi Kristovi.
Žite hodne evanjelia Ježiša Krista–v ťažkostiach zostante verný, jednotný,
bojujúci za vieru a radostný že je Ježiš
s vami v strede ťažkostí.
Možno nie sme prenasledovaný, ale
máme rôzne iné problémi ktoré odrátia
náš pohľad od Pána. Keď Peter kráčal
k Ježišovi po vode, začal sa topiť vtedy,
keď svoj pohľad odvrátil od Ježiša a uprel
na svoj problém. Ako dobre že sa znovu
otočil k Ježišovi hľadajú pomoc. Možno
práve teraz je niekto v začiatkoch, alebo
v strede určitej choroby alebo problémoch,
ktoré odoberjú každý radostný moment. Je
pravda, z choroby sa nemôžeme radovať,
ale z Pána áno.
Nech sú slová proroka Habakuka 3:17–
19 aj našim rozhodnutím: „Hoci figovník
nekvitne a ovocia niet na viničoch, a sklame
úroda olív, polia nedodajú potravy, ulúpené
sú ovce z košiara a dobytka nieto v stajniach. Ja radovať sa budem v Hospodinu,
a jasať v Bohu mojej spásy. Hospodin Pán
je moja sila. On jelením robí moje kroky
a vyvedie ma na moje výšiny.“

109
The Springle Family Reunion
July 30 to August 1, 2005
T
his was the first Springle reunion since 1967. Families of the
four Springle brothers, Joseph, William, Milton and Tony, and
their two cousins, Bill Cap and Olga (Cap) Zajiček, with whom
the Springles have had a close connection through the years, were
represented. Their mothers, Alžběta and Maria, were the only two
of seven sisters and two
brothers
from that
Springle
generation
to come
to North
America.
Familiar
names that
from left Harry Tarr, Esther Tarr, Ron Springle, Doreen Gazo
married
into the clan such as Buress, Racinsky, Syptak, Luksa, Tarr, and
Nesvadba were present. Of the elder generation, Tona Springle
(Tony) and Betty Cap (Bill) were present. Vlasta Springle (Joseph)
at age 93 was unable to attend. Marie Hynek, second cousin to the
Springle brothers and the Caps, represented the Hart/Tucek side
of the family.
The festivities started in Masaryktown, Toronto, on the morning
of July 30, 2005, when all the sisters, brothers, aunts, uncles, cousins,
etc. met, some 130 family members, from as far away as the Bahamas,
British Columbia, California, Florida, Ohio and New Hampshire. A
representative of the Luksa family came from the Czech Republic.
Some second and third cousins met for the first time and others
became reacquainted after many years. Masaryktown is a beautiful
park and a great setting to fellowship. It was a perfect day: warm
in the sun and cool in the shade of the old trees. There were two
volleyball nets well used, as well as swimming and especially lots of
reminiscing.
The evening meal at the Prague Restaurant, which is located
on the grounds of Masaryktown, was a true Czech dinner: řísky,
knedlíky and zelí. Bill Springle emceed the evening program and
110
Tim Racinsky led us in the singing of familiar choruses, with
Donna Nesvadba at the piano. We sang two Czech anthems from
the Chvalospěv: Chval Každý Boha (Psalm 67, “Let the people praise
Thee”) and Pán Světlo Mé (Psalm 27. “The Lord is my Light and my
Salvation”). Many shared wonderful reminiscences and stories. We
gave thanks to God for His goodness to us. We gave Him thanks for
our forefathers and their faithfulness. Ron Springle closed in prayer
expressing our gratitude.
On Sunday many of us attended the service at the Czechoslovak
Baptist Church in Toronto. Pastor Banko, aware that not all understood the Czech language, preached in Slovak and then seamlessly
translated into English so that everyone could understand the message. He spoke of the “fruits of the spirit,” particularly the “fruits
of discernment.” All present felt warmly welcomed and it was good
to worship in the House of the Lord together.
On Monday, as some family members had to leave for home,
about 75 of
us met at the
Luksa farm for
a very enjoyable
day.
We
enjoyed more
reminiscing/
fellowshiping,
volleyball,
swimming
and eating.
It was indeed
difficult to say
goodbye.
“What a
fellowship,
what a joy
d i v i n e . ” We
from left: Rebecca Cap, Betty Cap, Tona Springle,
Beth Springle
g ave t h a n k s
for our forefathers’ perseverance to serve Him in spite of adversity.
They were willing to sacrifice much in order to worship the Lord
      SeptemberOctober 5 in freedom. Originally exiled after the battle of White Mountain in
1620, they moved their families from Bohemia to Russia/Poland
Back row: Dennis Springle, Ed Springle, William Springle, Ron Springle
Front row: Donna Nesvadba, Milly Syptak, Esther Ward, Libby Racinsky, Margaret Springle
to Czechoslovakia (some directly to North America) and on to
Canada/USA and further. We praise the Lord for His faithfulness.
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord,” (Joshua 24:15).
Margaret Springle
from left: William Springle, Libby Racinsky, Elena Holt, Margaret Springle,
Rebeka Eisbrenner
Christ in the Act of Thanksgiving… Continues from page 99
matter of raising the dead. The Father always heard the Son’s
requests. Right now, he is listening to the Son’s intercessions
in heaven in his high priestly ministry (Heb. 2:17; 4:14; 5:10).
As the Father heard the Son during his earthly ministry, he
now listens to his intercessory prayers in heaven. This prayer is
a firm assurance of the believer’s stand before the Son and the
Father.
Christ thanks God for the unlimited privilege granted him.
The Father sent the Son to the world with absolute authority—no
limit or restriction. The people standing by the dead man’s grave
had to know that this Person was sent by the Father in his full
authority. Christ himself was aware of it. Those who refuse to
admit this until now ought to know that the Father has bestowed
absolute authority on the Son, including the raising of the dead.
When this truth is established in the heart of the unbeliever his
entire outlook changes. It is apropos to pose a question: Are
your prayers heard by God? Are you certain of this? If you are
sure, how often do you lift your voice in thanksgiving to Him?
III. Thanks for the bread and the cup—surety of the covenant
of redemption Matthew 26:27; Mark 14:23; Luke 22:17, 19
Following a spectacular ministry the climactic event was at
hand. The Lamb of God was to lay down his life in a few hours.
He was sitting with his disciples around the table for the last
time. This was the hour to unfold the new covenant based on
his suffering body and shed blood. Christ is thanking the Father
for granting him the privilege of being the establisher of the
new covenant, anticipated and prophesied throughout the Old
Testament era. At the very hour when the disciples were plunged
into grief and distress, Christ was thanking the Father for the joy
of laying down his life to atone for the sins of the whole world.
This crucial hour was a time of jubilation for the Savior.
There is another occasion of Christ celebrating in jubilation
before the Father (cf: Matthew 11:25–27; Luke 10:21, 22) for his
revealing the truth to babes while hiding it from the wise and
understanding. It ought to be a great encouragement to every
believer that Christ was revealed to that person by none other
than the Father. This theologically loaded prayer of our Lord
reveals much as to the Father’s call and election of those to whom
the Son is made known. The infinite Father can only be known
by the infinite Son, and the infinite Son can only be known by
the infinite Father. The babes are included into this exclusive
relationship, not through intelligence or religious excellence, but
by divine revelation. The mystery of this relationship is that the
Father reveals the Son and in turn the Son reveals the Father to
little children, to those burdened with the loads of this arduous
life. A formidable hour was about to dawn upon the Master
and the band of disciples who needed their burden to be made
light.
Jesus Christ has taught us a most valuable lesson about rising
above any crisis. He displayed a noble fortitude and offered
thanks to Him. In his remarkable composure we observe the
mien of one capable of encountering the most crucial hour in
his life on earth. With deep gratitude He turns his mind and
attention to his Father in heaven. Christ sets the triumphant
example to every believer of how to encounter crises in distressing
times. He shows that the attitude of thanksgiving is not only
for the times when we pleasant gifts, but also for when the sky
is totally dark. Romans 8:28 is often applied by many, even in
hard circumstances. In the case of our Lord, we observe the
conduct of one who acknowledges God’s sovereign purpose
behind what is to be his extraordinary suffering. Consequently,
we too can trust in Christ as the ultimate Victor and Vindicator
of all injustice.

111
Argument for Small Churches
Johnny Alac
R
ecently I’ve been thinking of the
concept of the mega-church. You
know, the type of place that has
2000 people attending, 1000 members, four
services on Sunday morning. On the positive side these places can get huge projects
done because of their great financial power.
On the negative side, as I’ve experienced,
it’s the type of place you can get lost in. And it’s a comfortable
type of getting lost: you can go, get your 15-minute, three-point
sermon, sing a few songs and go home without really talking to
anybody. In fact, you may go to this church for years and never
be noticed, and you may like that. Why is this? In today’s society
we have become alienated from each other. We live in one place,
while we have to drive 30 to 45 minutes to go to school or work
in a completely different place. We may never really get to know
our neighbors and never get to have a local community. We are
used to living in our comfortable shell and we want churches
that will fit into our model of living.
For centuries life was not like that. You lived, grew up, and
died in the same town. You knew every single person in that town,
many of them intimately. The church was a close-knit group that
existed to serve the community around it. I’ve recently had the
privilege of attending a small gathering of people who have reinstituted community as a central pillar of their congregation.
It’s a small setting with 15 people in which everyone knows each
other and shares their lives and their journeys with Jesus. They
eat together, support each other, and are also completely open
to the neighboring community.
Attending this type of intimate church where you are accountable and an equal participant is at first extremely challenging to
the modern disconnected person. However, with time and effort
this type of fellowship will help you to become more grounded,
and a more fully developed child of God.
In Canada this small-church model may be forced upon us
because of the possible loss of non-profit status for churches who
refuse to perform gay marriage. If this is the case, many churches
will fold from being unable to pay their bills, and underground
churches that meet in homes with small numbers of people will
be the only way to go. Considering the many benefits of small
churches with close-knit community, that may not be such a bad
thing after all.
Vážená redakce Slavné naděje.
Ostrava 14.7.2005
sme s manželkou pravidelnými čtenáři Slavné naděje,
kterou nám pravidelně po
dlouhá léta posílá br. George Sommer, za což mu děkujeme.
Rád bych tímto informoval
všechny čtenáře časopisu o tom,
že jsem jako dlouholetý kazatel naši církve, nyní však v důchodu,
sepsal své zkušenosti s Pánem, kterému přes půl století sloužím. Při
pohledu zpět musím vyznat, že vše, co jsem z Boží milosti prožil,
by mohlo posloužit mnohým čtenářům a pracovníkům církve.
Popisuji v něm nesnadnou práci v době totality i po ní. Tajná
policie (STB) vyvíjela veliké úsilí a nebývalý nátlak přimět mne ke
spolupráci s nimi za všech okolností.
Můj životopis má celkem asi 180 stránek s mnoha příklady a jsem
ujištěn, že každý pozorný čtenář v něm najde něco pro sebe a svou
duši. Pro vaši představu opisuju ve zkrácené formě jeden z nich.
Téměř rok mne pravidelně tajně navštěvoval jeden důstojník STB s
pověřením mne získat pro spolupráci s policií. Konečný výsledek byl ten,
že jsem se se svou rodinou v okamžiku mého odmítnutí octl propuštěn.
Nikde mne však nesměli na jejich příkaz zaměstnat. Jelikož jsem jako
duchovní nebyl nijak zajištěn po stránce materiální, věděl jsem, že to
nebude snadné k přežití.
V té době jsme měli dva syny, kteří navštěvovali základní školu.
Jednoho večera mi manželka se slzami v očích oznámila, že už ráno
k snídani nemá co dát dětem. Ihned jsem šel na kolena vše předložit
svému Pánu. Nevím, po jaké době jsem obdržel odpověd, že zítra
bude o nás i děti postaráno. Spěchal jsem s touto radostnou zprávou
k manželce. Odpověděla mi, že v našem vsetínském sboru nezná
ani jednu osobu, která by nám mohla pomoci. Odpověděl jsem, že
je to pravda, ale náš Pán je bohatý a zná dobře naši situaci. Ráno
uvidíme.
Druhý den ráno nás přišla navštívit jedna sestra, která byla
zaměstnána ve Zbrojovce kde se vyrábějí výbušniny. Posadili jsme se
v kuchyni na otoman a takto jsme byli osloveni: Drahá Mařenko a
Danieli. Počínaje dnešním dnem vám budu nakupovat vše potřebné
v obchodě. Po tobě chci jen, abys na kousek papíru sepsala vše, co
potřebuješ nakoupit. O ostatní se už nestarejte. Bylo to, jako blesk
z nebe. Jak jsi k tomu přišla, co Tě vedlo k tvému rozhodnutí? Jako
otec rodiny jsem jí navíc řekl, že navrhuju, abychom vše zapisovali
a až budu pracovat, že vše po částech splatím. Rezolutně to odmítla
s poznámkou, že dostala příkaz nic od nás nepřijmout.
Takto slavně se náš Pán o nás postaral. Po mém nástupu do práce
jsme už tuto službu nepotřebovali. Patří mu však naše díky za Jeho
věrnost ve chvílích nejtěžších.
Daniel Průša
J

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112
      SeptemberOctober 5 J
ust letters…good, bad,
great, wonderful, and fantastic!
Good!
Dear Brothers, please send me
a CD with yesterday’s Thru the
Bible program that touched me
a lot. It really doesn’t matter
how much we take in through
our mouth, but what comes
out of it. So, I hope to use this program not just for myself.
Recently when the MW transmitter was silent for a while, I
felt like I was missing my own hand. Strangely, the transmitter
of Radio Proglas, also airing your programs, had a breakdown
at that time. Only then I realized how much I long for your
gospel ministry.
Bad!
To the TWR office. Even though I downloaded several of your
articles and programs I do not agree with one of them. It is called
“Chip Totality.” You present it in a way that is not necessary
because those who really are Christians (and really follow the
Lord) don’t have to be afraid (of the Antichrist) etc. ...Many
of your other articles I like, and I believe you will go on with
your ministry.
[Editor’s comment: I’m thankful this person feels the freedom
to disagree and express it.]
Great!
My well loved brothers, I cordially greet all of you. Thank you
for your work in the Lord Jesus Christ. I have a desire to support this ministry, so please send me the number of your bank
account. I am a regular listener of God’s Word in your programs,
especially the program Thru the Bible that helps build in me the
character of God. Thank you!
Wonderful!
Dear ones, I listen to your evening TTB program on MW and I
am very glad how faithfully and with what passion you are able
to preach God’s Word. I wish to your broadcast only the best,
much of God’s blessing, and His grace so that your programs
and God’s Word might touch the closed hearts of our nation.
Fantastic!
Dear friends! I have failed God’s love so many times that today
I live only on the crystal grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Part of
His grace to me are your programs.
May the grace of the Lord Jesus richly cover you with blessing
and peace and joy.
George Cooper, for TWR Czech and TWR Slovakia

I
ba listy... dobré, zlé, úžasné,
nádherné a fantastické!
Dobré!
Drahí bratia, prosím
pošlite mi CD s včerajším programom Světem
Bible, ktorý ma veľmi
oslovil. Naozaj nezáleží
na tom, ako veľa príjmeme ústami dnu, ale
skôr čo z nich vychádza.
Takže dúfam, že tento program nevyužijem len pre seba.
Nedávno keď MW vysielač stíchol na nejaký čas, cítil som sa ako
keby mi chýbala moja vlastná ruka. Práve v tom istom čase bol aj
vysielač rádia Proglas, ktorý tiež vysiela vaše programi záhadne
ticho. Iba vtedy som si uvedomil ako veľmi túžim povašej evanjelizačnej službe.
Zlé!
Pre TWR kanceláriu. Aj keď som si stiahol niekoľko vašich článkov
a programov z internetu, nesúhlasím s jedným z nich. Volá sa „Čip
totality“. Predstavili ste to spôsobom, ktorý nie je nevyhnutný, preto že tí ktorí sú skutočne Kresťania (a naozaj nasledujú Pána) sa
nemusia báť (Antikrista) atď. ...Mnoho vašich iných článkov mám
rád a verím, že budete pokračovať vo vašej službe.
(Poznámka redaktora: Som vďačný, že tento človek cíti slobodu
vyjadriť nesúhlas.)
Úžasné!
Moji milovaní bratia, srdečne vás všetkých zdravím. Ďakujem vám
za vašu prácu v mene Pána Ježiša Krista. Mám túžbu podporiť túto
službu, tak prosím, pošlite mi číslo vášho bankového účtu. Som
pravidelný poslucháč Božieho slova vo vašich programoch, hlavne
programu Světem Bible, ktorý mi pomáha budovať Boží charakter
vo mne. Ďakujem!
Nádherné!
Milovaní, počúvam váš večerný TTB program na stredných vlnách
a som veľmi vďačný ako verne a s nadšením ste schopní hlásať Božie slovo. Prajem vášmu vysielaniu iba to najlepšie a veľa Božieho
požehnania, Jeho milosť aby sa váš program a Božie slovo dotýkali
zavretých sŕdc nášho národa.
Fantastické!
Drahí priatelia! Zlyhal som v Božej láske tak mnohokrát, že dnes
žijem iba na kryštáľovej milosti Pána Ježiša Krista. Časť Jeho milosti
sú pre mňa vaše programi.
Nech milosť Pána Ježiša vás bohato prikryje požehnaním, pokojom
a radosťou.
George Cooper za TWR Česko a TWR Slovensko
preložila: Miroslava Kopčoková

113
Fireflies
Jan Karafiát
Translated by Daniela Bísková
Part 17
A
nd another day soon,
when father was returning home and was
already beyond the brook,
his two little sons came to
meet him.
“Daddy, Daddy, we have
a little sister, such a pretty
girl. Look, here she comes
to meet you, but she can’t
walk very well yet.” The little
sister came out.
“Daddy, Daddy, what are
you going to call me?” she
asked. “Jeanine brought us
some honey and she says I
ought to be called Lucinda,
but Mummy wants me to be
called Jeanine.”
Father was amazed and Lucinda stood in the doorway and
laughed and was happy.
“My precious little daughter, my dear little daughter. Why,
you have eyes like Jeanine’s, and a little nose like Jeanine’s.
You are the very image of Jeanine. We must call you Jeanine.”
Mother was very pleased about it and the new Jeanine was
happy too, and all of them were happy and loved one another.
Father did his shining and mother did the housework and the
children played on the grass in front of the house.
“Take great care of Jeanine,” mother would say, “lest the
buzzard should get her.” And they answered, “Oh, we’ll take
care of her.” They took great care of her. But one day they came
running into the house.
“Mummy, Mummy, a great buzzard came. He didn’t get
Jeanine, we frightened him away.” Mother was greatly alarmed.
“Are you sure it was a buzzard?” she asked.
“Yes, sure. It was very big and had green wings and a long,
long beard, and made a buzzing noise.”
“That can’t have been a buzzard. Buzzards have beaks and
feathers.”
“Feathers? No, it didn’t have any feathers. Perhaps it wasn’t
a buzzard. It buzzed and buzzed and had a long beard.” Whatever it was, mother was glad it did not carry off her Jeanine.
Before long there was another little brother, and then another
little sister. Father was happy and mother was delighted with
all their children. But father was beginning to get worried. “I
don’t even know what to call, them,” he said, “and where are
we going to put them all?”
“Surely we’ll be able to think of some names,” said mother,
114
“and don’t forget the little
empty room in the yard.”
And before long they had
four more sons and one
more daughter. Here are
their names—little Lucius,
John and Jock, James and
Jack, Teeny and Weeny,
little Jeanine, little Lucinda
and Tiny. But Tiny had one
lame leg. She could hardly
use it at all, but she managed to get along somehow, and when she could
go no farther her brothers
would take her up on their
shoulders and carry her.
They were all very
happy together. Father did
his shining, mother looked after the house and all ten little
fireflies played together. Mother loved watching them. And
Jeanine also loved them all. She would say, “Come on, children,
come, I’ve got something you can help me with.” They liked
helping her and afterwards she would tell them a story and, of
course, give them something.
Then she would say—“Off you go, and be good. The Lord
God likes good fireflies.” And off they went. All the brothers
learned to fly. They flew from the roof as far as the meadow
and across the meadow to the oak tree and back again. The little
sisters stood and watched them to see who would go farthest.
And they would all come home hungry; oh, how hungry!
“Mummy, Mummy, I’m hungry,” shouted little Lucius,
“isn’t dinner ready yet? I cannot even walk.”
“You must wait till father comes home,” mother would tell
them.
“But, Mummy, we can have another dinner then.” So mother would give them their dinner and when father had come
home they had it all over again. I must say it didn’t do them
any harm. Mother had to exchange all her little saucepans and
get big ones instead. Little Jeanine, little Lucinda and Tiny were
very helpful in the kitchen and everybody worked hard getting
in wood. Some of them chopped it up, some carried it to the
wood pile and some stacked it up neatly. They had enough and
to spare. And when they had done their share of work they
would all go out and run about.
One day when they were running about after breakfast and
had reached the top of the slope not far from the brook; they
saw a tiny little beetle. He was all red with seven black spots and
      SeptemberOctober 5 beautiful eyes. He was sitting on a fern looking at them. The
little fireflies stopped and looked at him too.
“I…m not afraid of you,” said the little beetle. “You’re fireflies, aren’t you? My father told me that you are good.”
“And who are you? And what are you doing here?” they
asked.
“I’m the little ladybug from the rose bush over there. Can
you see it? I’ve just seen father off and I’m having a rest.”
“Have you any brothers and sisters?” asked the fireflies.
“Yes, we’ve got a little Veronica. But she’s at home with
Mummy. Won’t you come along and see her?” The fireflies said
they would like that very much and off they went.
Veronica was standing beneath the rose bush looking out.
“Mummy, look at all these little fireflies!” called out the little
ladybug, “they are coming to see us. Where is little Veronica?”
Little Veronica came running out and was very surprised to see
so many fireflies. Ten of them!
“Why do you have to be carried?” Veronica asked Tiny.
“They are happy to carry me. I have one lame leg, but I can
also run.” And now Tiny jumped to the ground and started to
run about. Mother ladybug went from one firefly to the other
and stroked each of them in turn. When she came to little Lucius she said, “Your eyes are just like your father’s.” And then
she asked them, “Would you like something to eat?” and sent
little Veronica to fetch a wreath that was hanging on the pole.
Then all the little fireflies stood in a row and mother ladybug
shared out something which looked delicious.
“Do you happen to know what it is?” mother ladybug asked
them. “Figs.” And she gave one more to everyone, to her children too, and little Lucius got the biggest piece of all. Then
father ladybug arrived.
“Daddy, Daddy,” called little Veronica, “come and see all
these little fireflies.” Father ladybug was very pleased to see
them.
“It’s very nice of you to call on us,” he said. “Are you obedient fireflies? You have to be, don’t you? I sometimes see your
father; he is very obedient.” When the little fireflies finished
their figs they said they ought to be getting home.
“Go home now and give your parents our regards,” said
mother and father ladybug. And the little fireflies went.
What a lot they had to tell when they got home!
“Daddy, Daddy, we’ve called on the ladybugs in the rose
bush, far, far away. They send you their regards. And they gave
us something; it was so good. And their mother said that I
have eyes like yours and she gave me the biggest piece, twice,”
reported little Lucius.
“No, she didn’t,” shouted the others. “We had two pieces
too and they were just as big as yours!”
“And what did you get?”
“Something very sweet.”
“Was it honey?”
“No.”
“Strawberries?”
“No.”
“Cherries?”
“No.”
“What did it look like?”
“It was flat and it came in a wreath.”
“So it was figs.”
“Yes, Daddy, figs, figs, we had figs.”
All the little fireflies were pleased, mother was pleased too
and so was father. And when Jeanine heard about it she was
pleased as well.
“Now, children, did you say thank you, nicely?” asked
Jeanine.
“Oh, we forgot to say thank you,” the little fireflies admitted.
“That’s a pity,” said Jeanine, “but I’ll tell you what to
do. I’ll give you some honey and then you can take it round
to their house, thank them nicely, and give them our love.”
And so Jeanine gave them honey and mother and father sent
their regards. The little fireflies returned with the honey and
passed on the message.
Autumn came. The days were shorter and it began to get
cold and father said he wouldn’t be flying any more. They all
wanted to meet at Jeanine’s. All ten little fireflies went with
mother and father. All fireflies from the twigs went too. It
was a big gathering.
They all sat round the fire, ate and drank and talked about
Godmother and Godfather and the old days. Father told
them about his first visit to the beautiful big house beyond
the town, among gardens, and how the man had preached
from the scaffolding: “It is better to obey than to sacrifice,”
and how nonetheless he, father, hadn’t been obedient.
“And when will you fireflies be ready to fly?” asked
Jeanine.
“Oh, soon, won’t we, Daddy?”
“Hopefully, if the Lord God wills, you might be ready by
next Midsummer night,” father said.
“All right then, Lord God willing I’ll come to see you
off,” promised Jeanine.
The old firefly from the twigs prophesied that it wouldn’t
be a hard winter this year. He had learned this from observing
the ants. All were pleased to hear it. They said their prayer and
the fireflies from the twigs hurried back under the oak tree,
the others helped Jeanine to get things ready for the winter
and when they had finished they kissed her and went home.
When they had finished their own preparations they
prayed:
Underneath your sheltering wings,
Take, we pray, all living things.
Watch us all from heaven above
God of mercy, God of love.
Then they snuggled down in bed and slept and slept and
slept. Oh, how they slept.
Reprinted with permission
Drawings: Nicole Malek
You may order English version of Fireflies for US$19.50
postpaid at following address:
Glorious Hope, Rt. 4, Box 58D, Philippi, WV 26416, USA

115
Broučci
Jan Karafiát
17. část
A
dlouho to netrvalo,
když tatínek letěl
jednou zas domů,
a byl už za potokem, tu mu
běželi Broučínek a Broučinínek naproti: „Tatínku,
tatínku, my máme berušku
takovou hezounkou. Vidíte,
ona vám jde naproti. Ale ona
ještě neumí moc běhat.“ A
ta malá beruška šla tatínkovi
naproti. „Tatínku, tatínku,
jak pak mně budete říkat?
Janinka nám přinesla medu,
a povídala, že se budu jmenovat Beruška, ale maminka
povídala, že ne, že se budu
jmenovat Janinka.“
Tatínek byl celý vyjevený
a Beruška stála u chaloupky
ve dveřích, a srdce jí plésalo, a tolik se smála. „I ty má malá beruško,
i ty má zlatá beruško! Vždyť ty máš očka jako Janinka, a nosíček jako
Janinka, a všecko na vlas jako Janinka. To ti musíme říkat Janinka.“
A maminka byla ráda, a ta malá beruška byla ráda, a všickni byli rádi,
a měli se rádi. A tatínek svítil, a maminka hospodařila, a broučci si
před chaloupkou hráli.
„Dejte mně na Janinku pozor, ať mně jí luňák nevezme!“ říkávala
maminka.
„Ó, však my dáme pozor!“
A dávali pozor. Ale jednou přiběhli. domů: „Maminko, maminko,
byl tu luňák. Ale nevzal nám Janinku. On se nás bál.“ A maminka
byla celá ulekaná, „Opravdu? Byl to luňák?“
„Byl to luňák. Takový velikanánský, a měl zelená křídla a dlouhanánské vousy, a tolik bzučel.“
„I to nebyl luňák. Luňák má zobák a peří.“
„Peří? Tak to nebyl luňák. Ale bzučel, a měl dlouhanánské vousy.“
A maminka byla přece ráda, že jí to Janinku nevzalo.
A dlouho to netrvalo, a měli zas malounkého Broučka, a zas to
dlouho netrvalo, a měli malounkou Berušku, a tatínek mě radost,
a mamince srdce plésalo. Ale tatínek počínal mít už starost. „I, já
ani nevím, jak jim budeme říkat. A kam pak si je dáme?“
„I, však my si na nějaká jména zpomeneme. A vždyť tu světničku do dvora máme ještě prázdnou.“ A dlouho to netrvalo, a měli
Broučíčka, a měli Janouška, a měli Janínka, a měli Svatojánka, a měli
Berunku. Deset jich měli, sedm broučků a tři berušky. Ale Beruška
byla na jednu nožku chromá. Ani nemohla na ni stoupnout, běhala
však přece dost. A když už nemohla, vzali ji broučci na ramena, a
pěkně ji nosili.
A měli se rádi. Tatínek svítil, a maminka hospodařila, a všech
deset broučků běhávalo pohromadě. Maminka se za nimi dívávala,
a srdce jí plésalo. A Janinka je měla také ráda. „Pojďte, broučci,
pojďte, Mám pro vás práci.“ A oni jí to pěkně dělali, a ona jim něco
vypravovala, a pak—i to se rozumí, že jim něco dala. „A teď si zas
116
jděte. Ale pěkně poslouchat!
Páni Bůh má jen poslušné
broučky rád.“
A oni zas šli. Broučci
se učili lítat, se stříšky až k
palouku, a přes celý palouk
až k dubu, a zas zpátky, a
berušky se dívaly, který dál.
A to pak býval hlad, ale
to býval hlad! „Maminko,
maminko, to mám hlad,“
říkával Broučínek. „Nebudeme ještě večeřet? Já jsem
už sotva došel.“
„I počkejte, počkejte,
dětičky, až přijde tatínek.“
„Ale maminko, vždyť
my můžeme pak ještě jednou
večeřet.“ A tak večeřeli, a
když přiletěl tatínek, zas s
ním večeřeli, a nic jim to neškodilo. Ale ty malé hrníčky na vaření
musela maminka všecky dát pryč, a koupila takové veliké hrnky. Za
to jí berušky v kuchyni pomáhaly, a když dělala o dříví, tak jí všickni
pomáhali. Jedni sekali, druzí odnášeli, a jiní rovnali. To měli dříví,
až nazbyt! A když už se dost napomáhali, běželi se proběhnout.
A když si jednou tak vyběhli, bylo to hned po snídani, a už byli
tam konec stráně nedaleko potoka, tu viděli takového hezounkého
malounkého broučka: celinký červený se sedmi černými puntíčky,
a ta krásná očka jako oheň. Seděl na kapradí, a dívá se na broučky.
Broučci zůstali stát, a dívali se na něho.
„Však já se vás nebojím,“ začal ten brouček. „Viďte, vy jste svatojánci. Tatínek povídal, že jste hodní.“
„A kdo pak ty jsi? A co pak tu děláš?“
„Já jsem Verunek tamhle ze šípku. Vidíte jej? Já jsem vyprovázel
tatínka, a teď si odpočívám.“
„A ty jsi sám? Nemáte víc broučků?“
„I ještě máme Verunečku. Ale ona jest doma u maminky. Pojďte
se na ni podívat.“ A broučci že půjdou, a šli.
Verunka stála pod šípkem, a dívala se. „Maminko, podívejte se,
to jest svatojánků. Oni se jdou k nám podívat. Kde pak jest Verunečka?“ A Verunečka přiběhla, a ta se jim divila! Když ono jich bylo
deset!
„A co pak se, ty beruško, necháváš nosit? ptala se Verunka. „I
oni jsou rádi, že mne mohou nosit. Já jsem tadyhle na tu nožičku
chromá, ale já umím také běhat.“ A skočila na zem a běhala.
Verunka šla od jednoho k druhému, každého pohládla, a když
přišla k Broučínkovi, povídala. „Viď, Broučínku, ty máš očka jako
tatínek. A jestli pak byste, broučci, také něco chtěli?
Verunečko, skoč do komory a přines ten věnec. Visí na bídélku.“
A Verunečka skočila, broučci se postavili do řady, a maminka je
podělovala. To to bylo dobré!
„A jestli pak víte, co to jest? To jsou fíky.“ A ještě každému dala,
a Verunkovi a Verunečce také, a Broučínkovi dala hodně velký kus.
      SeptemberOctober 5 A tu letěl Verunek. „Tatínku, tatínku, my tu máme broučky.“
A tatínek byl rád. „To jste hodní broučci, že jste se k nám přišli
podívat. A jestli pak pěkně posloucháte? To musíte. Já vašeho tatínka
vidívám, a on krásně poslouchá.“ A broučci jedli, a pojedli, a že zas
půjdou. „Tak jděte, a pěkně doma pozdravujte.“ A broučci šli.
To bylo doma povídání. „Tatínku, tatínku, my jsme byli u Verunků
v šípku tam daleko, daleko. Oni vás pozdravují, A oni nám něco
dali, takové to bylo dobré, A jejich maminka povídala, že prý mám,
tatínku, očka jako vy, a dala mně takový veliký kus, větší než jim.“
„Ó, však ne,“ bránili se druzí. „Ona nám dala také takový veliký
kus, a dvakrát.“
„A co pak vám to dala?“
„I takové to bylo slaďounké.“
„Med?“
„Ne.“
„Jahody?“
„Ne.“
„Třešně?“
„Ne.“
„Jak pak to vypadalo?“
„Takové to bylo smáčknuté, a byl toho věnec.“
„Tak to byly fíky.“
„Fíky, fíky, ano tatínku, fíky, fíky to byly, fíky.“ A broučci byli
rádi, a maminka byla ráda, a tatínek byl rád, a když to Janinka
slyšela, také byla ráda.
„Ale broučci, jestli pak jste pěkně poděkovali?“ ptala se Janinka.
„Poděkovali? Ó, my jsme zapomněli.“
„To nebylo hezké. Já vám povím: Já vám dám kousek medu,
zanesete jej Verunkovi a Verunečce, pěkně poděkujete, a že je všickni
pozdravujeme.“ A Janinka jim dala medu, a tatínek a maminka
pěkné pozdravení, a broučci to tam zanesli, a pěkně to vyřídili.
A měli se rádi. Tatínek svítil, a maminka hospodařila, berušky
jí pomáhaly, a broučci se učili lítat. Však už hodně uměli. A byl
podzim. Světla ubývalo, a zimy přibývalo, a tak tatínek, že už nikam nepoletí. Jenom že se u Janinky všickni ještě sejdou. A sešli
se, všech deset broučků i s tatínkem a s maminkou, a ti z roždí
také všickni. To jich tam bylo! A seděli kolem kamen, jedli a pili,
a povídali o kmotříčkovi a o kmotřičce, a jak to bývalo za starých
časů, a jak tatínek ponejprv letěl oknem do toho velikého krásného
domu tam za městem v zahradách, jak ten na tom lešeníčku kázal:
„Aj, poslouchati lépe jest nežli obětovati, a jak tatínek pak byl přece
neposlušný.
„Nu, broučci, kdy pak vy poletíte?“ ptala se Janinka.
„Ó, už brzy, viďte, tatínku.“
„Snad, dá-li Pán Bůh, o příštím Janě.“
„Tak dobře,“ slibovala Janinka. „Dá-li se mně toho Pán Bůh
dočkat, já vás vyprovodím.“ A starý brouček z roždí prorokoval, že
letos nebude zlá zima, že to pozoroval na mravencích. A byli rádi.
Ještě se pomodlili, a ti z roždí spěchali pod dub, ti z pod jalovce
Janince na zimu všecko snášeli a rovnali, už to měli, dali pac a
pusu—doma to také hned měli, jen ještě:
Pod večer tvá čeládka,
Co k slepicí kuřátka,
K ochraně tvé hledíme,
Laskavý Hospodine,
a už leželi a už spali, a spali a spali. Dobře se jim to spalo.
Přetištěno s povolením

Editorial … Continues from page 98
not only for that nature, but for all the possessions and events in
his or her life. Maybe it was during one of these moments that
Antonio Vivaldi was inspired by the beauty and harmony of God’s
creation to create the violin concerto, “The Four Seasons.”
Gratitude for the harvest is expressed through the holiday of
Thanksgiving. It is good that this day has become a state holiday.
Thanks to this, each individual can realize that what they have
is not guaranteed and warrants gratitude.
Yes, God gives. God also allows. That He allows and never
abandons is the experience of many Christians. The optimism
of certain elderly men and women is fascinating. The eternal
resource is available to all, yet many fail to draw from it. Through
gratitude we learn to accept that which in the given moment
appears to be a catastrophe or tragedy. We cannot understand
everything that happens, especially on a worldwide scale. We
can accept only by faith because we believe in the omnipotence
of God’s direction. We were able to observe testimonies of this
kind of faith during television programmes about nature’s recent
catastrophes that reached the North American continent. The
scripture from 2 Corinthians 12:9 comes to mind, “…my grace
is sufficient for you…”
A safe place does not exist save in God’s embrace which
opened to us back on the cross. Through the cross of Jesus
Christ, the hearts of human beings can be filled with peace in
suffering, and joy through sorrow. Morning shines with optimism
because in the Lord Jesus Christ lies hope, no matter what happens.
Editor-in-Chief Natasha Legierski
Translated by Elizabeth Legierski

Editorial … Pokračování ze strany 98
v přírodě, k vytvoření hudebního díla Čtyři roční období.
Vděčnost za úrodu je vyjadřováná dodržováním svátku díkůvzdání. Je dobré, že tento den je ustanoven státním svátkem. Díky
tomu si každý jednotlivec může uvědomit, že to co má, není samozřejmostí.
Ano, Pán Bůh dává. Pán Bůh také dopouští. Dopouští a neopouští, to je zkušenost mnohého křesťana. Fascinující je optimismus u
lidí pokročilého věku. Lze za tím tušit věčný zdroj, který je na dosah
každému. Přesto z něho mnozí nečerpají. Učíme se s vděčností přijímat i to, co se v daném okamžiku zdá být katastrofou či tragedií.
Nemůžeme rozumět všemu dění, zvláště ne ve světovém měřítku.
Pouze vírou přijímáme, protože věříme v dokonalou Boží režii. Svědectví o této víře jsme mohli sledovat při televizním zpravodajství o
přírodních katastrofách, které zasáhly americký continent. Na mysl
mi přícházejí slova „…dosti máš na mé milosti…“ (2. Kor. 12,9).
Neexistuje bezpečnější místo, než Boží náruč, která se pro
člověka otevřela tenkrát na kříži. Skrze kříž Ježíše Krista je nitro
člověka naplněno pokojem v utrpení, radostí při zármutku. Skrze
kříž Ježíše Krista je člověk schopen vnímat podzimní ráno. Každé
ráno. Ráno prozářené optimismem, protože v Pánu Ježíši Kristu je
naděje, ať se děje cokoliv.
Šéfredaktorka Nataša Legierská

117
S
o when you think about
everything that is part of
today’s world and your
place in it, when you consider
the multitude of changes that
have occurred over the course
of your lifetime, and when you
wonder whatever is going to
become of the people, places,
and things that are dear to
your heart, what kind
of paths does your
mind go down?
Confident? Easy-going? Nervous and anxious?
How do you weigh all things together?
In quite an out of the way place of the New
Testament (2 Peter 2:17), there is a word that
always causes me to smile and say, “Listen to
it, Robert, and settle down.” That passage instructs, Since you are forewarned, beware that
you do not carried away with the error of the
lawless and lose your own stability.
What God offers us in the living of our days is
the summons to keep on a track of faith and trust that we
clearly know and have known a long time. A lot of other stuff
may collapse, but. . . don’t get carried away now. You know
who has got all things in hand. He made the world. He sent
Christ. He brings us and everything to himself when the time
is right.
I have often thought how much I would dislike trudging
through this planetary journey without knowing that it is
basically a pilgrimage that began with God and will conclude
with the same destination point. One could get discouraged,
you know—come ‘unglued’ (to use the parlance of the day).
Careful now, says the apostle. You do know what is right
and what’s what. You’ve heard what the Lord has to teach
us many times over. Therefore, do not get carried away with
‘what ifs.’ Do not go unstable on me, is the message.
I’m grateful for the admonition. It is part of my Bible
memory bank at this point in my life. Don’t you love
it? Don’t get carried away! Or to quote it in more
positive terms: The earth is the Lord’s and the
fullness thereof. I believe that would include
everything, even what has a certain built
in—lawless issues, people, and me (plenty
of the time), all of which lives and moves
and has its being in the creation. It’ll get
straightened out in due time.
In a general thanksgiving season, it is good
to be grateful not only for the past, but for
what is happening all the time and what lies
ahead.
So glad to share this Czechoslovak Baptist Convention
fellowship with you. I am grateful for each of us whom God
has brought together.

A
ttention!! The 97 th annual
convention will be held July
6–9, 2006, in Philippi, West
Virginia. This is a change from earlier
information.
We are planning some changes.
More details will be published in the
next issues of Glorious Hope.
• Midyear meeting was held on
Friday, October 7, 2005, 1:00 p.m.,
at Christ Community Church in Campbell, Ohio (former
Campbell Baptist Church). The General Board meeting was
very productive. Board members brought some new ideas and
discussions about the convention program and other organization matters. There was an evening service and after that we
had, as usual, “An Old Fashioned Hymn Sing with Bob Dvorak
at the Piano.” At Sunday service, October 9, 2005, President
Robert Dvorak
Robert Dvorak was preaching.
• Check the convention web page www.ab.edu/czslbaptconv
for pictures from the 96th annual convention and other news
and announcements.
• Send all new and change of Glorious Hope addresses to
the Glorious Hope Publication Office, not to the editor’s
address:
Glorious Hope
Rt. 4, Box 58D
Philippi, WV 26416-9717
or email:
[email protected]
The address database is located at this address.
George Sommer,
Executive Secretary

118
      SeptemberOctober 5 82nd Annual Meeting of the Czechoslovak Baptist
Women’s Missionary Union
Saturday, July 9, 2005
H
ere we are looking back at
another wonderful time in
Philippi, West Virginia.
We were once again blessed with
great weather, warm fellowship,
meetings and services where we
praised the Lord through song, and
heard the Word!
There was a fine attendance at the
Women’s Missionary Union Rally,
and the monies raised for missionary
endeavours as well as for Glorious
Hope were thankfully received. You will be hearing further from
our Canadian treasurer, Donna Nesvadba .
We are thankful for the leadership that Dorothy Dvorak has
given our ladies over the past years. As I was thinking about the
past, I remember that my Mother, Olga Zajicek, had been the
president for a number of years long ago. I have come across some
of the articles that she had written for Glorious Hope and once
again I have been thankful for a godly, praying mother.
As I step into the presidency this year, I ask for your prayers for
the executive as we continue the work of the Czechoslovak Baptist
Women’s Missionary Union in the coming years.
President:
Esther Tarr
Vice President:
Margaret Springle
Secretary:
Jane Widlicka
Treasurer for Canada:
Donna Nesvadba
Treasurer for United States: Grace Niswonger
There is no secret what God can do, What He has done for
others, He will do for you!
Looking forward to seeing you at next year’s Convention!
Esther Tarr
L
adies, I would like
to sincerely thank
you for the truly
generous offering we collected during the women’s meeting on Saturday
morning at the convention. We were small in
numbers but big in giving.
Due to some reserve from
last year, we were able to
meet our budget fully.
Good job!
I would also like to encourage you to consider giving
throughout the year. There are other outreach programs
that we could and would like to support. During our
executive meeting we heard from George Cooper of
Transworld Radio about the opportunity to sponsor a
children’s storytime. But air time is not cheap, $25.00
for 15 minutes. Wouldn’t it be heart-warming if we
could sponsor at least one program a week? As I write
this, I realize that telling you about this opportunity is
the easy part. So, I will put out a challenge to you. I
commit to giving $10 per month, and I challenge each
of you to match my donation. Maybe we could even
sponsor two or three programs a week!
I thank you in advance for your response to this challenge. Please remember that your donations throughout
the year to our Women’s Missionary Union are always
needed and appreciated.
Donna Nesvadba
Treasurer, Canada


Donation
All donation should be send in enclosed envelope.
The checks will be delivered to right financial secretaries. (Vera Dors, Henry
Pojman, Grace Niswonger or Donna Nesvadba.)
! Gifts for Ladies’ work—make check payable to Czechoslovak Baptist
Women’s Missionary Union.
! Gifts for Convention—make check payable to Czechoslovak Baptist
Convention. On the bottom of the check mark to what account you are
sending your contribution: Convention, Glorious Hope, Trust Fund, or
Scholarship Fund.
 You may send separate check (one for Ladies and one for convention
accounts) in the same envelope.
 If you are sending contributions for convention (Convention,
Glorious Hope etc., you may send only one check, and write on
the bottom how you want to divide the amount (for example: Total
$150; $100 Convention, $50 Glorious Hope etc.) You do not
have to send two separate checks.
For your information, financial secretaries’ addresses are as
follows:
USA:
Vera Dors
6621 Elmdale Rd.
Middleburg Hts, OH, 44130
Canada:
Henry Pojman
2393 West Ham Rd.
Oakville, ON L6M 4P2
119
Convention Choir, Lewis Hall Conducting
Bob Dvorak, Jerry & Gloria Andrs
General Board Meeting
The Youngest Convention Delegates
Obecenstvi at the Sommers
V-P Dr. Dennis Stull Welcomes Convention Delegates
Joza Novak and Dick Niswonger at Communion
Dvoraks, Stulls and Davidsons at the Banquet
Obecenství
Convention Youth Choir
Obecenství
Worship Team

Nevšední příběhy všedních dnů - Czechoslovak Baptist Convention

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