Czechoslovak Baptist Convention

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
From the Executive Secretary - George Sommer............................ 99
The Son Became Servant - Thomas Cosmades...............................100
God’s Servant, part 6 - Miroslav Sauer..............................................102
Boží služebník, část 6 - Miroslav Sauer..............................................103
Biblická studie, část 2 - Jan Titěra.......................................................104
Christ’s Seven Last Words, part 4 - Thomas Cosmades...............106
From Our Readers..................................................................................107
God’s View - George Cooper...............................................................107
From The Mission Field - the Poenarus, the Pormas.......................108
In Memory: Rev. Miloš Šols, Sr., Anna Sztušková, Cora Mazanec,
William and Ellen Megat, Miroslav Gabriel.................110
Children’s Corner: Ice Realm - Natasha Legierski..........................114
Dětký koutek: Ledové království - Nataša Legierská........................115
Youth Scene: Czechoslovak Baptist Convention - Darko Siracki....116
Czech, Moravian and Slovak Delicatessen - Natasha Legierski.......117
From the President - Robert Dvorak...................................................118
Ladies’ Page: On a Good Friday - Judy Shoff...................................119
Glorious Hope / Slavná nadìje
Volume 32, No 6 2006
(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,
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]
http://czslbaptconv.ab.edu
98
N
ot by might, nor by power, but by
my spirit…” King James Version
It is unbelievably difficult to
stir up our own strength, and put certain
things in order. Oddly enough, we feel
pressure that pushes us in this direction.
It may be compared to a dream in which
we must run, while our legs will not move.
Normally, a person wakes up from this
kind of dream with a sense of panic. It may have to do with various facets of life, depending on what the person is experiencing
intensively at the moment. Certainly, one has one’s own experiences, knows one’s own limits, and is aware of one’s own failures
or successes. These are the sorts of thoughts that run through
my mind when I think about what to impress upon my readers of
Glorious Hope.
At the end of the year 2006, my attention was brought to a
verse, which was not fully understood by the person who brought
it to me. It came back to mind amidst a medley of thoughts concerned with the urgency of getting on top of the delay in issuing
Glorious Hope.
The verse that I am speaking of has to do with a vision given
to Zechariah, the prophet. In this vision, the word of the Lord
speaks to Zerubbabel. The nation of Israel was at this time under
Persian rule. Zerubbabel was the last of David’s descendants and

Continues on page 101
N
e za své síly ani mocí, ale Duchem mým...“ kralický překlad
Je neuvěřitelně těžké zaktivizovat své síly a dát určité věci
do pořádku. Zvláště cítíme-li tlak, který nás tímto směrem
tlačí. Lze to přirovnat ke snu, ve kterém musíme utíkat a přitom se
nám nohy nehýbou. Obyčejně se člověk probudí s pocitem paniky.
Může se to týkat různých oblastí života, podle toho, co právě dotyčná
osoba intenzívně prožívá. Každý má jistě své zkušenosti, zná svůj
limit, je si vědom své prohry anebo úspěchů.
Myšlenky tohoto druhu se mi honí hlavou, když přemýšlím, čím
oslovit čtenáře Slavné naděje.
Koncem roku 2006 jsem byla upozorněna na verš, kterému dotyčný příliš nerozuměl. Znovu mi přišel na mysl při směsici myšlenek
zabývajícími se nutností dohonit skluz ve vydávání Slavné naděje.
Verš, o kterém hovořím se týká vidění, které měl prorok Zachariáš. V tom vidění se jednalo o oslovení Zorobábele Hospodinem.
Izraelský národ se nacházel pod perskou nadvládou. Zorobábel byl
posledním z potomků krále Davida a zárověň zplnomocněncem
perského krále nad krajinou judskou. Byl také jedním ze dvanácti
vůdců velké skupiny Judských, která se vracela z babylónského zajetí
do Jeruzaléma. Po návratu to byl on, kdo zreorganizoval službu levítů
a zahájil obnovu jeruzalémského chrámu. Z těchto důvodů se od
Zorobábele také mnoho očekávalo. Do něho vkládal velké naděje
i prorok Zachariáš. V souvislosti s těmito nadějemi měl prorok
Zachariáš vidění, ve kterém Hospodin říká Zorobábelovi: „Ne mocí

Pokraèování na stranì 109
Cover: Vit Malek: Castle Loket, Czech Republic
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W
hoever is in Christ is New
II Corinthians 5:17
This will be the main theme and
verse of the 98th Annual Convention,
July 5–8, 2007, in Philippi, West Virginia. This was one of many decisions
which were made during the General
Board mid-year meeting in Cleveland
on November 10, 2006.
Other news:
! Tomas Kriska, president of the Slovak Baptist Union, and
his wife, Ester, will be the convention’s guests. Rev. Kriska
will lead Slovak Bible Study and his wife will bring a report
about the Baptist Women’s Union in Slovakia at the Ladies’
Missionary Rally on Saturday morning.
! Saturday’s day trip will be to Valley Falls, a new location
this year. This park is a little bit farther from the convention
grounds, but equally beautiful, and we are looking forward
to it.
! On Friday, July 6, there will be Youth Night, led by Darko
Siracki and John Alac, with the assistance of some other
young people. We really enjoyed their participation at the
2006 convention, and we want our young people to be more
involved.
! There will be a lot of exciting events during the 98th Annual
Convention. Also Ice-cream Social, “Old Fashioned Hymn
Singing with Bob Dvorak at the Piano,” Saturday Night Concert,
obecenstvi at the Sommers’ Sunday afternoon, to name just
a few. Come and see!!
! The year 2009, when we will celebrate 100 years of the
Czechoslovak Baptist Convention of USA and Canada,
is approaching very fast and we have to start to plan all
activities.
! There is a new web Convention address:
http://czslbaptconv.ab.edu
You can always get more information on the Convention’s
new web page.
your own reservation: 304-457-5888. Price $45.00 plus state
tax per room per night. State that you are from the Czechoslovak Baptist Convention to qualify for a special price. Ten
rooms are being held until June 30, 2006.
! Meal prices are as follows: Breakfast- $4.40; Lunch- $6.50;
Dinner- $7.10 and Banquet- $9.90. Young people 17–22 years
old pay ½ price; the other half is paid by the Convention. For
children 4–16, the Convention pays for their meals.
! All payments are paid by checks, but US$ and Cnd$
amounts are the same: 1 US$=1 Cnd$. For example: Breakfast
US$4.40=Cnd$4.40
! The Registration Form is also available on the Convention web page. You can print it, fill it out and mail it with
your check to:
Helen Pojman. 2393 West Ham Rd., Oakville, ON L6M
4P2, CANADA Phone: 905-469-1444
e-mail: [email protected]
We have more information, including the Convention
program, on the Convention web page: http://czslbaptconv.
ab.edu
There are also some other important dates and news for
you to remember:
! Convention midyear meeting/General Board, will be held
in Grace Baptist Church, Windsor, in October or November
2007.
! 99th Annual Convention will be held on July 10–13, 2008,
in Philippi, West Virginia.
Looking forward to seeing you all in July 2007!
George Sommer,
Executive Secretary,
Annual Convention Coordinator

Other Important Information:
! Canadian delegates will be paying the registration fee,
meals, and accommodation in Canadian dollars, and the
amount will be the same as US$. This will simplify payment
procedures. Therefore there is only one registration form.
! There are new prices for accommodation:
Priestley, $17/night/bed. Benedum, $15/night/bed Children
12 and under sleep free in a bed! Priestley is an air-conditioned dormitory. A suite consists of 4 bedrooms and a living
room.
! For Philippi Lodging Motel accommodation, please make
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99
The Son Became Servant
Thomas Cosmades
Isaiah 52:13–53:12
A
gur (gatherer)—unknown to
anyone—could be an inspired
non-Hebrew writer. He introduces himself as “too stupid and without understanding of a man.” There is
probably no other person in the Bible
who so demeans himself (cf. Proverbs
30:1–3). Following some thoughtprovoking marvels he suddenly lifts his
survey to the metaphysical realm with
the question, “What is his name, and what is his son’s name?” (cf.
4c) He immediately proceeds to supply a profound affirmation:
“Surely you know!” This person who calls himself “stupid” is one
of the wise writers in the Old Testament who knew God and
His Son. The prophet Isaiah, who probably lived a few hundred
years after Agur and a few hundred years prior to the advent of
the Son, joyfully celebrated the unique verity
(9:6). Antecedent to both writers, the Psalmist conveyed another inspired truth regarding
the Son who was ordained to redeem men and
ultimately reign over the whole human race
(45:6; cf. Heb. 1:8, 9).
Isaiah refers to him also as God’s servant
in six places (cf. 42:1, 9 (twice), 49:6, 52:13;
53:11). While there are disagreeing views on
these passages, the reality of one person making
atonement for many is quite obvious. It pleased
God the Father to allow the humiliation of his
everlastingly begotten only Son to the status
of servant. This one is the foremost servant in
history who served the whole of humanity. In
the New Testament, Paul lays before his readers the most striking account about the doulos.
Christ described his ministry on earth in the
most concise manner. “Even as the Son of man
came not to be served but to serve, and to give
his life as a ransom for many,” (Matthew 20:28). The Son of
God became Son of man to serve his fallen kin by offering that
perfect life as a ransom for many. He never lost his eternal identity
of being one with the Father and yet became identified with
the low estate of servant: “God sent His own Son in the likeness
of sinful flesh and for sin,” (Romans 8:3). Such an unthinkable
mission made it necessary for him to assume the humblest and
utterly despised classification of servant.
The Old Testament is replete with Messianic prophecies, all of
which point to the coming of Christ to redeem men and women
from their bondage to sin. This event is beyond comparison with
any other single act in all eons. The Incarnation reveals the puzzle
of the eternal Son’s metamorphosis into the extraordinary status
of the God-sent Servant.
100
I. The Righteous Servant is Humbled on Behalf of Sinners,
52:14, 15; 53:1–4
Man’s unbelief in God’s most amazing act strikes Isaiah
profoundly. Unbelief is probably the greatest barrier to the Godordained grant of free salvation. The writers John and Paul quote
Isaiah to remind their readers regarding human unbelief toward
God’s mighty provision (cf. John 12:38; Romans 10:16). Probably
the greatest tragedy in the realm of religion is the de-sinning of
sin, particularly evidenced in these turbulent times. When sin
is jettisoned, naturally he who came to make atonement for it
is discarded in the same way. The Jews rejected Him outright
(John 1:11). Throughout history men and women everywhere
spurned the One who came to redeem them. Christ often
lamented man’s unbelief (cf. Mark 6:6; Luke 24:25, 26). The
sin committed against the Holy Spirit was primarily the same
rejection (cf. Mark 3:28-30). The irony is that human unbelief
is directed toward Him who willingly became
identified with us humans in order to rescue
us.
Man’s wrestling with unbelief reaches into
four areas:
Scientific – “I cannot believe in anything that
cannot be proved in the laboratory.”
Deliberate – Man’s hardheadedness is extremely
difficult to change. (John 8:24, 45; Acts 14:2;
Hebrews 3:12)
Wavering – “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”
(Mark 9:24)
Ignorance – “…because I had acted ignorantly
in unbelief” (I Timothy 1:13)
The Son became servant to activate faith in
your inmost being and reveal to everyone the
transcendent riches of God. The Holy Spirit
is in continuous operation to destroy human
unbelief toward Christ in these areas. Those of us who have
received superlative satisfaction from believing in Christ, God’s
servant who came to redeem us, are under obligation to pray. We
need to plead that the Holy Spirit will universally break human
unbelief in all these areas. We also need to examine ourselves
and remove the slightest trace of unbelief toward Christ, who
demands total commitment in faith.
II. The Righteous Servant was Judged on Behalf of Sinners
(7, 8, 10)
There is an inescapable divine judgment awaiting every
unrepentant sinner whether he/she anticipates it or not. This
judgment is fully just—above all other judgments. The guilty
person will encounter all his or her sins at the end. There will
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it. Christ often mentioned this.
The judgment to come carries
a forceful warning by Christ
himself. These are the most
authoritative and solemn alarm
signs. Millions who never
stood before a temporal judge
will find their final destiny to
be determined by the Eternal
Judge. Philip the evangelist
illuminated the Ethiopian
treasurer who was wrestling
with a passage from Isaiah.
The official—acquainted with
court procedures—was struck
by the harsh judgment of
the innocent servant. The faultless Judge who was tried and
executed by faulty judges under the cloud of injustice mystified
the Ethiopian nobleman. Immediately convinced, he believed
and sought baptism.
One night the Servant of God was praying in the Garden.
Suddenly a band of soldiers and officers led by the betraying
disciple stormed him with lanterns, torches and weapons. They
seized and bound him after which they took him to the religious
hierarchy. The high priest interrogated him harshly. The Benefactor was tried by those he had come to make beneficiaries. Their
verdict was unmistakable. They had to have the death sentence
pronounced by the timid, indecisive, compromising governor
the next morning. God’s Servant was tossed between Pilate and
contemptuous King Herod, followed by a jeering crowd. In an
atmosphere of derision, he was led to Golgotha, assisted with
the weight of the cross by Simon of Cyrene. After a mock trial
during which he was slapped, flagellated and denigrated, not
opening his mouth like a dumb sheep, the Judge of individuals
and nations was sentenced to the harshest form of death.
III. The Righteous Servant was Tortured
on Behalf of Sinners (5)
The sinless-deathless Christ was identified with our race in
his Incarnation. He was born to suffer and die for our redemption. John’s introduction to the crowds was, “Behold the Lamb of
God.” He assumed our punishment for sin. Job said, “Man born
of a woman is full of trouble” (5:7; 14:1). Man born of a woman
is born to die (cf. 2 Samuel 14:14; Ezekiel 18:4; Romans 6:23;
Hebrews 9:27). Only one person since Adam died for others.
It was the most protracted and agonizing death. The spiritual
distress surpassed the physical. Sinful people’s death is the consequence of sin. Sinless Christ’s death was the consequence of
our sin. His death was followed by His gracious descent into
Hades. His death immediately opened the door to Paradise,
where he took the penitent criminal as well as the saints of the
Old Testament who were longing to see the Savior’s face. His
torture became the herald of deliverance from all agony to those
who believed in His substitutionary sacrifice, surrendering their
destiny to Him.
IV. The Righteous Servant Will Usher Sinners
to Eternal Glory (11)
He fulfilled perfect service to Adam’s helpless race. He
forgave all those who disliked and hated Him. He alone gave
us the example of how to forgive our enemies, and love them.
He alone offered the example of serving our fellow humans,
seeking their welfare. He alone unfolded the ‘why’ of suffering
which buffets our race to this day. He alone established His
Church from the blood-bought multitude, once shackled by
sin’s power. He alone made Paradise a certainty. He alone gave
mankind unfading hope. He alone provided to all generations
the tangible message of true brotherhood. He alone validated
life’s purpose and goal. He alone gave the reality of resurrection. He alone calmed troubled hearts with utmost serenity. He
alone in His absence is the Giver of the mighty Comforter. He
alone taught us to expect the brightest future where evil will
exist no more. He alone will wipe away all tears from our eyes,
converting them to joy. All these and a host of other blessings
because the Righteous Servant came from heaven to serve us.
Have you received the benefit of His unparalleled service? If so,
how do you serve Him?

Editorial… Continues from page 98
was delegated authority over Judah by the king of Persia. He
was also one of twelve leaders of a large group of Jews who were
returning to Jerusalem from exile in Babylon. After the return from
exile, it was Zerubbabel who reorganized the service of the Levites
and began the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. For these
reasons, much was expected from him. The prophet Zechariah
also put high hopes in this man. In connection with these hopes,
Zechariah had the vision in which the Lord told Zerubbabel: “Not
by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.”
(KJV).
What then, is the interpretation of these words for a person
living in the 21st century? Motivation is important. You can try
all you want, but without the empowerment of the Holy Spirit,
you will not accomplish anything. Motivation is essential in the
actualization and execution of plans and resolutions. Are we sure
of our motivations? By whose interest are our motivations driven?
Let us each answer for ourselves within the context of our purpose
here on this earth.
I am deeply aware that without the power of the Holy Spirit,
all efforts are in vain. That means that all pursuits and aspirations
amount to nothing if God is not involved in them, in other words,
if they do not strive to bring glory to God’s name. And what is
the meaning of this verse for our individual lives? It doesn’t matter
how hard you try, or how intelligent you are. If God is not the
centre of your life, you will not, in essence, achieve anything.
The Spirit of the Lord, revealed in the person of Jesus Christ,
who laid down His life for every person on this earth, will help each
person to accomplish even that which may seem impossible.
“Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of
hosts.” (Zech. 4:6b)
Editor-in-Chief Natasha Legierski
Translated by Elizabeth J. Fields (Legierski)

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101
God’s Servant
or
Extraordinary Tales of Ordinary Days
Miroslav Sauer
Part 6
The Pigeons and I
have been fascinated with pigeons since
childhood. When I was seven years old, I
got my first pigeon from an aunt who was
from Slovakia. You cannot imagine how much I
loved pigeons. I loved them more than myself or
anyone else. I invested a large sum of money into
pigeons. I bought them the best of everything
even if it meant I had to walk barefoot. I was
even willing to sacrifice my vacation for them.
Understandably, the family suffered because of
this. Later, I bought myself carrier pigeons with
which I participated in races. During the summer
months, races occurred every Sunday, summer
after summer, year after year. I sacrificed many
things. I didn’t have time for anything else. It
was, of course, time wasted.
I had many friends who made sure I had the ‘best materials.’
Later on, they even gave me free gifts, just so I would not stop
breeding pigeons. To stop breeding pigeons became more difficult with each passing year. I didn’t want to kill them, neither
did I want to stop breeding them. The family visibly suffered. I
was conscience-stricken. What was I to do?
The Lord was, of course, very patient with me. When I
decided to work for him, I knew that I should stop pigeonbreeding. Satan was right there to assure me that God had given
me freedom, and that I should take advantage of that freedom.
I consoled myself with the thought that it was not a sin. Nevertheless, I prayed: “Lord, help me. I realize my addiction and
I cannot free myself. I cannot do it on my own. Please help
me.”
I wanted to make the difficult decision somewhat easier on
myself, and so I would leave the door to the coop open during
the night. This way the pigeons were not protected from their
predators, like the marten, or some other animal that could eat
them before morning. Nothing happened. I still loved them. I
could not kill them myself. And what’s more, they were even
more beautiful this year than last year, and they only made me
happy. They returned faster in the races. I was pleased, but on
the other hand things were still more difficult. The pigeons were
multiplying. I already had 150, and I loved them all so much
that I wouldn’t even sell them for a high price. Again, I prayed
for strength. I knew that it was beyond my own ability, and that
I wanted to have time to minister to perishing souls, spreading
the Word of God.
After racing season came to a close, we went for a family
I
vacation to Portugal. A young man, who was a
student, took care of my pigeons. He phoned
me on the third day to tell me that someone
had stolen the pigeons during the night and
their coop was demolished. Only a few pigeons
managed to fly away. My wife and children came
to me quickly to console me. They thought
that the vacation was ruined for me and that I
would want to fly home immediately. They felt
sorry for me. I kept my composure and just said:
“Thank you, Lord.” A stone fell off my heart.
Nobody could even guess how I had battled for
freedom from my more than 40-year captivity. I
asked the Lord to get rid of the pigeons for me,
and He did. I was grateful for it, and we had a
wonderful vacation.
I did not suspect, however, that it would not be as easy as
that. The Lord wanted me to make the decision. After returning from the vacation, my grief was indescribable. A number of
pigeons returned, some had hid themselves during the robbery,
and I was now left with 40 from the original 150. Nothing but
“good material,” so that from the breeding point of view, it
threw me back a good number of years. I could have started again
immediately. I understood, however, that the Lord had helped
me with that robbery, but He wanted me to give up freely that
which was most precious to me, even though I did not want to
admit it. Again I battled with myself in prayer and asked for help.
After a number of days I received the help I needed, and I gave
everything that was left away, including anything that belonged
to it.
Thank the Lord for this experience. I am glad that He freed
me from everything that prevented me from fully living for Him.
Thank the Lord.
Note: To explain what “good material” means, I will write a
little about how pigeon breeding works.
Every week about 50 are put into races. The pigeons have
electric collars by which they are registered on a computer. As
soon as a pigeon returns to the coop, the entrance of the pigeon
into the pigeon coop is registered with a beep (similar to a till
in a store), and the exact time of return is recorded. The fastest
time wins.
The pigeons fly out Sunday morning, and are back in the
afternoon. They fly as far as 700 km (438 miles) a day with an
average speed of 80-100 kilometers (50–63 miles) per hour. The

102
Continues on page 103
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aneb
Nevšední příběhy všedních dnů
Miroslav Sauer
6. část
Holubi a já
iž od dětství jsem byl fascinován holuby.
Svého prvního holuba jsem dostal od jedné tety ze Slovenska, když mi bylo sedm
let. Neumíte si představit, jak jsem měl holuby
rád. Víc než sama sebe nebo někoho jiného. Do
holubů jsem investoval vysoké částky peněz.
Kupoval jsem pro ně to nejlepší i za cenu
toho, že bych chodil bos. Byl jsem ochoten pro
ně obětovat i dovolenou. Rodina tím pochopitelně strádala. Později jsem si pořídil poštovní
holuby. S nimi jsem se účastnil závodů. Během
letního období probíhaly závody každou neděli.
Rok za rokem, léto za létem. Obětoval jsem
mnoho. Neměl jsem na nic jiného čas. Byl to
však promarněný čas.
Měl jsem mnoho přátel, kteří se postarali
o to, abych měl ten nejlepší materiál. Později
mne obdarovávali i zdarma, jen abych nepřestal
holubařit. Skončit s chovem holubů bylo rok od roku těžší. Zabít
jsem je nechtěl, ani skončit jsem nechtěl. Rodina viditelně trpěla.
Měl jsem výčitky svědomí. Co jsem měl dělat?
Pán však měl se mnou trpělivost. Když jsem se rozhodl pro něho
pracovat, vědel jsem, že mám s holubařením skončit. Satan mne však
ujišťoval tím, že Pán mi dal svobodu, a tak ji mám využívat. Utěšoval
jsem se tím, že to není hřích. Přesto jsem se začal modlit: „Pane,
pomoz mi. Uvědomuji si svou závislost a nemohu se osvobodit. Sám
to nezvládnu. Prosím, pomoz mi.“
Chtěl jsem si rozhodnutí nějak ulehčit, a tak jsem nechával výlet
na noc otevřený. Holubi tak nebyli chráněni před svými škůdci, jako
je kuna nebo nějaké jiné zvíře, které by je do rána mohlo sežrat. Nic
se však nestalo. Stále jsem je měl rád. Nemohl jsem je zabít. A navíc,
letos byli ještě hezčí než vloni, dělali mi jenom radost. Ze závodů se
vraceli rychleji. Měl jsem radost, ale na druhé straně to bylo stále
těžší. Holubů příbývalo, už jsem jich měl přes 150 a všechny jsem
je měl tak rád, že bych je nedal ani za vysokou cenu. Znovu jsem se
modlil o sílu. Věděl jsem, že sám na to nestačím a chtěl jsem mít čas
na službu hynoucím duším, rozdávat Boží Slovo.
Po závodní sezóně jsme odjeli na rodinnou dovolenou do Portugalska. O holuby se mi staral mladý hoch, ještě student. Třetí
den mi telefonoval, že holuby přes noc někdo ukradl a holubník je
zdemolovaný. Jenom pár holubů stačilo uletět. Děti a manželka ke
mně honem přiskočily a začaly mne utěšovat. Myslely si, že mám
zkaženou dovolenou a budu chtět okamžitě odletět domů. Litovaly
mne. Zachoval jsem klid a jen jsem řekl: „Díky, Pane.“ Spadl mi
kámen ze srdce. Nikdo netušil, jak jsem zápasil o vysvobození z
J
mého, víc než 40-ti letého, zajetí. Prosil jsem,
aby mne Pán těch holubů zbavil, a on to udělal.
Byl jsem za to vděčný a prožili jsme krásnou
dovolenou.
Netušil jsem však, že to nebude tak jednoduché. Pán chtěl, abych to rozhodnutí učinil
já. Po návratu z dovolené byl můj smutek k
nepopsání. Několik holubů se vrátilo, někteří
se při krádeži poschovávali a ze 150 tu stejně
zůstalo 40 holubů. Samý „dobrý materiál“,
takže z chovatelského hlediska mne to vrátilo
pouze o několik roků zpět. Mohl jsem hned
začít znovu. Nyní jsem pochopil, že mi Pán
pomohl tou krádeží, ale chtěl, abych se sám
svobodně vzdal toho, co mi bylo nejdražší, i
když jsem si to nechtěl přiznat.
Znovu jsem bojoval sám se sebou v modlitbě a prosil jsem o pomoc. Po několika dnech
jsem pomoc obdržel a rozdal jsem všechno, co tu ještě zbylo i se
vším, co k tomu patřilo.
Díku Pánu i za tuto zkušenost. Jsem rád, že mne osvobodil od
všeho, co mi bránilo Jej plně následovat. Díky Pane.
Poznámka: Na vysvětlení, co to znamená „dobrý materiál“ vám
popíši, jak to s holuby chodí.
Každý týden se dává na závody asi 50 kusů. Holubi mají elektronické kroužky, kterými jsou registrováni na počítači. Jakmile holub
přiletí na výlet, vstup holuba do holubníku je registrován pípnutím
(podobně jako kasa v obchodě) a zaznamenán přesný čas doletu.
Vyhrává nejlepší čas.
Holubi vylétávají v něděli ráno a odpoledne jsou zpátky. Letí až
700 km za den, průměrnou rychlostí 80–100km za hodinu. Holubi
musí co nejdříve doletět domů. Počítá se jen od 25-ti procent a výše.
Je to jako liga v kopané, postupuje se nebo klesá. „Dobrý materiál“
jsou holubi s výbornými geny, které dědí po rodičích. Chovatelství
spočívá v tom, že se vychovává z nejlepšího to nejlepší. Je třeba vědět
jak na to, aby bylo dosaženo úspěchu. Ne vždycky to vyjde. 
God’s Servant… Continues from page 102
pigeons must fly home as soon as possible. “Good material” are
pigeons with excellent genes inherited from their parents. Breeding is in raising the best from the best. It is important to know
how to do it to be successful. It doesn’t always work out.
Translated by Elizabeth J. Fields (Legierski)

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103
Princip našeho ospravedlnění
Galatským 3–4
Kaz. Jan Titěra
2. Část
Pošetilost Galatských 3, 1–5
ěkteří vykladači Písma mluví o tom,
že tyto dvě kapitoly jsou tím nejsilnějším, co apoštol Pavel napsal.
Vedl zápas o ty, které tolik miloval a u jejichž
duchovních počátků kdysi stál. Dobře věděl
i to, že falešní učitelé si získali přízeň Galatských a obelstili je. Proto ta tvrdá, nekompromisní otázka Pavlova: „Začali jste žít z Ducha
Božího, a teď spoléháte sami na sebe?“ Teď
k tomu chcete něco přidávat sami ze sebe?
Jaká pošetilost! Vždyť jste přece prožili přijetí
Ducha svatého—jeho vstup do vašeho života
na základě své víry, ne pro skutky zákona!
N
Důkaz z Písem—požehnání Abrahamovo 3, 6–14
Pavel plně využívá autority Písma a cituje
šest míst ze SZ, aby dokázal, že spasení je z
víry v Krista, ne ze skutků zákona. Abraham
byl spasen na základě víry. Židé byli velmi
pyšní na to, že jsou Abrahamovými potomky, domnívali se, že jim to zaručuje spasení.
Ale již Jan Křtitel je upozorňoval na to, že
fyzický původ jim nezaručuje duchovní život.
Spasení se nedědí. Jak kdosi výstižně pověděl:
Bůh nemá vnuky. Pravé děti Abrahamovy nejsou Židé na základě fyzické příbuznosti, ale
ti, kteří uvěřili v Krista, Židé i pohané. Tedy
muži a ženy, kteří sdílejí Abrahamovu víru—
věřící křesťané. Pavel cituje proroka Abakuka:
„Spravedlivý bude živ z víry.“ Vysvětlení tohoto
slova se věnuje apoštol Pavel hned ve třech
epištolách—v listu Římanům, listu Galatským
a listu Židům. Nikdo nemohl žít novým životem na základě zákona, protože zákon zabíjí
a ukazuje hříšníkovi, že je před Bohem vinen.
Zákon říká: Konej a budeš žít! Ale milost říká:
Věř a budeš žít! Zákon nemůže dát Ducha svatého ani nemůže zaručit duchovní dědictví,
které náleží Božím dětem. Zákon nemůže dát
život a nemůže dát ani svobodu. Smutnou, ale
až i děsivou funkcí zákona je odsuzovat, nikoliv ospravedlňovat. Kristus nás vysvobozuje!
Požehnání dostáváme skrze Krista! Všechno,
co potřebujeme, máme v Kristu! To všechno
se děje skrze víru. Víra je osobní uchopení se
Ježíše Krista. Není žádnou zásluhou. Nemá
104
povahu skutků. Její hodnota není v ní samé,
ale výhradně v jejím objektu—v Ježíši Kristu
samotném. Jak říká Luther: „Víra si necení
ničeho jiného než drahého klenotu, jímž je Ježíš
Kristus.“
Výzva tohoto oddílu je nekompromisní.
Musíme se vzdát pyšné a bláhové domněnky,
že bychom mohli sami vytvořit vlastní spravedlnost či stát se přijatelnými pro Pána Boha.
Místo toho musíme pokorně přijít ke kříži,
kde Kristus nesl naše zlořečenství a musíme
se zcela spolehnout na milost. Potom bude
požehnání Abrahamovo patřit i nám.
Asi nás znovu napadne otázka: Jak se
mohli dát Galatští tak ošálit, tak pomýlit, tak
fascinovat návratem k zákonictví, které apeluje na tělo a jeho výkony? Ano, naše tělesnost
má velice blízko k náboženství. Naše náboženské výkony nám umožňují porovnávat se s
druhými. To je pro některé lidi velice lákavé.
Skutečný věřící se ale poměřuje s Kristem, ne
s druhými křesťany. Tam, kde se žije z milosti,
není místo pro pýchu. Zákoník se však neustále chlubí svými úspěchy a náboženskými
výkony, svými „zásluhami“ o církev.
Byli jsme spaseni milostí a skrze víru. Žijeme milostí a vírou. To je cesta k požehnání.
Jakákoli jiná cesta je cesta zpět do otroctví.
Předběžná služba zákona—kdysi pod zákonem,
nyní v Kristu 3, 15–29
Jako bychom slyšeli argument Galatských:
„A k čemu byl tedy zákon kdysi dán?“ Jak porozumět vztahu mezi zaslíbením daným Abrahamovi a zákonem? Čtenáři Písma je zřejmé, že
zaslíbení dané Abrahamovi bylo dáno mnohem dříve než Mojžíšův zákon To zaslíbení
mělo podobu smlouvy, kterou uzavřel Bůh
s Abrahamem, nikoliv Abraham s Bohem! Bůh
přitom nestanovil Abrahamovi žádné podmínky, které by musel splnit. Slib reprezentoval
Boží plán, Boží milost, Boží iniciativu. Zákon
naopak představuje náboženství člověka—jeho
povinnosti, jeho skutky, jeho zodpovědnost.
Slibu stačí uvěřit, ale zákon musí být dodržován.
Pavel přináší další úžasnou pravdu: Boží
slib platí nejen Abrahamovi, ale i jeho „potomku“ Kristu. To nás vede k tomu prvnímu zaslíbení v Písmu, které najdeme v Genesis 3,15:
„Mezi tebe a ženu položím nepřátelství, i mezi
símě tvé a símě její. Ono ti rozdrtí hlavu a ty
jemu rozdrtíš patu.“
Smlouva založená na zaslíbení dané Abrahamovi se uzavřela skrze Krista. Takže jedině
Bůh Otec a Bůh Syn by na této smlouvě mohli
něco změnit. Nikoliv Mojžíš! Bůh, který dal
slib Abrahamovi a Bůh, který dal zákon Mojžíšovi, je však tentýž Bůh! A tak nemůžeme
klást Abrahama a Mojžíše, slib a zákon proti
sobě, jedno přijímat a druhé zavrhovat. Byl-li
Bůh autorem obou, musel pro to mít nějaký
velmi vážný důvod. Zákon není větší než zaslíbení. Zákon byl jen dočasný. Byl přidán jen
do doby, než přijde ten zaslíbený potomek. Příchodem Ježíše Krista, jeho smrtí a vzkříšením
byl zákon odsunut stranou a jeho spravedlivé požadavky jsou v nás splněny skrze dílo
Kristovo. „Zemřeli jsme tomu, čím jsme byli
spoutáni, byli jsme zproštěni zákona a sloužíme
Bohu v novém životě skrze Ducha, ne pod starou
literou zákona“ (Římanům 7,6). Pavel neříká,
že zákon je v rozporu se slibem, ale spíše se
slibem spolupracuje. Zákon byl dán proto, aby
odhalil hřích. Zákon ukazuje hříšníkovi jeho
vinu, a milost mu ukazuje odpuštění, které přichází v Kristu. Zákon z nás nedělá hříšníky,
ale ukazuje nám, že jimi jsme. Zákon byl dán
proto, aby Kristu připravil cestu. Pavel používá
ilustrace učitele (dozorce, vychovatele). Židé
byli zákonem vychováváni. Zákon jim nedal
život, ale řídil jejich život. Zákon připravoval
Izrael k příchodu zaslíbeného „potomka“ Ježíše
Krista. Požadavky zákona připomínaly lidem,
že potřebují Spasitele. Smyslem zákona bylo
ukázat, že člověk je hříšný, vzpurný, provinilý,
že je pod Božím spravedlivým soudem a sám
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se nemůže zachránit. Zákon nemohl vykonat
to, co zaslíbení. Krista jste oblékli znamená, že
člověk, který uvěřil, odkládá špinavé šaty hříchu a vírou přijímá oděv spravedlnosti v Ježíši
Kristu. Skrze víru jsme syny Božími. A nejen
to, jsme jedno v Kristu Ježíši, tedy bez ohledu
na naši rasu, společenské postavení, či pohlaví.
A konečně jsme i dědici toho, co Bůh zaslíbil.
Zákon z nás nikdy nemohl udělat dědice. Jsi
tedy dospělý syn, který patří do Boží rodiny,
jsi Boží dědic.
Dříve otroci, nyní synové, je na čase růst 4, 1–18
Na počátku čtvrté kapitoly vysvětluje
Pavel jednu z nejdůležitějších skutečností
našeho křesťanského života. Co to znamená
být přijat za syna—být adoptován? Souvisí to
s postavením, které v Boží rodině zaujímáme.
Nejsme malé děti, ale dospělí synové se všemi
výsadami synovství. Je škoda, že v některých
překladech NZ se nerozlišuje systematicky
mezi Božími dětmi a Božími syny. Jediný
způsob, jakým se dostáváme do Boží rodiny,
je znovuzrození. Jsme Božími dětmi vírou
v Krista, narozeni do Boží rodiny. Ale každé
dítě v rodině automaticky zaujímá postavení
syna a tomuto synovi náleží všechna práva a
výsady. Ten, kdo uvěří v Krista a je spasen,
je duchovním dítětem, které musí růst. Pokud
jde však o jeho postavení, je dospělým synem,
který se může těšit a užívat si z Otcova bohatství. Ještě jednou. Do Boží rodiny vstupujeme znovuzrozením, ale všech dobrodiní si
užíváme díky Boží adopci za syny. Když syn,
tedy z moci Boží i dědic ( Galatským 4,7). Pod
zákonem byli Židé pouhými dětmi, ale pod
milostí se věřící člověk stává Božím synem
s postavením dospělého člena rodiny. Když
hříšník uvěří v Krista, přijímá Ducha svatého
a ten ho ujišťuje, že je Božím dítětem. Boží
duch působí v srdci člověka a oživuje a prohlubuje jeho lásku k nebeskému Otci. Syn může
mluvit se svým Otcem, kterého oslovuje Abba,
Otče. Z lásky k němu, která vede k poslušnosti. Zákon nikdy nemůže vypůsobit poslušnost.
To dokáže opravdu jen láska.
Důtklivé varování 4, 8–11
Udivená otázka a rozhorlená výtka Pavlova zněla takto: „Kdysi jste byli otroky. Nyní jste
syny. Jak byste se tedy mohli vracet zpět ke starému otroctví?“ Máme-li se vyvarovat bláznovství
Galatských, je třeba brát vážně Pavlova slova.
Musíme si připomínat, co máme a co jsme
v Kristu. Jeden z důvodů každodenního čtení
slova Božího a modlitby je právě to, abychom
neztratili orientaci a znovu si vděčně připomínali se všemi důsledky pro náš praktický všední život kdo jsme. Znovu a znovu bychom si
měli připomínat: „Byl jsem dříve otrokem, ale
Bůh mne učinil v Kristu svým synem a vložil
svého Ducha do mého srdce. Jak bych se mohl
vrátit do dřívějšího otroctví? A rovněž: „Kdysi
jsem neznal Boha, ale nyní ho znám a jsem od
něho poznán. Jak bych se mohl vrátit ke staré
nevědomosti?“ Jen tak poroste naše touha žít
podle toho, co jsme jako Boží synové vysvobození Kristem. Každý z nás si pak musí dávat
pozor na zákonického ducha, který vyzdvihuje
naše tělo, vede k pýše a vnějšími věcmi nahrazuje vnitřní duchovní zkušenosti.
Pokus o obnovení vztahu lásky 4, 12–20
Pavel vynikal i ve způsobu jednání. Věděl
jak vyvážit tvrdá slova, své napomínání laskavostí. Připomněl Galatským jejich lásku
k němu a jeho lásku k nim. Kdysi byli ochotni
pro něj všechno obětovat, teď se stal Pavel jejích nepřítelem. To byly důsledky práce zastánců obřízky, zastánců zákona. Jedním ze znaků
falešných učitelů je to, že se snaží odlákat lidi a
přitáhnout je k sobě, nikoli k víře v Boží slovo
a k osobě Ježíše Krista. Kdysi se Pavel s nimi
rád ztotožnil, stal se tím čím byli oni. Ale teď se
od Pavla odvrátili a následují falešné pastýře.
Ti se snažili dostat Galatské do stavu podřízenosti. Pavlův vztah ke Galatským je zcela jiný.
Nazývá je synáčky, moje děti. Nechce je tím
k sobě připoutat. Pointou jeho obrazu matky
není dokazovat závislost Galatských na něm,
ale spíše ty porodní bolesti podstoupené pro
ně. Nestačí mu, že Kristus v nich přebývá.
Touží po tom, aby byl v nich Kristus formován, aby byli dále přetvářeni v Kristův obraz.
Rozdíl mezi Pavlem a falešnými učiteli by
měl být nyní jasný. Falešní učitelé usilují o to,
aby ovládli Galatské, Pavel touží po tom, aby
v nich byl formován Kristus. Falešní učitelé
hledí jen na svou vlastní prestiž a pozici. Pavel
je připraven obětovat se za ně. Z tohoto oddílu se můžeme učit vzájemnému vztahu mezi
kazatelem a jeho sborem. Jestliže kazatel věrně vykládá Písmo, Boží slovo, správnou reakcí
sboru je přijmout jeho poselství a nekritizovat
jej—ne pro autoritu kazatele, ale pro autoritu
Krista, jehož slovo bylo zvěstováno. Většina
dnešních sborů by měla být pozornější, pokornější, vděčnější a dychtivější při naslouchání
Božímu slovu. A pastýřův vztah k lidem ve
sboru? Kalvín kdysi napsal: „Chtějí-li kazatelé
pracovat dobře, ať ve svých posluchačích formují
Krista, ne sami sebe.“
Příklad z Písma, Izák a Izmael 4, 21–31
Mnozí považují tento oddíl za nejobtížnější místo celého dopisu. Především proto, že
předpokládá výbornou znalost Starého zákona. Jsou zde odkazy na Abrahama, Sáru, Agar,
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Izmaele, Izáka, horu Sinaj i na Jeruzalém.
Pavel odhaluje slabinu, nelogičnost stanoviska těch, kteří chtějí být pod zákonem. Používá
k tomu trojí zdůvodnění: historické, alegorické a rovněž osobní. V historickém zdůvodnění
připomíná Pavel to, že Abraham měl dva syny.
Izmaele, syna otrokyně a Izáka, syna svobodné ženy. Tyto dva rozdíly mezi Abrahamovými
syny, kdy Izmael se narodil jako otrok přirozeným způsobem, zatímco Izák se narodil jako
svobodný podle zaslíbení, považuje Pavel za
významný obraz. Každý je svou přirozeností
otrokem, dokud není naplněním Božího slibu
vysvobozen. Je tedy každý Izmaelem nebo Izákem. Buď je stále ještě podle své přirozenosti
otrokem, nebo byl Boží milostí vysvobozen.V
čem ta historická událost narození Izmaele a
Izáka představují hlubokou duchovní pravdu?
V čem spočívá ten obraz, ten duchovní význam
tohoto příkladu? Abraham měl dva syny, Izmaele a Izáka, narozené ze dvou matek, Agar
a Sáry, které představují dvě smlouvy a dva
Jeruzalémy. Otrokyně Agar zobrazuje starou
smlouvu a její syn Izmael symbolizuje církev
pozemského Jeruzaléma. Svobodná žena Sára
představuje novou smlouvu a její syn Izák
symbolizuje církev nebeského Jeruzaléma.
Ačkoli navenek podobní, protože oba byli
syny Abrahamovými, byli oba synové naprosto
odlišní. Stejným způsobem Pavel zdůvodňuje,
že nestačí si nárokovat původ od Abrahama.
Rozhodující otázkou je, kdo je naší matkou.
Je-li jí Agar, jsme jako Izmael, je-li jí Sára,
jsme jako Izák. A osobní závěr? „Vy, bratří,
jste dětmi zaslíbení jako Izák (v jiných překladech My, bratří jsme…) Galatským 4,28. Zákon
a stará přirozenost (Agar a Izmael) nás chce
pronásledovat a znovu uvést do otroctví. Ale
zákon nemůže dát život ani ovoce. Zákon je
neplodný. Díky Bohu za to, že křesťan je osvobozen od kletby zákona a jeho poručnictví. Je
třeba vyhnat otrokyni a jejího syna. Možná to
bude bolet jako Abrahama. Ale musí se to tak
udělat. Pokoušet se směšovat zákon a milost
znamená snažit se o nemožné. Výsledkem je
pak jen velice smutný a neplodný život. Avšak
žít milostí a skrze víru vede ke svobodnému
a naplněnému křesťanskému životu. O pravé
svobodě z Božího ducha bude apoštol mluvit
v závěrečných dvou kapitolách, velmi praktických kapitolách svého dopisu Galatským. Ale
musíme si dávat pozor. Aby Izmael a Agar
znovu záludně nepronikali do našeho života.
Pokud by se tak stávalo—nezbývá než poslat
je pryč. Jinak bychom ztratili radost ze svobody
v Kristu, kterou nám On vydobyl. Stůjme proto pevně a nedejme si na sebe znovu vložit otrocké jho.
Pokračování příště

105
Christ’s Seven Last Words
Thomas Cosmades
Part 4
VII. Father, into your hands I
commit my spirit! (Luke 23:46)
he Lord Jesus Christ, in
whom all things were created
and hold together in orderliness, became Incarnate in order to
complete an impeccable redemption.
He was hung as the victim, nevertheless being the central character in
mankind’s momentous execution. In
the seventh word, Christ announced from the ugly cross the
finalized triumph of his mission. He addressed the Father, but
at the same time the angels, humans, Satan and demonic hosts
were his audience.
God, the author of the salvific attainment, was entirely
confident of the Son’s accomplishing what he had undertaken.
The father could not entrust this grave achievement to anyone
but his own son. At the creation Adam received clear-cut forewarning not to eat; in the day he ate he would die (cf. Gen.
2:17). The Son had no forewarning. His absolute authority and
effectiveness in the mission was self-evident from the beginning
(cf. Hebrews 1).
T
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Charles Wesley
When Adam sinned, he died and brought the judgment of death
on his race. When Jesus died, he gave life to his race (cf. John
10:11; 17:18; 12:24). At death, Adam and Eve went to Sheol
(Hades), like all the dead in the old dispensation. But the sinless Christ did not go to the same place. Rather, he descended
into the lower parts of the earth (cf. I Peter 3:18–20; Eph. 4:8,
9; I Peter 4:6). While interpretations vary, my cautious belief is
that the Omnipresent, Omniscient Christ who committed his
spirit into the Father’s hand between his death and resurrection
entered Hades to deliver the Old Testament saints and take
them home to Paradise, which he alone could open.
At his death Jesus enabled his saints to enter Paradise as
Stephen, the protomartyr did in complete assurance (cf. Acts
7:59). Stephen’s undeniable commitment of his spirit to the
Lord Jesus is a glorious sequel of Christ’s committing his
spirit to the Father. By entering Paradise at death in spirit and
at resurrection in glorified body our Lord provides absolute
confidence to his believer. Dying in faith and commitment to
Christ, Stephen’s assurance was more real and concrete than the
cruel stones of hateful men battering his mortal body. Christ
106
committed his spirit to the Father; Stephen and all believers
who followed him in death commit their soul to the Son in
Paradise.
The body of Jesus in the grave was awaiting the triumphant
resurrection on the third day. The body of Stephen as well as
all men and women who die in Christ are awaiting the same
triumphant resurrection after his pattern. The only difference
is in relation to time. God the Father welcomed the spirit of
his only Son returning from his mission triumphantly. Christ
the Son welcomes the spirit of every believer returning from
an earthly life crowned with his redemption. The resurrection
was ahead for Jesus very soon. The resurrection lies ahead for
his believer at the sound of the angel’s trumpet. Paradise is the
home of redeemed people through the atoning blood of Jesus.
It is an assured certainty.
The most lamentable uncertainty among men and women is
a person’s obliviousness of his/
her eternal destiny.
Religious folks,
benevolent philanthropists, scrupulous ritualists
and a whole lot of
people dedicated
to their persuasion are unable to
talk plainly about
the blessed certainty expressed by
the apostle Paul:
“absent from the
body, present with
Christ” (cf. II Cor.
5:6–9; Philippians
1:23).
This assurance
is feasible only in
the cleansing blood of God’s Son, provided by grace to every
sinner. Satan, the determined contender to God’s compassion
to regenerate the sinner encourages every exercise of religion
and decorum, in fact promotes the same. On the other hand, he
goes on resolutely combating the person’s—be he/she religious
or not—commitment to the Savior for redemption and justification. This ill-omened ambiguity can only be counteracted by
faith in Christ and submission to the Holy Spirit’s convicting
power. Have you done this? If not, this season is the most
appropriate time.

      Vol 32 No 6 6 Dear Editors of Glorious Hope:
February 15, 2007
e are enclosing a gift for
Glorious Hope, which we
enjoy receiving. Our bodies are
aging, our steps are slower and
we have “short memory” problems, but it’s nice to read and get
news about the people of our back ground who we knew long
ago and even more recently. So keep it coming.
P.S. This is our last prayer letter but it will bring you up on news
from us.
W
Christmas Greetings
Dear Friends and Family,
December 2, 2006
Christmas is a time for greetings and also a real family time.
If there is ever a time in the year that our hearts long to be in
touch with family and friends, it is during this season of the
year. May our hearts be softened and made aware of the true
meaning of Christmas, that “God so loved the world that He
gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him
should not perish but have everlasting life,” (John 3:16).
Our Christian friends in France and Slovak Republic write
during the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. We already
received a surprise Christmas letter from a dear Christian lady
in the Slovak Republic, where we started our missionary career
in 1946. She wrote, “I was so sorry to miss seeing Brother
Feryance when he was in the Slovak Republic last year (June
2005).” Dan had ministered in her church in Ruzomberok in
1995. She referred to his ministry with these words; “I like to
remember with love your ministry in Ruzomberok….Those
were spiritually reviving (refreshing) days….I wish you peaceful holidays and God’s blessings for the year 2007.” Dan was
encouraged by her words as he remembered the hardships he
endured back in those days.
Last Christmas we flew to New Berlin, Wisconsin, and spent
two and a half days with Daryl’s family. Debbie has just had
a serious operation, (hysterectomy) at which time she was
diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. They also found spots in her
lungs. She began chemotherapy in February. By the end of
those treatments most of the spots had diminished in size
or disappeared completely. I think only three were left. On
November 9, she had another CT scan which showed the three
spots. That seems like good news, but her oncologist is very
pessimistic and believes the cancer will return. Her next CT
scan will be in three months. We hope for the best. Thank you
for your continued prayers.
Rebecca, our daughter, came from Paris twice this year. We
are very thankful for the special times we have together with
her. She enjoys the opportunity to drive our car because in
Paris she uses only public transportation.
Our 60th wedding anniversary on June 22nd turned out to
be quite special. Our immediate family in this area honored us
with a restaurant meal and a beautiful anniversary cake. Then
      Vol 32 No 6 6
Ida’s Sunday school class also had a restaurant meal with
tables decorated with flowers and candles, and presented us
with a bouquet of large pink and white roses. Later in July, we
were honored with another special meal that was more like a
banquet, at the home of our dear friends from church, Bill and
Bonne Walker. Other special friends were present. Through the
news paper article, many friends learned of our anniversary
and sent lovely cards and gifts of money. We were able to buy
a new digital camera with the gifts. I had accidently broken my
old 35 mm Nikon.
Our health has deteriorated to some degree, especially for
Dan. He is limping more and walks with a cane to compensate
for the pain. There is one thing to be thankful for and that is he
doesn’t suffer when he is lying down. But he insists he must do
more to keep mobile regardless of the pain.
This letter would not be complete without our heartfelt
thanks to all the churches and individuals who so faithfully
support us financially. We thank God for you and pray His richest blessings on you and your ministry. May you have a truly
Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Yours by His grace, Dan & Ida Feryance

God’s View
George D. Cooper
M
y wife invited a young
family over for lunch one
Sunday. After the meal, their
four-year-old daughter wanted to
play a game with me. She chose
chess. I hesitated, but decided to
do what she wanted, and set up
the board and pieces while she
“helped.”
When she moved the white
pieces, she hopped all over the
board as if they were all “horses.” I followed the rules and quickly
captured all her pieces, though we never got to checkmate. Nevertheless, she seemed satisfied.
As I put the game away, I wondered if God sees me as I saw my
little friend, careless, jumping from place to place, clueless to His
guidelines. Yet He “plays” along (patient and longsuffering) waiting
for me to become interested in His way.

107
Poenaru Post
The Valley of the Shadow of Death
April 2007
ou better come quickly.” How often have I expected this call
while in Kenya, where many missionaries would tell you that
their greatest fear is
missing their parents’
(and later, children’s)
calls for help and key
life moments? Dita
had answered such
a call last year, when
she went to be with
her dad during his last
days of life. Well this
time around it was my
(Dan’s) turn. My stepfather Emil was on his deathbed in Canada, and I knew that my
place was with him. I took the first flight out, and so started a
3-week rollercoaster which I will never forget….
The first week was spent taking care of my stepfather and
his affairs in Canada, and preparing an urgent flight for him to
Germany, where he wanted to be with his son before death, and
be buried. Accomplishing this last request proved to be a real
challenge, as his health was deteriorating rapidly and he could
no longer walk and could barely sit—but we did it! At the end
of an 18-hour odyssey through car drives, airport stays and a
trans-Atlantic flight, my stepfather arrived safely at a hospital in
the German town where his son lives.
There he benefitted from good palliative care for two more days, after which
he peacefully passed away. The funeral
was simple but beautiful, reflecting the
Christian faith which my stepfather had
and which he had recently renewed. For
just a few days earlier, I had the privilege
of praying with my stepfather as he made
peace with God by asking forgiveness
for his sins and inviting Christ into his
heart. My stepfather’s last 10 years of
unceasing devotion and care for my sick
mother were recognized by many. “We
know that we have passed from death to
life, because we love our brothers [and sisters],” (1John 3:14).
A day after the funeral, after scrambling to assist with the
bureaucratic challenges in Germany, I flew back to Canada to
see my sick mother, organize her care, and finish up the many
loose ends left there. Finally, a few days later I returned to Kenya.
This “odyssey,” which had taken me on six intercontinental
flights in three weeks, had been very stressful and emotionally
tough, yet precious and unforgettable. “Precious in the sight of
the LORD is the death of his saints,” (Psalm 116:15). I want
to thank Dita’s family, my step-brother and his wife, and all the
friends who prayed for and provided for me during this time.
But the “valley of the shadow of death” had unfortunately
started even before the visit to my stepfather…. Just two days
Y
108
before the flight, I had a horrible car accident in Nairobi. While I
was driving normally into town, a young inebriated man jumped
in front of the car, too close even for breaking or veering away.
In a terrible moment, the man was gravely injured, and soon
passed away in a nearby hospital. I spent the rest of that fateful
day in several police stations, contemplating potential jail and
future consequences. Yet in those very low moments God stayed
so near, and many friends provided practical help, advice, prayer
and encouragement. While this saga will undoubtedly continue,
I was released that day and allowed to attend to my stepfather.
We have also attempted to help the family of the deceased with
funeral expenses. This tragic event and its burden will remain
engraved in my mind, but so also will God’s powerful presence
through it. “Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your
rod and your staff, they comfort me,” (Psalm 23:4).
In the meanwhile, we are also praising God for...
• Our boys, who fill us with joy. Daniel recently had one of
his poems accepted into an international youth poetry collection
(which you can read at the end of the newsletter), while Chris
excelled in basketball, with his team winning a national junior
high tournament. Both boys are happy and fulfilled at Rift Valley
Academy.
• Good surgical help: Dan was able to work again in February alongside the cleft team, who operated on over 80 children
with cleft lip and palate. And when he had to leave suddenly, he
left behind an excellent surgical resident
from Ontario to help with the work.
Please pray with us for..
• Care for Dan’s mother—without
Dan’s stepfather’s daily presence, his
bed-ridden mother will be lonely in
the long-term care hospital in Ontario.
Please pray for guidance as we make plans
for her ongoing care.
• The aftermath of the accident—pray
for God’s comfort to the bereaving family, wisdom for us in how to help them,
and a smooth journey through Kenya’s
legal system.
• The busy clinical months ahead—with three weeks of
surgeries postponed and home assignment coming up in July,
the next few months will be full for both Dita and Dan.
• Home assignment plans: please pray that we will be Spiritguided over the next few months as we start scheduling our
home assignment (furlough).
Which brings us to a request: we would love to share with
many about our part in God’s ministry in Kenya. So if your
group or church would like to hear about it, please let us know
so that we may start scheduling our time in North America.
We anticipate being available for ministry, God willing, mostly
during September and October 2007
      Vol 32 No 6 6 We want to thank you again for your partnership with us,
especially through the tougher recent weeks. At the other end
of the valley is always God’s loving presence, as King David
recognized:
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness
and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in
the house of the LORD forever.” (Psalm 23:5,6)
Also, we wish you a belated blessed Easter!
Serving together the Good Shepherd,
Dan, Dita, Daniel & Christopher Poenaru
The Dark Forest
An award-winning poem by Daniel Poenaru
A canopy of green leaves as thick as molasses blocking out most of the sun.
The shiny, slim, scary white skeleton of some poor
soul who got lost.
Silly monkeys as happy as a boy on his birthday.
Deer running frantically that are scared mice.
Smelly rotting wood that calls out in an anguished
voice of death.
The musky, moldy, musty smell of a slippery snake.
The small hint of wind that is a mere touch on my
face.
The crunchy dead leaves beneath my feet that are
like crackers.
A tasty, fresh, yet flawed mushroom.
A ripe, rosy, raspberry from a bush.
I fell distressed to be in such a lonely place.
If you would like to find out more about or contribute to our
ministry please contact:
Africa Inland Mission Int’l Canada, 1641 Victoria Park Avenue,
Scarborough, ON M1R 1P8
Prayer Update
Mark and Gretchen
Potma
April 2007
S
outh City
Church is hosting “Life Song,” our
spring Family English Weekend which
starts today. Please
pray:
• For our team
of teachers who have
come from Sweden, Canada, France and England to help us.
PRAY for good opportunities to share their faith.
• For our two speakers, Stewart Webster from TEAM Sweden
and Robert Filip, pastor of South City Church. PRAY for the
Holy Spirit to use their words.
• For our team of Czech believers who will be engaging
participants in spiritual discussions, leading singing and helping
with children. PRAY for meaningful relationships that will point
people to Jesus.
The Hotel Astra in the 10th
district has recently informed
us that their conference room
will no longer be available to us
for our outreach activities in the
10th district of Prague.
Please pray for a smooth
transition of all of our classes,
clubs and courses to South City
Church until the end of May.
We are planning to rent a
ministry location in the heart
of the 10th district starting in September. Pray that God would
lead us to the right place.
Praise God with us for the amazing school year we have had
at the Hotel Astra, for the many blessings we have experienced
there and for those who have come to faith in Christ in that
conference room.
Singing His praises,
Mark and Gretchen Potma, Luke, Noemi, Benjamin, Elise

Editorial… Pokračování ze strany 98
ani silou, nýbrž mým duchem, praví Hospodin zástupů.“ (Ekumenický
překlad)
Jaká je tedy interpretace tohoto slova pro člověka 21. století?
Důležitá je motivace. Můžeme se snažit sebevíc, ale bez zmocnění
duchem samého Hospodina nedokážeme nic. Motivace je důležitá k
uskutečnění plánů a předsevzetí. Jsme si jisti naší motivací? Čí zájmy
ta naše motivace sleduje? Odpovězme si každý sám v souvislostí s
posláním na této Zemi.
Hluboce si uvědomuji, že bez zmocnění duchem Božím všechny
snahy vyzní naprázdno. To znamená, všechny snahy se rovnají nule,
      Vol 32 No 6 6
není-li do nich zapojen Pán Bůh. Jinými slovy: není-li sledována
oslava Božího jména. A jaká je interpretace do osobního života?
Nezáleží na tom, jaké vynakládáš úsilí, jaký je tvůj intelekt, není-li
Pán Bůh centrem tvého života, nedocílíš v podstatě ničeho.
Duch Hospodinův, zjevený v Pánu Ježíši Kristu, který svůj život
položil za každého člověka na této Zemi, pomůže člověku uskutečnit
i to, co se vzdánlivě může zdát nemožné.
„Ne mocí ani silou, nýbrž mým duchem, praví Hospodin zástupů.“
Zachariáš 4; 6b
Šéfredaktorka Nataša Legierská

109
Rev. Miloš Šolc, Sr.
September 29, 1911–January 15, 2007
P
astor Miloš Šolc, Sr., was born in Brno, Czech Republic, to
purchased, and construction of a new church at the pastoral station
a very poor family: a tailor named Joseph Šolc and his wife,
in Jablonec/Nisou was started. In the Liberec Baptist Church he
Aloisie, née Mlčochová. Right from a very young age, Brother
served until 1971, when he reached retirement age and was told that
Šolc had to help his family with his occasional earnings at the tennis
state authorities were expecting him to go into retirement. However,
because he was still full of strength and energy, leaving the pastoral
courts. There arose his first opportunity to devote himself to the sport
work did not enter his mind. He was put into retirement against his
of tennis. Thanks to his talent, he became a tennis coach at the age
of 14 and gradually enjoyed considerable success in this sport. From
will, but not even that could make him simply fold his hands. He
18 years of age to the beginning of WWII, Brother Šolc regularly
visited a number of churches of the Baptist Union and served there
participated in the professional world championships, which were
preaching the Word. Late in 1979, the Czechoslovak Baptist Church
in Toronto invited him to become an interim pastor, which lasted
at first held on the French Riviera and later in Berlin.
until August 1980.
Where spiritual development was concerned, his mother influ Pastor Šolc always had an excellent
enced this part of his life. She went to
the Baptist Church on Smetana Street
relationship with the young generain Brno with her children. There she
tion. He also had a large part to play
made the decision to follow Jesus.
in renewing the tradition of children’s
In1922, she was baptized and became
camps. These were organized from
a member of the church. Through this,
1947 in Orlické hory (mountains) by
Cyril Burget, who was the pastor of the
Miloš also came under the influence
of God’s Word and His people. After
Vinohrady Baptist Church in Prague at
a period of searching and battling
the time. Brother Miloš Šolc opened
spiritually, Miloš experienced a rebirth
the doors of his own cottage in Jizerské
hory (mountains), to be at the camp’s
through the Holy Spirit in 1929. He
was baptized by Pastor Karel Jersák
disposal and to serve various purposes of
and became an active member of the
the Baptists of all Czechoslovakia at the
same time. He organized a publication
Brno congregation.
Rev. Miloš Šolc welcomes Billy Graham in Prague 1982
During his professional tennis
of a Czech modern translation of the
career in Prague, he became acquainted with his future wife, BohuNew Testament, “Slovo na cestu,” and had a whole range of activities to meet the needs of all Baptists, especially their pastors. After
mila Bertlová. He witnessed to her about his faith and invited her
to a Baptist gathering. She believed in the Lord Jesus Christ as her
years of serving, his congregation proposed to have him elected to
personal Savior and in 1941 was baptized by Joseph Tolar, pastor of
the General Council, but his candidacy was regularly rejected by the
Czech government because of his opinions and his radical position
the Vinohrady Baptist Church. They were united in holy matrimony
that same year, and four children were born to them – Miloš (1942),
on the relationship between church and state.
twins Joseph and Bohumila (1943), and Renata (1947).
For a number of years, Pastor Šolc was president of the Historical
Committee for happenings in the Baptist Union, Czech section. Its
Brother Miloš Šolc was fully immersed in church work during this
time, and in addition to other activities was also the youth leader and
members were Dr. Jozef Hovorka and Mgr. Vlastimil Pospíšil. This
lay pastor in the church from 1941.
committee contributed to the publication of the anniversary book
of the Vinohrady Baptist Church in Prague, “100 Years of Life with
For a short time after WWII, Brother Šolc had his own business
and was active in tennis (i.e., as a coach of the Yugoslav national tennis
Faith.”
team). He completed his school studies (gymnasium), graduating in
Translated by Elizabeth Fields (Legierski) from “Pastors of Baptist
1950. That same year, at age 38, he began his studies at the Comenius
Union in the Czech Republic”
Theological Faculty in Prague. He finished in1954. In 1957, he became
the pastor of the Vinohrady Baptist Church in Prague. He performed
his work with such drive and passion, his characteristic qualities, that
under his leadership, the church was spiritually strengthened and
swelled to 252 members. Unfortunately, due to an order from state
Please write to:
authorities, Brother Šolc had to abandon this blossoming work on
September 30, 1963.
Glorious Hope
It was not until the spring of 1964 that he received permission to
Rt.4, Box 58D
carry out pastoral service in the Lovosice Baptist Church. He served
Philippi, WV 26416 USA
in this congregation and at Litoměřice, Děčín, and Svádov until1968.
Include your mailing label from a recent
He then accepted the pastorate of the Liberec Baptist Church.
issue of Glorious Hope for faster service.
With his help, a house that could be used for church purposes was
MOVING ?
110
      Vol 32 No 6 6 Mgr. MILOŠ ŠOLC st.
29. 9. 1911–15. 1. 2007
B
ratr kazatel Šolc st. se narodil v Brně ve velmi chudé
zakoupen dům pro účely sboru a započata stavba nové modlitebny
rodině krejčího Josefa Šolce a jeho manželky Aloisie,
v kazatelské stanici v Jablonci nad Nisou. V Liberci působil do
rozené Mlčochové. Již od útlého mládí musel vypomároku 1971, kdy dosáhl důchodového věku a kdy mu bylo sděleno,
hat své rodině příležitostným výdělkem na tenisových kurtech.
že státní správa počítá s tím, že odejde do důchodu. Byl plný sil a
Tam se mu naskytla první příležitost věnovat se tenisovému
energie a na odchod z kazatelské služby nepomýšlel. Do důchodu
sportu. Díky svému nadání se stal již svých čtrnácti letech
byl dán proti své vůli. Ani potom však nesložil ruce v klín. Navtenisovým trenérem a v tomto sportu postupně dosáhl značných
štěvoval řadu sborů naší Jednoty a sloužil tam kázáním Slova.
úspěchů. Od svých osmnácti let až do začátku druhé světové
Na sklonku roku 1979 jej pozval sbor Československé baptistické
války se pravidelně zúčastňoval profesionálních mistrovství
konvence v Torontu k dočasné kazatelské službě, která trvala do
světa, která se konala nejdříve na francouzské riviéře a později
srpna 1980.
v Berlíně.
Bratr kazatcl Miloš Šolc st. měl vždy výborný vztah k mladé
Na duchovní vývoj mlageneraci. Měl velký podíl na
dého Miloše měla podstatný
obnovení tradice dětských tábovliv především jeho maminka.
rů, které již od roku 1947 pořáChodila s dětmi do brněnského
da1 v Orlických horách tehdejší
baptistického sboru na Smetakazatel pražského sboru Cyril
nově ulici, zde se rozhodla pro
Burget. Bratr Miloš Šolc dal k
cestu za Pánem Ježíšem. V roce
dispozici k tomuto účelu svoji
1922 byla pokřtěna a přijata za
chatu v Jizerských horách, která
členku sboru. Tím se i Miloš
zároveň sloužila i k nejrůznějším
dostal do obecenství a pod vliv
účelům celé BJB. Organizoval
Božího Slova. Po období hledání
vydání českého moderního přea duchovních bojů prožil v roce
kladu Nového zákona „Slovo na
1929 znovuzrození z Ducha
cestu“ a měl celou řadu aktivit
svatého. Byl pokřtěn kazatelem
ve prospěch potřeb BJB a zvlástě
Karlem Jersákem a stal se aktivjejich kazatelů. Po léta býval sboním členem brněnského sboru.
ry navrhován k volbě do Ústřední
Při svém profesionálním tenisorady starších, ale jeho kandidátka
Rev. Miloš Šolc welcomes Billy Graham in Prague 1982
vém působení v Praze se seznábývala pravidelně církevními
mil se svou budoucí manželorgány zamítána pro jeho názory
kou Bohumilou Bertlovou. Svědčil jí o své víře, zval ji do
a zásadní postoje ve věci vztahu církve a státu.
shromáždění baptistů, ona uvěřila v Pána Ježíše Krista jako
Řadu let byl předsedou historické komise pro dějiny BJB české
svého Spasitele a byla v roce 1941 pokřtěná kazatelem vinosekce, jeho členy byli Dr. Jozef Hovorka a Mgr. Vlastimil Pospíšil.
hradského sboru Josefem Tolarem. V témž roce pak spolu
Tato komise přispěla k vydání knížky k vyročí pražského sboru
uzavřeli manželství, v němž se jim narodily čtyři děti—Miloš
„100 let života víry“.
(1942), dvojčata Josef a Bohumila (1943) a Renata (1947).
Bratr Miloš Šolc byl v té době již plně zapojen ve sborové
práci a vedle jiných aktivit byl i předsedou mládeže a od roku
1941 laickým kazatelem ve sboru.
Check our NEW Convention Web page:
Po válce krátkou dobu podnikal a byl nadále činný v tenisohttp://czslbaptconv.ab.edu
vém sportu (např. jako trenér jugoslávského reprezentačního
tenisového družstva). Doplnil si své základní vzdělání studiem
na gymnáziu ukončeném maturitou v roce 1950. V témže roce
ve věku 38 let začal studovat na Komenského evangelické bohoslovecké fakultě v Praze. Studium dokončil v roce 1954. V roce
1957 byl zvolen kazatelem pražského vinohradského sboru.
Svou práci konal s nasazením a zápalem pro něj příznačným,
takže za jeho působení se sbor duchovně posílil a rozrostl se
až na 252 členů. Žel na příkaz státních orgánů musel tuto
rozkvétající práci k 30. 9. 1963 opustit.
Teprve na jaře 1964 dostal státní souhlas k výkonu kazatelské služby ve sboru v Lovosicích. Ve sboru a v jeho stanicích
Litoměřicích, Děčíně a Svádov sloužil do roku 1968. Pak přijal
kazatelskou službu ve sboru BJB v Liberci. S jeho pomocí byl
      Vol 32 No 6 6
111
Cora St. John Mazanec
October 12, 1930 – September 13, 2006
C
ora St. John Mazanec went
home to be with the Lord on
Wednesday, September 13, 2006.
The memorial services for her were
held at First Baptist Church, Portland, Tennessee, and at the Immanuel (Bohemian) Baptist Church
cemetery, on September 16.
In 1930 Cora was born to Donald
and Carrie St. John in Schenectady,
New York. She was the oldest of five
children, with three brothers and one sister. She was preceded
in death by her parents and her son, David Mazanec.
Richard F. Mazanec and Cora met at Wheaton College,
Wheaton, Illinois. After graduation in 1953, they were married in 1954. Cora and Richard served the Bohemian Baptist
Church in Portland, Tennessee, for four years while Richard
was attending SBTS in Louisville, Kentucky. They were then
led of the Lord to serve as missionaries to the Masaryktown
Baptist Church in Masaryktown, Florida, for six years. It was
during those years that they were blessed with the birth of
four children (three boys and one girl). The Home Mission
Board, SBC (now known as the North American Mission
Board) moved them to Cicero, Illinois, where they served
for 1½ years before returning to Tennessee. It was there that
they both taught school for twenty-five years before retiring in
1993. Cora taught most of those years as a reading specialist
in the elementary school.
As a devoted wife, mother, friend and helpmate, Cora was
a good natured, multi-talented lady who knew and loved the
Lord. Her musical and Bible-teaching abilities were recognized and appreciated by many people, including her family
and church friends as well. She served the Lord with gladness
and will be missed by many. Ovarian cancer snatched her away
from us, and we do grieve… but not as those who have no
hope (1 Thess. 4:13).
Richard F. Mazanec
William Megat
March 15, 1932 – February 21, 2007
Ellen Megat
July 24, 1935 – February 21, 2007
W
illiam Samuel and Ellen Louise Heller Megat both died
accidentally on Wednesday, February 21, 2007.
Ellen was born July 24, 1935, in Union City to the late Lewis
and Ellen Hellyer. In addition to her parents she was preceded
in death by two brothers, James and Lewis II. She is survived
by a brother, Earnest Hellyer, of Hoodsport, Washington.
112
William was born March
15, 1932, in Richmond, Virginia, son of the late John
and Julia Megat. He was
preceded in death also by a
brother, Joseph Megat, and
a sister, Sadie Megat Hendrickson. He is survived by a
brother, John Megat, and his
wife Shirley; a sister, Virginia
(Tina) Elder, and her husband Bill, all of Union City;
and also a sister, Judy Megat
Roberts, and her husband Art, of Panama, N.Y.
The couple was married on May 5, 1951. They had been
very active members of the Harmony Baptist Church for many
years. William had retired from Lord Corporation of Erie after
over a quarter century of service. He was also a lifelong master
carpenter. Ellen devoted her life to her husband and family.
The couple delighted in traveling the country extensively to
visit points of interest and to enjoy their family.
They are survived by their two daughters, Bonnie Cross and
her husband Vincent, of Union City; and Sharon Harbaugh
and her husband Glenn ,of Homer, Alaska. They are further
survived by four grandchildren, Michael Cross and his wife
Stephanie, of Harbor Creek; Victoria Cross of Pittsburgh;
Glenn Harbaugh III of King George, Virginia; and Megan
Harbaugh of Homer, Alaska. In addition the Megats will be
sadly missed by their five great-grandchildren.
Anna Sztušková
24. 6. 1918 – 14. 12. 2006
A
nna Sztušková sa narodila do
rodiny Czinege v maďarskom
Szöde. Ako 18–19 ročná prijala Pána
Ježiša Krista ako svojho osobného
Spasiteľa. Po 2. svetovej vojne sa
spolu s manželom a synom Michalom
presťahovali na Slovensko, kde sa
manželom Sztuškovým narodil druhý
syn, Ondrej.
Po smrti svojho manžela sa Anna
Sztušková presťahovala v roku 1990 do Kanady a usadila sa v
rodine svojho syna Ondreja, majiteľa reštaurácie v ontarijskom
Meaforde. Takto mohla byť nablízku aj synovi Michalovi s rodinou, ktorý býva neďaleko od svojho brata Ondreja. Anna sa
s láskou venovala svojej najbližšej rodine v Kanade a bola vždy
pripravená pomôcť tam, kde to bolo najviac potrebné.
Pán Boh odvolal Annu Sztuškovú z časnosti do večnosti dňa
14. decembra, 2006 v požehnanom veku 88 rokov. Pohreb sa
konal v sobotu, 16. decembra v Meaforde. Na Annu Sztuškovú
s láskou spomína Československý baptistický zbor v Toronte.
      Vol 32 No 6 6 Odišiel Mirek Gabriel
3. 9. 1933 – 17. 3. 2007
M
irek Gabriel sa narodil v Nymburku v Českej Republike
dňa 3. septembra 1933. V roku 1954 sa vysťahoval cez
Rakúsko a Nemecko do kanadského Winnipegu. O sedem
rokov neskôr cestoval do Európy, kde vstúpil do stavu manželského
v novembri 1963 v Prahe. Potom sa spolu s manželkou Milenou
presťahovali do Toronta, kde sa
im narodili ich dve dcéry—Marta
a Helena.
Mirek vyznal svojho Pána a Spasiteľa Ježiša Krista v svätom krste
spoločne so svojou manželkou Milenou a dcérou Martou v roku 1979
v Toronte. Kazateľom, ktorý ich vtedy
krstil, bol Dr. Josef Šolc.
Pán Ježiš Kristus odvolal Mirka
Gabriela z časnosti do nebeského domova po vážnej chorobe dňa 17. marca 2007 vo veku 73 rokov. Spomienka
na brata Mirka sa konala v sobotu,
24. 3., v budove Československého
baptistického kostola v Toronte.
V Mirkovi Gabrielovi stráca Česká
a Slovenská komunita v Toronte láskavého a Pánu Bohu odovzdaného
človeka. Chýba nám ako sólista a spevák cirkevného spevokolu
i ako hudobník a zanietený športovec. V Mirkovi však odišiel najmä
priateľ, verný brat v Kristu, služobník v oblasti pastoračných návštev
a nadšený spolupracovník na Božom diele.
Takto si na Mirka Gabriela spomína dlhoročný návštevník Československého baptistického kostola a šéfredaktor časopisu Satellite,
ktorý si môžete prečítať na internetovej stránke www.zpravy.ca, Aleš
Březina:
Poznal jsem ho krátce po tom, co jsem v roce 1981, tuším, že to bylo
při příležitosti oslav výročí 28. října na Masaryktownu, slyšel oznámení,
že hymnu zazpívá pan Gabriel z Československého baptistického sboru.
Pro mne to bylo poprvé, ale nikoliv naposledy. Mirka Gabriela jsem
pak slyšel zpívat mnohokrát při různých příležitostech a nejen hymnu.
Nejčastěji však v Československém baptistickém kostele. Někdy sólově,
jindy ve sboru. V kufříku s sebou nosil trubku, na kterou při bohoslužbách častokrát hrál. Tehdy byl v kostele celý orchestr, kde hrál spolu
s Milanem Surým a dalšími. Jeho trubka dávala bohoslužbám zvláštní
atmosféru. V kostele bylo v osmdesátých letech tolik mladých lidí, že
Československý baptistický sbor byl schopen postavit nejen hokejové
(kde Mirek také hrál), ale i fotbalové mužstvo které konkurovalo tehdy slavnému Uragánu a v záloze vynikal neobyčejnou pohyblivostí a
pracovitostí právě Mirek. Na hřišti byl tichý, ale neobyčejně pracovitý.
Nesoustřeďoval na sebe pozornost. Bylo na něm vidět, že miluje pohyb.
Zřejmě mu však vyhovoval více individuální sport. Dával přednost jízdě
na kole a tenisu. Není tomu tak dávno, co ho při jízdě na kole, když šel
hrát tenis, srazilo auto. Vzal to s pro něj typickým humorem a jakmile
se trochu oklepal vrátil se zpět na kurty.
Jeho emigrace do Kanady byla kuriózní. Měl po tatínkovi rakouské
občanství a v Československu nemohl sehnat práci, ačkoliv se tam
      Vol 32 No 6 6
narodil. Nakonec se mohl vystěhovat a přes Rakousko sa dostal do
Kanady. Přestože nezanevřel na svou rodnou zem, četl s oblibou i
německé noviny, které vycházejí v Torontě, nosil s sebou do kostela
francouzskou bibli a s chutí prohodil pár vět italsky. Jeho život nebyl
jednoduchý. Těžce nesl obzvláště smrt dcery Martičky, která zemřela
krátce po narození jeho prvního
vnuka. Další čtyři vnoučata jsou
děti Helenky Bridge, jeho druhé
dcery.
Děti vůbec byly zvláštní kapitolou v jeho životě. Jestliže Mikuláš
nosí dětem bobóny jednou za rok,
archanděl Gabriel, jak jsem ho
občas přezdíval, je nosil každou
neděli a děti se nemohly dočkat
konce bohoslužeb a i když ještě
nebyla dozpívána poslední píseň,
už ho obklopily a Mirek na ně vždy
pamatoval.
Nestává se často, že člověk
odchází z tohoto světa vyrovnaně
a v pokoji. Vloni na podzim se u
něj objevila zrádná choroba. Ještě
zpíval jako jeden ze tří králů při
vánočním programu koled. Naposledy byl v kostele symbolicky na
Štědrý den. Pak již bylo vidět, že ho síly opouštějí. Jako kdyby pomalu
přecházel někam jinam. Vyrovnaně, smířen. Minulou neděli, když jsme
ho naposledy viděli, nevěděli jsme zcela jistě, jestli nás poznává; pouze
při francouzském pozdravu se jaksi rozpomněl, usmál se a dodal: „It
is OK!“
Následující neděli již bylo jeho místo v levé straně baptistického
kostela definitivně prázdné.
Celej rodine Mirka Gabriela, ako aj všetkým jeho priateľom,
známym a bratom a sestrám z torontského cirkevného spoločenstva
vyslovujeme úprimnú sústrasť.
Československý baptistický zbor v Toronte a kazateľ Ján Banko

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Editors
113
Ice Realm
Natasha Legierski
C
hristmas was over. Susan the squirrel didn’t even want
to believe that Christmas had already passed. Days full
of winter revelry, carefree moments by the Christmas
tree and at the dinner table in the presence of relatives were also
gone. For the first time in her short life, Susan realized how
quickly time passes.
School was once again in full gear, and the snow kept accumulating. The Squirrel home was completely surrounded by a
deep, even blanket of dazzling white that reflected the sun’s rays.
It was very cold, especially during the night. During the day, the
snow-covered branches became icicles. The whole landscape was
transformed into an icy kingdom. Susan looked out the door. It
was so beautiful! In Suzy’s eyes, it wasn’t
ice anymore. It was all crystal! Susan’s
imagination took off at full speed. She
was a queen in a crystal palace. There
stood her throne, and right beside it was
the ceremonial hall. Beautifully adorned
with colourful decorations, it was ready
to receive guests. She imagined that she
could hear fanfares welcoming special delegations. The guests entered and bowed
respectfully before Susan’s throne. Queen
Susan acknowledged their presence with
a gentle nod of the head and the banquet
could begin. “What’s going on in our
young lady’s mind that she is so deep in
thought?” said a voice beside Susan. It
was her mother, who had come over to
Susan and noticed her daughter’s facial
expression. Susan jumped. She realized
that she had abandoned herself to her
daydreams. She smiled. “Oh I’m just...”
she answered, and in actual fact, did not
really want to return to reality. “Just?” asked her mother. “I’m
just,” Susan continued, “imagining that I am a queen in an
icy country. Doesn’t it look like a crystal kingdom, mommy?”
“It certainly does,” answered her mother. “It truly is exquisite,
wherever you look, everything is crystal.”
They stood beside one another, delighting in the beauty of
the ice crystals. “It looks like an entirely new world,” thought
Susan’s mother. Then she remembered that in Sunday school,
she had already heard of a new world. Yes, the Bible speaks of a
new heaven and a new earth. Mother Squirrel turned to Susan.
She asked Susan if she knew that God in His goodness had
prepared a new Earth. “What will this new Earth look like? Will
there be trees, birds and people? Will everyone be there?” Susan
wanted to know. Her mother laughed. “Do you not like our
old world anymore? Let’s go into the kitchen. We’ll make some
hot chocolate and I will tell you all about it!” The little squirrel
114
looked once more at the magnificence before her, then turned
and hopped after her mother. After all, the cold was creeping
under her fur. She shook herself off in the entrance hallway, and
when she was all bushy, she looked like a little ball of fur. “Come
on, Princess, your hot chocolate is now ready,” called Susan’s
mother from the kitchen. The whole kitchen smelled like the
sweet hot chocolate. A very large book lay on the table. It was
the Bible. The Bible was open and Susan’s mother was flipping
through its pages. Susan poured herself a cup of hot chocolate
and sat herself comfortably down on a chair. Meanwhile, her
mother found what she was looking for. Susan, full of curiosity,
watched her. “The Bible is an old book,” she mused, “It was
written a very long time ago. How is it
possible that they wrote about a new
Earth so very long ago? I mean, at one
time even this Earth was new…” Her
thoughts were interrupted by the words
her mother read from the Bible: “No eye
has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind
has imagined what God has prepared for
those who love him.” (1 Cor. 2:9)
While they were sipping their hot
chocolate, the day began to darken.
Susan spoke with her mother about what
heaven would be like. All sorts of things
crossed her mind. Suddenly her mother
asked her a question: “Susan, do you
love God?” After a moment’s hesitation,
she replied that yes, she did love God.
“Surely everyone must love God, if he is
so good,” she added. Her mother looked
at her seriously, and then slowly said,
“You know, Susan, many people say they
love God, but that love for God can’t be
seen in their lives. They are mean to each other and have hard
hearts. They only worship him with their words. Anyone who
loves God wants to live like Jesus. God sent Jesus to Earth to
be an example for us. Jesus not only loved everyone, but he was
also an example for us, of obedience. He was obedient to his
Heavenly Father and carried out on Earth what he was sent here
to do. Yes, Susan, everyone who loves God also obeys him.”
It was high time to prepare dinner. Susan’s mother turned
on the light and began peeling the potatoes. “May I help with
something?” Susan asked. She wanted to keep talking with
her mother. Before dinner was ready, they talked about how
sometimes obedience is difficult, not only for children, but also
for adults. The important thing is to persevere, no matter what
happens!
Translated by Elizabeth J. Fields (Legierski)
Illustrated by Ben Nelson

      Vol 32 No 6 6 Ledové království
Nataša Legierská
A
bylo po vánocích. Veverce Zuzance se ani věřit nechtělo,
že vánoce jsou pryč. Dny plné zimních radovánek, bezstarostných chvil kolem vánočního stromku i prostřeného
stolu ve společnosti příbuzenstva, byly také pryč. Poprvé, ve svém
krátkém životě, si Zuzka uvědomila, jak rychle plyne čas.
Škola byla opět v plném proudu.
Sněhu stále přibývalo. Veverčin domeček byl celý zavátý. Sněhová pokrývka
se bělostně skvěla a odrážela sluneční
paprsky. Byla velká zima, zvláště v noci
mrzlo. Během dne sněhem obalené
větve zledovatěly. Celá krajina se proměnila v ledové království. Zuzka vyhlédla
ze dveří. To byla krása! V očích Zuzky
to už led nebyl. Byl to samý křišťál!
Zuzčina fantazie se rozběhla na plné
obrátky. Byla královnou v křišťálovém
paláci. Tam stál její trůn a hned vedle
byl slavnostní sál. Překrásně ozdobený
pestrou dekorací, byl připravený k přijímání hostů. Již je slyšet fanfáry na přivítání vzácných delegací. Hosté vchází a
uctivě se před Zuzčiným trůnem klaní.
Královna Zuzka jim jemným pokynem
dává najevo, že jsou přijati a hostina
může začít…. „Copak, že se tak naše
slečna zamyslela?“ zaznělo vedle Zuzky.
To maminka, která vyšla na zápraží, si
všimla Zuzčina výrazu tváře. Zuzka s
sebou trhla. Uvědomila si, že se oddala
svému snění. Usmála se. „To já jen
tak“, odpověděla a ve skutečnosti se jí
nechtělo vrátit do reality. „Jak?,“ ptá se
maminka. „Jen tak,“ pokračuje Zuzka,
„představuji si, že jsem královnou v
ledovém království. Nevypadá to jako
křišťálové království, maminko?“ „Jistě,
že vypadá,“ odpověděla maminka. „Je to skutečně překrásné, kam
oko pohlédne, samý křišťál.“
Stály vedle sebe a kochaly se krásou ledových krystalků.
„Vypadá to jako docela nová Země,“ pomyslela si maminka. Tu
ji napadlo, že už v nedělní škole slyšela o nové Zemi. Ano, Bible
hovoří o novém nebi a nové zemi. Maminka se otočila k Zuzance.
Zeptala se jí, zda-li slyšela o tom, že Pán Bůh, ve své dobrotě,
připravil novou Zemi. Zuzance se překvapením rozšířila očka.
„Jaká bude ta nová Země? Budou tam stromy, ptáci a lidé? Všichni
tam budou?“ chtěla vědět Zuzka. Maminka se rozesmála. „To se
ti ta naše stará Zem už nelíbí? Pojď domů, uděláme si kakao a já
ti něco o tom povím!“ řekla a šla do kuchyně. Veveruška se ještě
jednou podívala na tu nádheru a odhopsala za maminkou. Však už
ji také mráz zalézal pod kožíšek. V předsíni se oklepala, a jak byla
chundelatá, vypadala jako kulička. „Tak pojď princezno, kakao je
již hotové,“ volala maminka z kuchyně.
Opravdu, celá kuchyň voněla sladkým
kakaem. Na stole ležela velká kniha. Byla
to Bible. Byla otevřená a maminka v ní
listovala. Zuzka si nalila hrnek kakaa a
usadila se pohodlně na židli. Mezitím
maminka našla to, co hledala. Zuzka ji
zvědavě pozorovala. Bible je stará kniha,
uvažovala, vznikla velmi dávno. Jak je
možné, že už tak dávno se psalo o nové
Zemi? Kdysi dávno, pradávno byla tato
Země přece nová…. Ze zamyšlení ji vyrušila slova, která maminka četla z Bible:
„Co oko nevidělo a ucho neslyšelo, co
ani člověku na mysl nepřišlo, připravil
Bůh těm, kdo ho milují.“ (1. Kor. 2, 9)
Zatímco usrkávaly kakao, začalo se
venku stmívat. Zuzka s maminkou
hovořila o tom, jaké to asi v tom nebi
bude. Napadalo ji všechno možné. V
tom ji maminka položila otázku: „Miluješ Pána Boha, Zuzanko?“ Po krátkém
zaváhání odpověděla, že ano, Pána
Boha miluje. „Každý přece musí mít rád
Pána Boha, když je tak dobrý,“ dodala.
Maminka se na ni vážně podívala a
pomalu řekla: „Víš, Zuzanko, mnoho
lidí říká, že Pána Boha milují, ale není
to v jejich životě vidět. Jsou na sebe zlí
a mají tvrdá srdce. Jenom slovy Pána
Boha uctívají. Každý, kdo miluje Pána
Boha, chce žít podobně jako Pán Ježíš.
Pán Bůh poslal Pána Ježíše na zem, aby
nám byl příkladem. Pán Ježíš nejen, že měl všechny rád, ale byl
nám příkladem i v poslušnosti. Poslechl svého nebeského Otce
a vykonal na zemi to, co měl. Ano, Zuzanko, každý, kdo miluje
Pána Boha, ho také poslouchá.“
Bylo nejvyšší čas připravovat večeři. Maminka rozsvítíla a
začala škrabat brambory. „Mohu s něčím pomoci?“ zeptala se
Zuzanka maminky. Chtěla si s maminkou ještě povídat. A než se
večeře uvařila, hovořily o tom, jak je někdy poslušnost těžká nejen
pro děti, ale i pro dospělé. Důležité je však vytrvat, ať nás potká
cokoliv.
Ilustrace: Ben Nelson

      Vol 32 No 6 6
115
Czechoslovak Baptist Convention
Darko Siracki
W
ith less than two
months away, we
would like to invite
everyone to the 98th Annual
Czechoslovak Baptist Convention that will be held July
5-8, 2007, in Philippi, West
Virginia.
We are preparing youth
and children’s programs for
every morning of the convention. Saturday’s day trip
will be at a new location this
year. This park is little bit
farther from the Convention
grounds, but, we are told,
equally beautiful, and we are looking forward to it.
We hope to organize a small beach volleyball tournament
on a new sand court that was set up shortly after we left last
year’s convention.
Last year’s “Youth Night” was a great success and it did
receive very positive feedback. At our mid year meeting we were
asked to organize it again for Friday night at the convention.
If you have any kind of contribution or an idea for a “Youth
Night,” please prepare it and/or email it to [email protected]
Don’t forget your Bible, swimsuit, running shoes and soccer
cleats.
We hope that you are planning to come to this year’s convention and that you’re planning to be part of it…See you on
July 5th.
In Christ
Darko Siracki

Happenings at Grace Baptist in Windsor
I
n the New Year (2006), a number of the small groups formed
during 40 Days of Purpose continued to meet, study, fellowship and pray together. One group had taken on the preparation of the Christmas dinner for New Canadians,
anticipating the emerging ministry and service aspect
of small-group life.
On Sunday, March 5, we enjoyed the ministry
of Mark and Gretchen Potmas as they shared with
us concerning their ministry in the Czech Republic. Mark returned the following Tuesday evening
to speak to the Missions Committee regarding
short-term mission opportunities. These meetings
planted the seeds which are now sprouting in the
commitment to send a Mission Team to the Czech
Republic from Grace next summer (2007). The team
from Grace and another from Community Covenant
Church in Kansas, Missouri, will serve together in
the “English Camp” outreach of the churches in
Prague with which the Potmas are working.
Later in March during our Missions weekend (March 25–26),
we were blessed by the ministry of Phyllis Ortiz from the Dufferin
Community Centre in Toronto. Phyllis’ passion and practical expe-
116
rience with regard to ministry to New Canadians nourished a
growing vision of our church’s calling in this area.
On one Sunday evening in July and another in August,
under the rubric of Science in the Summer,
we watched two excellent videos: Unlocking
the Mystery of Life and The Privileged Planet.
Each presentation reminded us of the wisdom
of the Creator and the glory of Creation.
Creatures and the Cosmos alike are fearfully
and wonderfully made.
Four evenings in early August saw the
halls of Grace alive with the tramp of young
feet and the sound of children’s voices. After
a sabbatical in 2005, Vacation Bible School
was back. Nightly appearances during the
opening session of a “crazy professor,” his
bemused side-kick and endearing puppets
sent the children on their way to a fun-filled
program of Bible stories, crafts, music, snacks
and sports. A great host of volunteers worked side by side each
night helping everything to go smoothly.

      Vol 32 No 6 6 Czech, Moravian and Slovak Delicatessen
Pochoutky české, moravské a slovenské kuchyně
E
astern European food is unique. It is not only
the similarity of the language, but Czechs and
Slovaks also enjoy similar tastes in culture, food
and drink. Traditional dishes consist of fried or roasted
meat, usually pork or beef, with a simple sauce and served
with dumplings, potatoes, or sauerkraut. Czechs tend
to have their main meal
of the day at lunchtime.
In the evening, people
prefer a light dinner.
Big meals are usually
reserved for weekends.
One traditional Czech
dish is Knedlo-Vepřo-Zelo:
pork with dumplings and
sauerkraut. It should be
served with a glass of
beer, which makes Czech
the largest consumer
per capita of the “liquid
bread,” as beer is usually
called by Czechs. Czech beer and Moravian wine are
world-famous, and are an important part of the culture.
Much of the weekend social life occurs in and around
the local pubs and bars.
Everyone who attends the annual Convention in July
has the privilege of tasting this special dish, without the
beer however. The wonderful people in the university
cafeteria do a really good job of preparing this unusual
food, uncommon for Northern American cuisine. We
would like to encourage all ladies to try this specialty.
Please find one of the many favorite knedlo-vepřo-zelo
recipes:
6 servings
Prep: 25 minutes, Cook: 2 to 3 hours on 350°F
Pork roast
Ingredients
_ 11/2- to 2-pound boneless pork shoulder roast
_ 2 teaspoons caraway seeds
_ 1 teaspoon dried marjoram crushed
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_
_
_
_
_
_
/4 teaspoon salt
/2 teaspoon black pepper
1
/2 cup water
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon of red sweet paprika
1 bay leaf
3
1
Directions
Trim fat from meat. Place it in the baking pan. In a small
bowl, combine caraway seeds, marjoram, salt, red sweet
paprika and pepper. Add garlic and bay leaf. Sprinkle
evenly over the meat. Add water, put cover on, place it
in the oven and roast. Bake for 3–4 hours, occasionally
basting the meat with its own juices and adding hot water
if needed. After 2 hours turn meat over and roast until
soft. Suggestion: let the meat cool before cutting into 1/2
inch slices.
For the gravy, pour juices into a large measuring cup;
skim fat. Measure 11/4 cups juices, adding water if
necessary. In a small bowl combine water with flour
or cornstarch, and mix. In a small saucepan, bring
cooking juices to boil; reduce heat; stir in flour or
cornstarch mixture. Cook and stir until mixture has
thickened and is bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 more
minutes.
Sauerkraut
_ 1 32-ounce jar or two 16-ounce cans sauerkraut
_ 1 tablespoon cooking oil
_ 1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
_ 1 teaspoons caraway seed
_ 21/2 cups water
_ 1 teaspoon whole peppercorns
_ 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice
_ 1 small bay leave
_ 1/2 tablespoon sugar (optional)
_ flour for thickening
Directions
Drain sauerkraut. Heat oil in a large pot. Add onion,
cook and stir until onion is tender. Add sauerkraut, sugar,
caraway seed, peppercorns, allspice, bay leaves and water.

Continues on page 118
117
F
or some reason I came with new eyes to a very
familiar passage in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. I cannot tell exactly why this happened,
other than that I am preaching and pastoring in a
new place these days—Bradenton, Florida—after a
number of years as an overseer of churches in New
England. (Winter has been wonderful this year.)
Maybe it was the work of sermon preparation which
brought the fresh “light.”
In my particular denomination, we follow a
schedule of Scripture texts for worship Sunday by
Sunday. People all across our churches read, hear,
and think on the same verses of Scripture on any
given Sunday. One week recently, the epistle lesson from the
New Testament came from Philippians 3:4-16. It turns out to be
a “high octane” passage. Read it, and see if you think so also.
Especially the verses that talk about gains and losses in life. St.
Paul reflects on the advantages he had in his natural life—some
things easily acquired, some requiring a struggle. And for whatever reason, he came to a conclusion quite startling about the
substantial inventory of personal assets he achieved. Whatever
gains I had, these things I have come to regard as loss. Indeed, I
have suffered the loss of all things, and I regard them as rubbish.
Quite strong statements, but then St. Paul was no shrinking
wallflower.
What hit me so hard in his statement was the clear indication
that he was experiencing some losses because he was trying to
serve Christ with all his heart and strength. His downgrading of
significant benefits in life was, he said, “because of Christ.” So,
the bottom-line conclusion came to this: I want to know Christ!
Above everything else; beyond everything else; after everything
else, I want to know Christ!
He seems to be teaching that all “everything
else” items are finally discardable. In fact,
they will be taken away from us one way or
another. Many times I have visited someone in
an assisted-care center who once knew abundance in living—health, reputation, position,
assets, security, grand home(s), and so many
other material blessings. And now that individual had been reduced to double-occupancy
quarters with only those possessions at hand
which could be stored in a chest of drawers
and a small closet.)
In some ways (not all ways, by any means,
but nevertheless in important ways) life is a series of losses—
events, moments, and things that have now passed their time
with us. There will come a time when the most major loss of
all will occur. In the Philippians passage, Paul seemed to want
to confront us with a perspective on gaining and losing things
in life. The message goes roughly this way: What you presently
have in hand is not what you’ll command later, and certainly not
what you will take with you. Some things and someOne you really
do need. Concerning the remainder, however, practice letting it go
a little bit loose, won’t you? Get yourself practiced now while life is
still hot and high.
An old hymn out of Scandinavia goes directly to the point.
“Take the World, but Give Me Jesus, All Its Joys Are but a
Name.”
God bless all of us up and down the convention with hearts
open to God’s claims on what constitutes our living. Then God
grant us intentions to become more and more comfortable with
the patterns proposed in the Word.

Rev. Robert Dvorak
Delicatessen… Continues from page 117
Mix thoroughly. Bring the mixture to boil; reduce heat.
Cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Uncover and boil
gently for 15 minutes or until most of liquid is evaporated.
Sprinkle with flour and mix. Season as needed.
Dumplings (bread dumplings)
4 servings
1 lb coarse flour
salt
1 egg
20 g yeast (3 Tbsp dry yeast)
11/3 cups of milk (or water)
Pinch of sugar
3 day-old buns (or bread rolls)
118
In a small bowl, combine the yeast with warm milk (or
water) and sprinkle it with sugar. Let it rise. Sieve the
flour into a bowl, add salt, the egg, raised yeast, and mix
into a dough, adding more flour if necessary. Dust with
the flour, cover and leave to rise.
Dice the buns and work them into the risen dough.
Divide the dough into two parts. Roll each into a cylindrical dumpling. Place in boiling salted water and boil (or
steam) for 20–25 minutes. Take the dumplings out of
the water and cut them into 1/2 inch slices using strong
thread.
Serve with love and a smile!

      Vol 32 No 6 6 On a Good Friday
Judy Shoff
I
t was Good Friday afternoon, and we had
just flown in to Salt Lake City, where my
husband Don, who serves with Titus Ministries, was serving as an Intentional Interim
Pastor for a small church, while they conduct
their search for a new pastor.
We rushed around to be at the church
before the service began, so Don could get
his “cues” from the worship leader, and then
the service began. The somber music, the
meditative readings of Scripture, and Don’s
devotional message reminded all of us of the
sacrifice our Lord had made to bring us into
His family.
There was a 10-foot wooden cross propped up against the
platform down into the center aisle. Beneath the foot of the
cross were several hammers and a basket of four-inch nails.
The congregation was invited to come forward, take up a
hammer and pound a nail into the cross in remembrance of
what Jesus went through for us. Then quietly you were to
make your way to either side of the auditorium where communion was served. This was all done while the worship team
quietly sang appropriate worship songs.
Such a simple act! Yet it is one I will never, ever forget.
As I knelt beside that old cross and pounded that nail, I was
overcome with emotion, realizing in a very new way what a
horrible yet awesome ordeal our Savior went through to give
me abundant and everlasting life.
Jesus Christ, King of Kings, Lord of all Creation, gave up
His Heavenly home to pay the penalty for all the wrongs I
have done. He died for me!
Isaiah 53:5 reads: “He was pierced for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities: the punishment that
brought us peace was upon Him and by His wounds we are
healed.”
Why did He allow Himself to go through
such horror? Mocked, ridiculed, beaten,
stripped, and nailed to an old wooden cross.
He did it because He loves me, and He loves
you, and you and you!
We get so busy with the helter-skelter of life
that too often we just accept the theological,
analytical concept and we really forget - that
cross.
As I knelt beside that cross I thought of
Jesus’ torture and death, and the old song
from my childhood rang out loud and clear
in my heart and mind:
Jesus loves me this I know,
For the Bible tells me so,
Little ones to Him belong
They are weak, but He is strong.
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
Yes, Jesus loves me,
The Bible tells me so”
.
Don’t forget it!
When you’re feeling down, don’t forget it.
When you feel like you are alone and no one understands,
don’t forget it.
Jesus loves you, this I know!
I am looking forward to celebrating Jesus with all of you at
the Czechoslovak Baptist Convention July 5, 2007.
In the mean time, don’t forget, Jesus loves you!

Donations
All donation should be send in enclosed envelope.
The checks will be delivered to right financial secretaries. (Vera Dors, Henry
Pojman, Marija Sommer 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.
      Vol 32 No 6 6
 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