Participants at one of the ECCB training workshops supported by LWF. Photo: ECCB/Martin Balcar
Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren runs workshops to train, support, empower and connect lay moderators
(LWI) - An innovative training and networking project, initiated by Evangelical Church of the Czech Brethren (EECB), has been transforming the work of lay leaders, enabling them to collaborate more effectively with pastors for the successful running of parishes and congregations. Together with the pastors, lay moderators are responsible for the running and legal representation of EECB’s parishes and congregations.
A series of two-day training workshops, supported by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), is being offered for women and men serving as moderators in their parishes, to help them acquire the necessary skills, understand the scope and challenges of their work, and connect with others engaged in similar roles in parishes across the country.
“Moderators, together with the ministers, are key figures in our church,” said Simona Kopecká, a member of the church’s governing Synodal Council. “They manage congregations and bear responsibility for them, both to their members and to the wider public. They are volunteers, not employees, devoting a considerable amount of time to this work alongside their regular jobs and families. They deserve our support and attentive listening.”
The response to the meetings held so far has been overwhelmingly positive.
ECCB moderator and Synodal Council member Jiří Schneider
A key benefit of the workshops has been the development of connections among administrators of different congregations, noted moderator and Synodal Council member Jiří Schneider. “The relationships formed between them create a necessary network for cooperation among congregations – something that is especially needed in the current situation with gradually decreasing numbers of ministers.” He added: “The response to the meetings held so far has been overwhelmingly positive, moving from an initial climate of doubt and uncertainty to a feeling of regret that the sessions couldn’t last longer!”
The primary goal of the project is to conduct a thorough and systematic training for moderators of the approximately 250 congregations of the ECCB, enabling them to take care of the bulk of administrative work. This, in turn, aims to relieve the burden on pastors, who often take on these administrative activities at the expense of their main spiritual and pastoral work. As well as gaining a greater understanding of their rights and responsibilities, moderators will also expand their knowledge through shared practices and develop a strong network of specialized church staff who can cooperate and support each other.
Shared worship during one of the ECCB training workshops. Photo: ECCB/Martin Balcar
Strengthening connections by spending time getting to know each other is an important goal of the ECCB training workshops. Photo: ECCB/Martin Balcar
Group photo of participants at one of the ECCB workshops in Litoměřice. Photo: ECCB/Martin Balcar
More confident and competent administration of individual parishes will have a beneficial effect on the wider church, which currently numbers around 55,000 members. This in turn can bring benefits to the whole of Czech society, the organizers hope, by strengthening the church’s voice in the public square and raising the profile of its charitable work, including its humanitarian aid to Ukrainian refugees.
Over a three-year period, all the moderators within the ECCB will have the opportunity to take part in the workshops, which consist of shared worship, lectures, discussions, and other group activities. During that time, an ongoing evaluation of the training will offer opportunities to modify and improve the delivery of the workshops, which have been designed and implemented by church and university personnel, pastoral care specialists, psychiatrists and psychologists, as well as experts in management, finance and project management.
Kateřina Vojkůvková, moderator of the Dobříš congregation, just south of Prague, said that thanks to LWF’s support, the workshops have been able to “strengthen the bonds between congregations and also build trust in the leadership of the church.” She reflected: “Everyone needs to hear that their work is seen and valued, and these meetings are designed primarily as a time for gathering and sharing together. Thanks to these meetings,” she concluded, “we feel appreciated and gain inspiration for our future work.”
