Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship

The Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship (HEF = Magyarországi Evangéliumi Testvérközösség – MET) is a church of Methodist confession, member of the universal Church of Jesus Christ. The Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship accepts spiritual affinity with the Methodists of the 18th century and of Methodist churches of today, who have preserved this heritage. The church was registered in Hungary on the 1 October 1981. Its founders separated from the Hungarian Methodist Church (Magyarországi Metodista Egyház – MME) in 1974–75.[1]

Dogmas of the church

The church accepts the so-called Apostles' Creed, agrees with the common recognition of the German and Helvetian reformation, and confesses dogmas which were composed by John Wesley, based on the 39 articles of faith of the Anglican Church. The Fellowship confesses Jesus Christ as its Savior. In complete conformity with the recognition of the reformation, the only norm for its faith and Christian life is the Holy Scripture. It wants to fulfill its mission as a Christian church by trusting the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Its calling is to preach the Word of God in words and in writing, to provide spiritual care for its members and support all that want to be converted and need and accept its service. It considers its duty to encourage the poor, needy, disabled and weak and help the endangered to the best of its abilities.[2]

Foundation of the church

In the 1970s members of HEF, due to inner tension created by the dictatorial powers in the Hungarian government and its state security and also because the church leaders of the MME collaborated with communist party-state elements, were forced to do their ministerial activities in a new community, while they exposed themselves to police and administrative harassments – dislodgement, their church service premises were taken, suspended imprisonment sentences, etc. This outcast group went to extremes to formally protect their Methodist identity. In addition to using other symbols, their original name request in Hungarian originally contained the word "Methodist". However, the State Office for Church Affairs (Állami Egyházügyi Hivatal) refused to let them use that name since there was already a Methodist denomination in Hungary. So the acronym of the name they did choose, Magyarországi Evangéliumi Testvérközösség, is the first three letters of the word Methodist.[3]

Constitutional arrangement

The main ecclesiastical board of the church is the National Assembly led by the president of the Church. The members of the National Assembly are fully ordained pastors and lay delegates of the congregations. Assistant ministers have the right of consultation at the National Assembly. Members of the church are gathered in congregations of various sizes. Smaller congregations are often grouped into larger congregations. These larger congregations are grouped into church districts. The head of the congregation is the pastor, employed by the church, or a person, authorized by the president of the church. A small congregation can be formed where at least 10 members or candidates for membership ask for its establishment. When smaller congregations form one congregation, the territory of the congregations is established by the president. The life of the congregation is directed by the pastor employed by the church, or a person, authorized by the president and the Parochial Assembly.[4]

On the current status of the church and other Methodist-derived churches in Hungary see the Methodism article.

Congregations

Educational Institutes

Homes for the Elderly

Homeless Care Institutes

Temporary Hostel for Men, Temporary Hostel for Women, Night Shelter, Communal Kitchen, Heated Street, Temporary Home for Families, Hospital.

Additional Institutes

References

  1. ↑ Fellowship site: . College site: ; MME site All in Hungarian. Retrieved 18 September 2011. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  2. ↑ "MET Manual - Dogmas" (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  3. ↑ "MET website – The beginning" (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  4. ↑ "MET Constitutional and Functional Regulation" (PDF) (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2012-02-19.
  5. ↑ "MET website" (in Hungarian). Retrieved 2012-02-19.
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