Our church met at Gellert Hill in a park just below the Citadel and overlooking the Danube River, with about 150 people gathered together for the Easter celebration.
I think that mingling on Sundays can be a little tricky with this group--when everyone looks so ethnically similar, you can't tell by appearances who speaks which language. There's a strange barrier that seems to loom between the English and Hungarian speakers, somewhat intimidating to the newcomer who doesn't speak both languages easily...um, like me. Conversations are just more of a challenge and it's all too easy to not reach out and try sometimes.
In light of that dynamic, the most meaningful point in the service for me was Communion. We stood in one large circle in the park, Hungarians and "North Americans" alike (have to represent the Canadians, too), and passed around the bread and wine, together as one body. The beauty of the day, the beauty of the moment--I will not forget the profoundness of singing together as one (in Hungarian, of course) "How Great Thou Art."
HE has overcome the barriers. HE is worthy to be praised!
PHOTO: Bethany (MK), me and Orsi (Hungarian friend)
2 comments:
He is risen indeed! Looked like a beautiful day. So glad you were able to participate in a communion service. No language barrier there!
yeah, i TOTALLY relate to the language-barrier mingling at church thing. it takes awhile to figure out who speaks English well and who only speaks... well, in your case- hungarian. ahhhhh, culture stress...!
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