Presbyterian World Mission supports Christian witness and service in the Czech Republic through partner churches and organizations and through our mission personnel, who work closely with these partners. Our mission co-workers there work with the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, which has more than 100,000 members in the country. The church operates 32 Diaconal Centers that offer extensive and much-needed social services for the impoverished.
The members of our partner church are recovering from the effects of 50 years of Communist rule in the Czech Republic. They need our assistance and solidarity in dealing with rapid changes in education, health care, environmental issues and social equality. They must find new places in society in their relationships to government and politics.
There is a significant minority of Roma (Gypsies) in the Czech Republic. The PC(USA) works alongside our partners to serve as a bridge between the Roma and the majority population. We encourage the Czechs to share the lessons of faith they have learned as they persevered through five decades of Communism.
Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren
Ecumenical Council of Churches in the Czech Republic
Conference of European Churches
The Conference of European Churches is a regional ecumenical organization. The movement that led to the creation of the CEC dates back to the Cold War, when a group of church leaders brought into conversation churches in European countries separated by different political, economic and social systems. CEC has sought to build bridges not only between Eastern and Western Europe but also been between minority and majority churches and between Christians of different confessional traditions.
Czech Republic Mission Network
The Czech Republic Mission Network is among more than 40 networks that connect Presbyterians who share a common mission interest. Most participants are involved in mission partnerships through congregations, presbyteries or synods. Network members come together to coordinate efforts, share best practices and develop strategies. For information about the network or our work in the Czech Republic, contact Lacey Gilliam, Mission Specialist for the Middle East and Europe, Presbyterian World Mission, lacey.gilliam@pcusa.org.
