Impressions from the East Moravian Seniorate

The East Moravian Seniorate is half the size (4,910 square kilometres) of the neighbouring Moravian-Silesian Seniorate, smaller than the Brno Seniorate, but in terms of the number of congregations (27) it is the second largest in the entire ECCB. The number of members (12,995) far exceeds all other seniorates. This is particularly evident in Moravian Wallachia, where the congregations are numerous and close together. I spoke to Michal Vogl, the Senior in Uherské Hradiště, about work and life in the seniorate.

How long have you been a Senior at the East Moravian Seniorate?

It's been three years since I was elected by the Seniorate Assembly.

Does it take a long time to familiarise yourself with the tasks of a Senior as an office holder?

It was a great advantage for me that I didn't throw myself headlong into the matter. Shortly after I joined the East Moravian Seniorate, I became a successor on the Seniorate Committee and then deputy to the Senior. So I learnt this task for a few years before it fell to me. Of course, I didn't know some things, but my predecessor Petr Pivoňka gave me a lot of insight into everything, and he was also conscientious in handing over the office to me. We had several meetings lasting several hours, so I felt that I was sufficiently informed. Of course, a few things came up over time that I had to deal with myself, but on the whole I became a Senior without any problems or pain.

What is encouraging and what is frustrating about being a Senior?

I was surprised to find that pastoral care is quite an enjoyable role for a Senior. Soon after I was elected, we had to deal with several personal cases between the congregation and the minister. There were some differences of opinion and I had a good feeling because they could be resolved amicably on a pastoral level. Of course, the good feeling was probably also due to the fact that everything turned out well. After a while, the flip side also emerged. I'm neither too strict nor too authoritarian, I don't want to push things forward like a bulldozer. I try to reach a consensus. But in one situation, some presbyters accused me of being bossy, and I thought that was a shame. In my opinion, an overbearing demeanour would look a little different. I have role models of seniors from my time in the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands, such as Luboš Kabíček or now Honza Keřkovský, and also our East Moravian seniors Honza Krupa or Petr Pivoňka - they are all people with a friendly and welcoming attitude. And that's exactly what I try to be.

The East Moravian Seniorate is the second largest in the ECCB. Do you know all the ministers personally?

Of course I know them. We see each other at all kinds of events, from pastoral conferences and the installation of new colleagues to various seniorate events, which we also prepare together.

Have you visited all the congregations of the seniorate? What do the visits look like?

I have definitely been everywhere, but not as a Senior. We have 27 congregations here and we divide up the visits in the Seniorate Committee, so I haven't been to all the congregations in the three years I've been visiting. We do the visits on Sundays, attend church services, always with a Senior or deputy and one of the lay members of the Seniorate Committee. If it is possible, our Seniorate Bookkeeper, Hanka Zbránková, also comes along. After the services, we have a chat with the elders, while the bookkeeper meets with the congregation's accountant and treasurer to check the congregation's books. Then I also look through the church books, where baptisms, weddings and funerals are recorded, and check them. Sometimes we end the visit with lunch together. So far, I have been lucky that the visits have been more or less orderly and friendly, and they have been enjoyable and inspiring. Many congregations do things that make me really happy. Be it interesting events, ideas, looking after churches or, for example, converting a barn into a meeting place.

What does the work with young people look like?

We have a Seniorate Minister, Jaruška Michnová, who is responsible for the youth. Although she only works part-time, she cooperates with the Seniorate Committee for Youth Work (SOM) and helps with the organisation of various events. I used to be responsible for youth as a member of the Seniorate Committee, and this interest has stayed with me. I occasionally go to the SOM meetings to keep up to date. I also enjoy going to seniorate-wide youth events to meet the young people and see what's going on. At the congregational level, it varies. Sometimes there are no young people, sometimes there are a few young people, sometimes there is a large group. The problem with big groups is that they kind of keep to themselves, they have enough programmes and events, and then they often don't come to the seniorate events. Even though they would have enough space to do it their way.

Do you have any idea how many congregations offer children's camps, congregational camps or something similar?

Most of the larger congregations organise camps for children in various forms - about a third of the seniorate congregations do. I know that Růžďka, for example, goes on a holiday together - even abroad, by the sea. And I'm sure there are more. I don't have a clear picture yet. We also have a certain peculiarity - ‘Zvonky Dobré zprávy’ (Bells of Good News), which is a carillon group between Kateřinice, Ratiboř and the American partner municipality. In addition to the ensemble's rehearsals and performances throughout the year, they organise a rehearsal retreat in the summer, which is actually a kind of camp.

Do people in the congregations know what the seniorate is good for?

The members of the eldership should know. They will certainly be confronted with it when a congregation asks for something or needs something done and has to turn to the seniorate. Conversely, the seniorate should be helpful to the congregations to make their work easier and more pleasant. For example, some time ago we created a table for the overview and collection of collections with all the account numbers and variable symbols so that every congregation has it to hand. We try to send everything electronically. Also, we agreed on a system last year at the Seniorate Assembly to support congregations that might have a problem with their personnel fund contributions. The amount would be paid from the interest income available to the seniorate. Two congregations that are able to increase their donations by 50,000 compared to last year will receive a further 50,000 from this income. It is a kind of long-term campaign by the seniorate with an incentive to encourage the small but active congregations. And maybe someone will realise that the seniorate is a good thing because they are trying to do something. The Seniorat Committee also tries to help staff congregations, find and select candidates and encourage smaller congregations to seek and have ministers. Of the 27 congregations, we only have four vacancies, with Aleš Rosický already elected in Valašské Meziříčí, who will take office in the summer of 2025. This is due to the good work of the elderships, but in some cases also to the good work of the Seniorate Committee. But the official dimension is one thing. More important are the seniorate events that people from the congregations come to. People meet up and strengthen the community.  Every year we organise the so-called SEN, the Protestant Seniorate Sunday.

We also have a meeting of the curators and vice curators and a presbytery conference. Jarka Michnová organises a separate meeting for Sunday school teachers with an interesting speaker. She also organised a meeting of ‘cetniks’, i.e. younger adults. The SOM regularly organises meetings for the seniorate youth. We also organise a multi-day holiday for the elderly at the ‘Sola Gratia’ house, which is now run by Pavel Šebesta.

Has the change in boundaries decided by the Synod affected the East Moravian Seniorate?

Our seniorate is not affected by the change, but we fought like lions at the Synod to ensure that nothing changes for us in this area! Originally, the East Moravian Seniorate was to be, if not dissolved, then fragmented and regrouped. We fought fiercely and defended continuity. The congregations in regions other than the Zlínský kraj have decided of their own accord that they want to remain part of the East Moravian Seniorate.

Do the congregations in your seniorate take up the offer of support within the framework of the ‘Diaconia and Development Projects’ or the ‘Jeronýmova jednota’?

They certainly do. Basically, the Jeronýmova jednota works everywhere, and very well. The congregations also think about this when it comes to special-purpose collections; we have really large collections for Jeronýmova jednota. We are slowly familiarising ourselves with the DARP system, and we talked about it at a trustees' meeting some time ago. It's important to pass on information, motivate and support the congregations, maybe even help with applications. I think that the number of congregations that have already applied and carried out a project is increasing. We recently helped with an application from Hodonín, and now they have done it for the second time. And there are congregations, such as Hošťálková or Ratiboř, that have a project every year. That's good.

Does one of the congregations co-operate with the Diaconia?

Yes, we have three facilities in the seniorate. There is a large combined centre in Valašské Meziříčí, the Diaconia in Vsetín, where a lot of work is also done, and a small centre in Uherské Hradiště. All the centres have cooperating congregations, and Valašské Meziříčí even has the seniorate as a cooperating organisation. The congregations mainly recruit volunteers, who then help out in the centres in various ways. In Uherské Hradiště, apart from the fact that I go to the facility every week, we mainly focus on fundraising activities or organising trips for the clients and various meetings in the rectory.

The East Moravian Seniorate is quite people-rich and diverse. Are there similarities between the congregations?

The seniorate covers several regions. Moravian Wallachia, Moravian Slovakia and even Haná. It is an area with a traditional connection to the church; what is no longer possible elsewhere is still alive here. This is a common feature and a kind of foundation. At the same time, it can be observed that the hilly Moravian Wallachia gives people more roughness and simplicity, while the flatness of Moravian Slovakia brings more lightness and a broad soul that doesn't care about some things. But the differences are also great elsewhere. In piety, for example. Or in the singing, especially in its tempo. In Javorník they sing from the old church hymns, while in Zlín Laďa Moravetz takes singing and church music in a new direction. The influence of folklore and the general respect for it is evident in some congregations. Some people come to festive services in traditional costume, and the choir sometimes performs in traditional dress.

Is there anything that the East Moravian Seniorate can offer others?

I don't know of any export products. If someone wants to be inspired by what we do, they can do so. We like to see what happens elsewhere. There is probably more piety here. That is an undeserved gift. But transplanting it elsewhere probably wouldn't work. What we might offer is some courage to get involved in things that don't seem to work. But in time they will! Not being scared to invest in people and things. Not to be afraid. An example: A quarter-time position for a seniorate minister seems like a small, almost useless investment, but it is not a wasted investment. It bears very good fruit. Or the fact that we have a Seniorate Accountant. Or the Seniorate Administrative and Pastoral Assistant who can even come and preach somewhere or deputise for me when I am on visitation. Also, we as the Seniorate Committee have now applied for a project to provide better training for preachers in the seniorate and to strengthen our fellowship and co-operation.

Can you think of anything else we should talk about?

As we are close to the Slovakian border, we have several pastors from Slovakia. And I think this trend will continue. At the same time, it is a bit of an ecumenical problem, because our church gives the impression that it is bringing these pastors here, although it has always been their personal decision. Then there are also issues of compatibility of theological training. But as far as I am concerned as a Senior, I will always support the inclusion of an interesting Slovakian minister in the seniorate family or events to bring people from the Slovak Protestant Church closer to us. We hold a joint pastoral conference with the Slovakian seniorates once a year. Now we have organised a theological conference. This can only enrich us.

Daniela Ženatá

Photo: Archive of the parish