IERS

Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies
Search

ECEN Christmas 2020

Share:

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Email
WhatsApp

The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel’, which means, ‘God is with us.’ (Matthew 1:23)

Christmas with its image of Christ born in Bethlehem confirms every year the core good new that has been brought to people of all time and on every place, that God is with us.
In spite of hardships and tragedies, surrounding difficulties and animosities, Jesus, an incarnated God, is the sign, as well as the visible proof of the fact that God has never gave up to be with us.
Corona pandemic has dominated minds of most of us for most of this year, causing unprecedented impacts on life of families, individuals, as well as communities we are living in. At the same time raises many questions about the return to previous normality. During last months we learned many skills, starting with online communication, getting accustomed to work from home and distant learning. We learned, however, also to appreciate more than before value of physical presence of those we love, value of friendships and family relationships, value of the world we are living in. Our minds have been at the same time increasingly occupying by numerous far reaching considerations like, when does it end?,  what will need to be changed in our way of life afterwards?, what will all of this mean for us?
Without knowing by now answers on these and other questions, corona pandemic is offering us the lesson our vulnerability and our dependency, inviting us to modesty and to appreciation of gifts we in many situations before thought are our rights.
Upcoming Christmas will be different in many respects to those of the past. In spite of limitations surrounding us in these days, we are invited to celebrate upcoming festive days with no less joy. Incarnated Jesus, bearing in His life the message that God is with us, gives us hope and confidence that we are able to face difficulties of this world, that we are able to uphold the message of love, liberation and compassion in order to sustain life.
In spite of hardships that are surrounding us in these days there are still enough reasons to sing Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill towards people!” (Luke 2:14).

Rev.Dr.Peter Pavlovic
ECEN Secretary

Leave a Reply

More to explorer

Berehovo gymnasium students learn to watch birds

Students from the “Opre Roma” gymnasium in Berehovo, including Roma children, recently visited the “Everyone Can Help” volunteer center for an educational excursion. Their goal was to explore the world of bird observation and learn about different bird nest structures and feeders. Leonid Pokrytyuk, an experienced ornithologist at the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies led them on this journey.

Fifth-graders of Rativtsi Gymnasium took part in the quest “Find Primroses”

Krystyna Solanska, a teacher at Rativtsi Gymnasium and an eco-activist of the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies (IERS), organized a search quest named “Find the Primroses” for 5th-grade students who learn in Hungarian. This activity aimed for the students to identify the first spring flowers in the school yard and nearby fields, and to practice saying their names in Ukrainian, English, and Hungarian.

Berehovo gymnasium students learn to watch birds

Students from the “Opre Roma” gymnasium in Berehovo, including Roma children, recently visited the “Everyone Can Help” volunteer center for an educational excursion. Their goal was to explore the world of bird observation and learn about different bird nest structures and feeders. Leonid Pokrytyuk, an experienced ornithologist at the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies led them on this journey.

Fifth-graders of Rativtsi Gymnasium took part in the quest “Find Primroses”

Krystyna Solanska, a teacher at Rativtsi Gymnasium and an eco-activist of the Institute of Ecological and Religious Studies (IERS), organized a search quest named “Find the Primroses” for 5th-grade students who learn in Hungarian. This activity aimed for the students to identify the first spring flowers in the school yard and nearby fields, and to practice saying their names in Ukrainian, English, and Hungarian.