Programmes for Churches
Kirchen helfen Kirchen
„Kirchen helfen Kirchen“ is a program to support Churches who need it and their programs worldwide. It helps the Churches of different denominations to become aware and implement their pastoral and service duties. More, “Kirchen helfen Kirchen” promotes projects that deepen ecumenical cooperation.
As a program of interchurch solidarity, “Kirchen helfen Kirchen” was established in the mid 50s by the evangelical Churches in Germany and is carried on by them up to this day.
In the last two decades the challenge of diakonia faced Churches in Romania as well in the Central and Eastern Europe in outstanding ways. The collapse of the social-economic system brought to the surface in Romania a wide range of unmet needs in the society and the Churches were prevented from undertaking diaconal activities for more than 40 years, had few structures and little experience for this. Therefore, AIDRom partners and, in particular Diakonisches Werk via its Kirchen helfen Kirchen program sustained and is further needed for the establishment of new church related social-assistance structures or to support pilot projects in areas with little expertise.
Projects implemented in 2008:
1. The ecumenical comission
This project was implemented directly by AIDRom with the guidance of AIDRom’s Ecumenical Commission.
As the main objective of this program is to nurture ecumenical dialogue by restarting the inter-theological local dialogue in Romania and by focusing on major ecumenical themes (WCC 60th Anniversary 1948-2008, Evaluation of Sibiu EEA3 Assembly 2007 and others), AIDRom Ecumenical Commission targeted most of its objectives in this year. The activities were reported in the Administrative Councils on the agenda of the ecumenical issues or by specific reports dedicated on the Ecumenical Commission and Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 2008.
In relation to the EAA3, Sibiu, 2007, AIDRom produced four booklets edited by the Ecumenical Commission, the last one- no. 8 being published in the series of the Ecumenical Commission, both as preparatory material and evaluation.
2. FURNITURE FOR CRANGU MONASTERY
Mânăstirea St. Galaction of Crangu, Teleorman County, Alexandria bishopric, Crangu locality is the shareholder of this project. After the complete renovation of the cells which were reshaped for monks and pilgrims the project consisted in equipping the building with furniture (20 beds and other cells facilities -tables and cupboards). The pilgrimages increased after the up-grading of the place.
3. Kitchen and Laundry Equipment Upgrading
The Home of Hope Conference Centre these days achieved, thanks to DW-KhK a the proper kitchen and laundry equipment necessary for the catering and accommodation of the guests. The impact was very sound as most of the investments/upgrading of the equipment from this fields were made quite a long time ago, as mentioned above, with items/equipment either available on the market that time, or received as donations from other conference centers where from were taken out of use.
4. Facilities for the New Refectory in Sâmbăta Monastery
The main objective of the project, i.e. to have a proper refectory for the ecumenical Academy, separated from the one of the monastery. As practical result was not only time saving to have this place just in the same building with the Academy, but also not disturbing the monastic community. Via this project there were purchased70 tables for six people and 30 tables for four persons.
In 2009 the program KhK is assisting AIDRom in the following projects:
Activities of the Ecumenical Commission, Furniture for Youth Christian Organisation - Targoviste, Solar Powered Heating - Nikodemus Elderly Home, Facilities for the office of St. Galaction Monastery and, finally, Diakonal support for St. Sava Foundation- Buzau.
