Chesereu Reformed Church

The roof is ready

2008-12-23T23:37:00.003+02:00

With the help of God and of the local authorities we could cover th roof with new tiles. All the other isolation works follow next year by the providence of God.

The roof is under construction

2008-11-26T19:15:00.000+02:00

Before & after

2008-10-20T18:53:00.000+03:00

Beton pillars and belt

2008-10-17T20:21:00.001+03:00

The four beton pillars and the concrete belt has been finished.
The roof-structure starts in three weeks.

The walls are standing

2008-10-11T14:19:00.008+03:00

The walls are standing. Next is the beton pillars and the belt.

There will be chimneys also for hard times... and untill central heating will be mounted. Anyway, stoves are the best...

Two rooms in the front. After the entrance a small entrance will be separated soon.

Bricks in the outside and weight-carrying walls, at least until the window level. The rest is of mudbricks.

The entrance before the living room. The two rooms to the right, behind them is the kitchen. At the end: bathroom, storage room and the room for the future central heating... Or another storage room?

"Friday School"

2008-10-10T18:10:00.003+03:00

Because of the constructions and lack of room in our congregation, we have to keep our Sunday school Bible-studies in the local school-building on Fridays. We are thanking to the local school for accepting us inside their building, although they are also in the middle of renovation and having problems with classrooms.

Bricks + mudbricks

2008-10-10T17:57:00.000+03:00

The walls

2008-10-04T17:21:00.000+03:00

View from the church-garden...

Front

Entrance

Inside

Cellar-level

View from the garden.

View from the church-tower...

Building the walls

2008-09-30T14:02:00.000+03:00

Floor & isolation

2008-09-19T14:35:00.002+03:00

On 19th of September we have started to concrete the floors.

"Joint Task Force"

We have also started to isolate the foundations, but the rain stopped us...

Preparations for the floor

2008-09-11T21:06:00.002+03:00

We have unloaded the soil outside the walls and leveling the floor with balast. Soon we will isolate and concrete the floor.

Clapping shovels...

There is room for everyone ...

"Moving every rock..."

Behind bars... behind grids...

Heavy terrain ...

Construction area, view from the church tower. The bricks and mud-bricks are ready for the walls.

Unloading bricks

2008-09-10T20:58:00.002+03:00

We have been unloading some bricks on Sept. 2.

Starting with 6 persons, finishing with 15. We have unloaded a truck of bricks within 2 hours.

30 cubic meters of brick, 1736 pieces on 28 racks. An average of 115 bricks for every person.

Some took one...

... the strongers two ...

... the younger even three ...

... and the youngest also helped us ...

Short history of our church

2008-09-08T20:46:00.009+03:00

Table cover (1772)

1552 – Reformation spreading in the area
1560 – the entire village is taking the Reformed (Calvinist) religion
1587 – the first religious school
1597 – the first tincan for the Communion
1600 – the first known pastor: Márton Laki
1634 – silver plate: donations of Miklós Pethő, Zsófia Horváth, Ferenc Geszthy and Borbála Ország
1638 – silver Communion cup: donation of Pál Fráter and wife, Anna Barcsai
1737 – Communion and Baptism cans: donation of Ferenc Kassai and wife, Rebeka Ionási
1765 – the Register of births, marriages and deaths starts
1772 – first known curator: Ferenc Szentmiklósi; Reformed teacher: István Ölvendi
1776 – the pastor's house is built
1778 – they stop burying around the church building
1779 – renovation of the bellfry
1784 – renovation of the ceiling of the old church
1790 – building of a bell-tower instead of the separate bellfry
1800 – the church building gains its todays form by the appendance of the western part
1802 – new pulpit and benches
1803 – tincan with the monogramm of pastor János Csécsi
1804 – silver cup made by the silver plate from 1634

Church stamp (1804)

1808 – first presbiterial registers
1808 – larger bell made by the one donated by Anna Fráter in 1645
1808 – mechanical tower clock made by György Knapp from Oradea/Nagyvarad
1812 – the pulpit is moved from the southern wall to the northern
1829-77 – the longest staying (47 years) pastor József Csécsi Nagy
1834 – the church wall cracks at the 1800 connection because of earthquake
1848 – Miklós Dorkó, Reformed teacher is volunteer in the revolution
1849 – a small bell is given for war canons
1850 – the congregation reaches its highest number ever: 2000 members
1917 – the small bell from 1802 is given for war purposes
1926 – new small bell is donated by Ferenc Nyéki
1926 – András Szakács donates a church organ in the memory of his son died in WWI
1937-40 – Vilmos Balaskó - politically convicted - being second pastor
1938 – the shingled roof of the tower is changed to tin, and that of the the church to tiles
1953-57 – the renovation of the church
1958 – WWI&II memorial plaque inside the church
1965 – electricity introduced in the church
1973 – the larger bell cracked in 1971 is remade
1981 – the church's latest total (inside & outside) renovation
1986 – new church benches are made
1994 – the building of the former Reformed school is given back for the church
1995 – memorial plaque for János Keserűi Dajka (1580–1633), Reformed bishop and writer
1998-99 – repairment of the church roof and ceiling
2004 – restauration of our church organ, rebuilding the wooden galleries
2005 – renovation of the church inside; electrification and automatization of the bells
2006-07 – renovation of the former house of the Reformed teacher
2008 – starting the reconstruction of the 230 years old pastor's house

Church building (1977)

The 50th number of our newsletter

2008-09-03T21:54:00.003+03:00

Our congregational newsletter, the Chesereu Christian Chronicle (Keserűi Keresztyén Krónika) has reached its 50th number. It was first published in October 2004, at the inauguration of the restaurated church organ and Reformation Day. The writing, editing, typing and copying is made by pastors of the congregation with the help of others. The folded-in-half A4 format paper is printed on the multifunctional laser-printer (offered as donation) of the church. The freely distributed newsletter is being published monthly, timed for festivities and at the beginning of the month. The number 0 of each year is a retrospect of the former year with all its events and statistics.

Among the goals of the newsletter is to inform and get our present and future church members closer to the congregations; to offer an insight to our church life for locals and those far; to deepen the knowledge about church life and history of our readers; to make our realizations with the help of God and our donators public as a good example; and to show that there is life in small rural congregations, too.

The content of our paper is made up of devotional readings, sermon abstracts, prayers and poems, but also church news, statistics, list of donations. We have series of church and local history, religious calendar and symbology, apologetical writings. We often form our content after the comments and wishes of our readers, the youth of our congregation is often writing articles by their own about their activities.

We distribute freely our newsletters at the exits of the church at the end of the Sunday or Holiday sermons. The retrospective number 0 is delivered to each Christian family in the village by the presbiters, and any number by the same way for those who need it. The pastor and the presbiters always bring the newsletter personally to old or ill persons, which is good ocasion to stengthen the community ties.

We also sent the printed or online edition of the newsletter for those who are interested or in connection with our church or village, and from the start of our weblog we try to bring the information up-to-date. We gladly accept all the opinions about our church or newsletter through e-mail or as blog-comments.

Numbers of the Hungarian language Krónika can be downloaded in pdf format from here:
http://erkeseru.googlepages.com

Paintings: Baptism & Lord's Supper

2008-08-31T18:25:00.001+03:00

CSÓK, István

(1865, Pusztaegres - 1961, Budapest)
Hungarian impressionist painter

Baptism (Keresztelő)
1902

Lord's Supper (Úrvacsora)
1890

Ruined landscape

2008-08-22T22:34:00.001+03:00

Partially demolished and cracked building, used bricks and new mudbricks, ruined attachment buildings... View of the pastor's house from the garden...

Click on the picture to enlarge

Concreting the foundation

2008-08-22T21:50:00.001+03:00

We have started to concrete the foundation of the new pastor's house at 18th of August.

We have started with 200 sacks of cement.

Heavy traffic...

To the left: entrance and living room. to the right: rooms and kitchen. In the back: bathroom, shed and the room for central heating.

We have started the constructions

2008-08-16T08:45:00.001+03:00

We have started the reconstruction of the pastors' house by digging for the foundations.

Digging barefooted...

Everything by the measure....

Mudbricks one meter below. Sinking this much for 230 years?

We have been digging the 9x16 m foundations for two days with 8 persons.

Gallery: Oradea Fortress

2008-08-11T15:55:00.001+03:00

Switch to larger map

Oradea Fortress website

Click on the icon to view the gallery.

Gallery: Ermellek Ref. churches

2008-08-10T22:16:00.001+03:00

Reformed churches of the Ermellek Decanat.

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The visit of our Serbian brothers

2008-08-09T16:25:00.001+03:00

"And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the LORD: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken."
(Isaiah 62:12)

The Reformed church of Debeljaca (SRB)

Between the 8th-9th of August the groups of the Debeljaca Reformed Church from Serbia were visiting Oradea during their Transylvanian trip. 42 members adn the 2 pastors of the Hungarian speeking congregation from the Voivodina part of Serbia (former Yugoslavia) were the guests of both the congregations of Chesereu and Oradea-Olosig (Nagyvárad-Olaszi).

The Reformed church of Oradea-Olosig (Nagyvárad-Olaszi)

Our guests were eating at the Lorantffy Zsuszanna Church Center, visiting the church museum there and sightseeing in the city.

The Roman Catholic cathedral

Here we are saying thanks for Rev. Attila Veres-Kovács, the pastor of the Nagyvárad-Olaszi congregation for inviting our guests and being our guide in the city. May God bless the women's association members of the Orade congregation for prepairing the meals and for the members of the chesereu church for donating food for this purpose.

Meeting our guests at the Lorantffy Center.

In the yard of the Bishop's Palace.

The Bishop's Palace (old postcard)

Small bridge and the Olaszi-church (old postcard)

Gallery: Cath. church

2008-08-06T22:55:00.001+03:00

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Geographical center of Hungary

2008-08-06T17:47:00.002+03:00

The geographical center of Hungary

is located 1 km NE to Pusztavacs, near a natural reservation area. The stone that stands for this center depicts the map of modern Hungary together with its coordinates.
Coordinates: 47°11' N & 19°30' E.

The center point of the historical Hungarian Kingdom
was calculated in 1880 and set near the Hungarian town of Szarvas. The original windmill was demolished, today's windmill was constructed in 1940 after recalculating the center point in 1932. The center point is located near the Arboretum of Szarvas, at the bank of the backwater of Körös.

The center point of Europe
was calculated first by the Map Institute of the Austrian-Hungarian Monarchy in 1887. The obelisque marking the geographical center stands in nowadays Ukraine, near the river Tisa, close to Dilove.
Coordinates: 48° 30' N & 23° 23' E.

Chesereu satellite map (APIA)

2008-08-06T13:40:00.001+03:00

Chesereu

Reformed church and surroundings
(Click on the images to enlarge)

To access the interactive satellite map
of the Agency of Payment and Interventions for Agriculture (APIA)
click on this link:

Agenţia de Plăţi şi Intervenţie pentru Agricultură - LPISweb
username: lpisweb
password: apia2008

Gallery: Ref. church

2008-08-05T10:31:00.001+03:00

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Gallery: Öcsöd (HU)

2008-08-05T01:05:00.001+03:00

Pictures from the joint Bible study week of the Öcsöd (HU) and Chesereu (RO) Reformed church.

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Paintings: Chesereu & Ocsod (HU)

2008-08-04T12:52:00.001+03:00

Fekete, Hajnal (2005)
Chesereu (RO)

Lázár, László (1976)
Ocsod (HU)

Photo Gallery (Picasa Webalbums)

2008-08-04T00:23:00.001+03:00

Chesereu Reformed Church

http://picasaweb.google.com/erkeseru

Visit our photo gallery with the help of Google Picasa Webalmus.

Bible Study week in Öcsöd, Hungary

2008-08-03T21:13:00.001+03:00

The 2 pastors and 6 children of our congregation joined the Bible Study week for children in the Reformed congregation of Öcsöd, Hungary between 28th July - 3rd August. About 35 children with the help of adults spent the week with studies, workshops and trips. The two villages have apart of common history, since during wartimes settlers had been moved from one location to the other.

Devotion and Bible study every morning.

By bike to a nice farm...

Groups photograph at the Arboretum of Szarvas in front of a mammoth pine tree.

Windmill marking the center point of the historical Great Hungary. Boat trip on the backwater of Körös near the arboretum.

Bathing in the pools in Túrkeve.

The Reformed church of Öcsöd.

Inside of the Reformed church.

Brave girls in the church tower.

We have visited the local etnographical museum.

Sightseeing by horse-cart.

Games and plays for everyone: swinging, playing in the sand, playing games, braiding straw, beading, folding paper and painting T-shirt.

"The Kitchen Girl of the Year".

Dinner with everyone participating or helping during the week...

Sunday sermon with the service of the pastor of Chesereu.

Chesereu satellite map (Google)

2008-07-28T01:11:00.001+03:00

Switch to larger map

Chesereu Days

2008-07-27T18:57:00.002+03:00

The Chesereu Village Days have been started with the patronal festivity of the local St. Anne Roman Catholic church. Pastors and members of the Reformed church were also attending at the mass.

"Gulyas"-cooking competition of the local council members.

Show with the traditional Hungarian archers.

Women's Association Congress

2008-07-22T13:32:00.001+03:00

11 women members of our congreagation have participated at the 9th annual congress of the Women's Association of our Church District. The congress took place in Viile Satu Mare, a nice village near the town of Satu Mare. Since 2008 in the Hungarian Reformed Church is "the Year of the Bible", most of the speeches and expositions were about the role of the Bible in the family and church. 1400 women joined the common Lord's Supper.

Golgotha of Chesereu

2008-07-12T21:08:00.001+03:00

Click on the image to enlarge!

Demolishing the pastor's house

2008-07-11T11:39:00.001+03:00

"... to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant."
(Jeremiah 1,10b)

2008.07.09.

2008.07.10.

2008.07.12.

2008.07.14.

Rebuilding the pastors' house

2008-07-09T13:24:00.001+03:00

We have started to demolish and rebuild half of the pastor's house. The house was built in 1776 and only have been repaired since that time, being in bad condition. The congregation decided to demolish the worst part of the building and reconstruct and enlarge it.

We gladly accept any help or donation of our Christian brothers for this purpose.
Possible donations can be transfered to one of these banc accounts:

PAROHIA REFORMATA CHESEREU
Banca Carpatica - Reprezentanta Bihor Sacueni

IBAN: RO92CARP005000528984RO01 (RON)
IBAN: RO49CARP005000528984EU01 (EUR)
SWIFT-code: CARPRO22

Holiday Bible-study (pictures)

2008-06-21T22:43:00.001+03:00

Starting with devotion and study every day in the church

At the Community Center in the afternoons. The schoolchildren were divided into 3 groups.

The kindergarden children had special place and programs...

Thw winners with their handmade flag, the text of their hymn and the winners cup.

Young boys and girls helping all week...

Presentation at the Sunday sermon.

Holiday Bible Study

2008-06-18T14:56:00.001+03:00

Holiday Bible Study for children
2008. June 16-22.
Endless trip
(The missionary travels of Apostle Paul)

Confirmation

2008-05-06T15:52:00.001+03:00

Seven young and new church-members mad their Confirmation oath in front of the congregation, become adult members of the community: Vincze Attila, Gacsádi Szilárd, Nagy Erika, Buta Krisztina, Bányai Krisztina, Szatmári Balázs, Nagy Zsolt (from the left). May God bless their lifes!

Meeting of the Youth Choirs

2008-04-28T00:26:00.001+03:00

The choir mad up of children and young of our congregation participated at the annual meeting of the youth choirs in our church deanery (region). The meeting took place in Sacueni in 27th of August.

1. Gacsádi Sándor, Hengye Kristóf, Gacsádi Szilárd, Nyéki Ádám;
2. Lovas Krisztina, Kiss Kinga, Nyéki Petra, Kálmán Tünde, Munkácsi Erika;
3. Bányai Krisztina, Borbély Ilona, Lajter Norbert, Bereczki Csilla;
4. Nyéki Enikő (choir leader), Buta Krisztina.

Bibliai érdekességek - Állatok

2008-04-13T01:50:00.000+03:00

– a Bibliában leggyakrabban szereplő állat a juh (bárány);
– a macskát egyáltalán nem említi a Szentírás;
– két beszélő állat is szerepel a Bibliában: az Édenkertben a kígyó, Bálám történetében pedig a szamár (4Móz 22:28-30);
– több mint 30 fajta tisztátalan állatot sorol fel az Ószövetség, amit sem megenni, sem feláldozni nem lehetett (3Móz 11; 5Móz 14);
– a Behemót (Jób 40,15-24) minden bizonnyal egy óriási őshüllő (dinoszaurusz) lehetett;
– sárkánynak nevezték sokszor a Biblia írói és fordítói a tengeri szörnyeket, óriáshüllőket, a krokodilt, a kígyóféléket vagy a cethalakat;
– gyakran unikornisnak, egyszarvúnak fordították helytelenül a bivalyt vagy antilopot, holott a mitológiai lénynek semmi köze a Szentíráshoz (Zsolt 92,11);
– a bálnák és cápák közül egyedül a nagy fehér cápa képes egy embert egészben lenyelni, így Jónást is csak ez nyelhette le;
– a holló, bár tisztátalan állat és Isten ítéletével is összefügg, az első állat, akit Noé kienged a bárkából (1Móz 8,6), Illés prófétát is ők táplálják az éhinség idején (1Kir 17,4);
– Sámson, Izráel bírája, rókák farkára kötött csóvákkal gyújtotta fel a filiszteusok gabonáját, szőlőit és olajfás kertjeit (Bír 15,4);
– Sámson egy szamár álkapcsával ölt meg ezer filiszteust (Bír 15,16);
– Izráel törvénye szerint a népért egy évben összesen 1246 hibátlan állatot (114 bikát, 37 kost, 1063 bárányt, 32 kecskebakot) kellett feláldozni (naponta és ünnepeken) – emellé adódtak még a személyes áldozatok, ami évente akár többezer állatáldozatot is kitehetett.

Bibliai érdekességek - Emberek

2008-04-11T22:17:00.000+03:00

- a leghosszabb életkorú Matusálem volt: 969 évet élt (1Móz 5,27);
- az Ószövetség szerint két ember nem halt meg, hanem a mennybe ragadtatott: Énók (1Móz 5,24) és Illés (2Kir 2,1);
- a legtöbb gyermeke Roboámnak volt: 28 fia és 60 lánya (2Krón 11,21);
- Dávid királynak 700 felesége és 300 ágyasa volt (1Kir 11,3);
- a Bibliában két könyv is nőről van elnevezve: Ruth és Eszter könyve;
- Reuma nevű asszony is van a Bibliában (1Móz 22,24);
- Jákób egy követ használt párnaként (1Móz 28,11);
- egy seregben 700 balkezes parittyás volt (Bír 20,16);
- a filiszteus Góliát 3,25 m magas volt (1Sám 17,4);
- Sámson bár minden évben nyírta a haját, így is 3,27 kg-ot nyomott (2Sám 14,26);
- az óriás Óg király vaságya 4 és fél m hosszú és 2 m széles volt (5Móz 3,11);
- egy óriástermetű embernek a kezén és a lábán is 6-6 ujj volt (2Sám 21,20).

Krónika newsletter

2008-04-07T16:25:00.001+03:00

Keserűi Keresztyén Krónika (Chesereu Christian Chronicle), the Hungarian-language newsletter of our church is available for download in pdf format:

Keserűi Keresztyén Krónika

http://erkeseru.googlepages.com/