Budapest – Baptist women’s work in Europe is facing major challenges. That was apparent at the European Baptist Women’s Union’s (EBWU) four-day conference that took place recently in Budapest and gathered leaders of women’s work.

In Western countries the search for the means to reach young women meets with varying degrees of success. There are some achievements in Sweden and Norway but the situation is less encouraging elsewhere. Belgium, Finland, Italy and Austria were not represented at the conference because they no longer have a nationally-organised Baptist women’s programme. Yet women’s activities  are booming in Eastern Europe. There, conferences and gatherings reaching women of all age groups abound. These groups concentrate on Bible study, prayer and practical aid for the needy. The conference was attended by 60 persons from 30 countries; representatives from Israel, Jordan and Lebanon attended for the first time in many years.

The British theologian Dr. Karen Smith (Neath, Wales) encouraged women to live authentically as Christians in all spheres of their lives – in the family, in the church and in their profession. They should trust in  God’s wise leadership through the Holy Spirit, even if some circumstances appear highly troubling. It is also vital to not go that road alone – we should constantly be looking for others willing to join us on the journey. If female friends are not available, then one should appeal for such persons in prayer.

The Bulgarian Didi Oprenova (Sofia) noted that a woman’s identity is to be rooted in God’s love for her. She described Mary, the mother of Jesus, as a shining example of ‘servant leadership.’

At the outset of the conference participants were called to the front and given a puzzle piece shaped like their home country. These were then joined together to form a large map of Europe glowing with candles.

The event closed with an unusual ceremony of blessing. At the outset, Elisabeth Kapsreiter (Passau), the head of the women’s programme of German’s union, invited participants to attend the next such conference in Germany. She stood under an umbrella with ribbons containing words of blessing attached to its spokes. As she stood on a chair for 20 minutes, women grasping the ends of the long ribbons knelt and requested God’s blessing for the women’s work in Europe. Elisabeth Kapsreiter reported to European Baptist Press Service that this has been really moving experience.