>> go to the program DOBRO English website <<

 

 

 

The Ecumenical Council of Churches in Slovakia (ECCSR) is an association of Christian churches registered in the Slovak Republic. It has 12 members (see www.ekumena.sk/Clenovia/clenovia.htm  ) poster ECCSR  

 Its basic mission is:

• to overcome differences and strengthen unity among churches;  

• to improve their mutual cooperation; to support democracy in countries;

• to assist people in need.  providing educational program for members

• promoting projects and programs of ECCSR member churches in the area of their own activities;

• development and humanitarian cooperation;

Programs  and working groups of ECCSR:

• Volunteer Service Program DOBRO - activities of the program, which was established in 2004 are focusing on exchanging of volunteers. ECCSR is a member of Ecumenical Diaconal Year Network /EDYN/ and with its established partners, other members of EDYN cooperating closely in hosting and sending a long term voluntary service volunteers.
  The program has an accreditation for sending and hosting in Youth in Action Programme, European voluntary service (EVS) volunteers EI Ref 2014-1-SK02-KA110-000417 and cooperates with some NO as a coordinating and hosting organisation.

• Study Centre for New Religiosity and Sects (CSS) - the main tasks are: to monitor teachings and practices of individual religious groups and sects; to build up the archive of the specialized literature archive, video and audio-documents; to organize specialized lectures, discussions, seminars and conferences; to inform public by means of publishing the professional articles in periodical ROZMER and web site www.sekty.sk; to cooperate with home and foreign centres, editorial offices.

• Human Resources development – (EDUCA) - the purpose of the program is to provide support to human resources development in the member churches – mainly in the field of social and pastoral work; Romany mission and work with youth.  This need arose as a result of social changes that occurred after 1989.  They brought along new opportunities for the development of activities within churches but also towards the civil society.  Working on common projects represents a step towards the practical ecumenism.

• Ecumenical Emergency and Development Service (EKROS) - the program is open and offers a help to those groups that are needy and need some kind of help. In past EKROS have co-operated with the Christian and humanitarian organization at home and abroad.

• Working committees (social, youth, women) – Besides a regular gathering for worship services and bible studies churches are working also in certain practical areas. ECCSR created some working committees were is an open space for an exchange of experience and development of a work on common projects. Almost every member has its representatives in the committees.

• ECCSR is a member of: World Council of Churches (WCC); CCME, Conference of European Churches (CEC); Eurodiaconia, Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe (EYCE); Ecumenical Forum of European Christian Women (EFECW). ECCSR cooperates with these organizations and is working on common projects;

• Ecumenical Diaconal Year Network (EDYN) which  is a network of ecumenical Christian voluntary long term service programmes that send and receive volunteers in Europe and other countries which cooperates in the area of international voluntary service. We experienced that smooth and efficient cooperation between all promoters - sending, hosting, coordinating organisation and the volunteer is a vital element for the successful development of a project. All promoters involved in the project must demonstrate the willingness and ability to establish and run a successful partnership with an active involvement of all partners and with common goals to be achieved. In this respect all partners are actively involved in all stages of the project: from the early beginning – recruitment; preparation in the home country; on arrival – preparation in the host country; support during the whole European voluntary service and re-entry to the home country of the volunteer. During all EVS everybody is involved in the personal support of the volunteer. Therefore networking and cooperation of all participants must remain strong during the whole EVS.