ANNUAL REPORTS

Reports are only in Czech

Annual report DiECM 2005

Annual report DiECM 2006

Annual report DIECM 2007

What does it mean "DEACONIA"?

The word deacon (and deaconess) is probably derived from the Greek word diakonos (διάκονος),which is a standard ancient Greek word meaning "servant", "waiting-man," "minister" or "messenger." One commonly promulgated speculation as to its etymology is that it literally means 'through the dust', referring to the dust raised by the busy servant or messenger.

In Christianity, we often can find a motive of selfless service to the neighbour or for general welfare. This charity comes from biblical texts and from their interpretations and it shows itself in many different ways. Christianity, one of the constitutive elements of our culture, put great accent on the service for the neighbour. I am sure everybody knows the story about compassionate Samaritan where Jesus demonstrated how his followers should behave towards people in need. Biblical texts help believers to see Jesus in all the needy people and, after helping them, not to insist on earthly reward. In another biblical text we can find a mention about the situation in the first Christian community. There was the office of the deacons whose job was to distribute financial help to the willows and orphans. We can hear the echo of the name of this office in the name of protestant charity organisations-diaconia. Since that time, care for people in need is an inseparable part of the life of Christian communities throughout the world.