A Loving Legacy
A former member of the Vrbas Christ Evangelical Methodist Church learned from my cousin about the reconstruction of the sanctuary. Maria Egri was baptized when the church was first consecrated in 1922. After communism took over in Serbia (formerly Yugoslavia) during WWII the German people were driven out of their homes. Maria and her family settled in Konstanz, Germany and they started a Methodist congregation there.
Maria and her sister, Rosel, visited Vrbas 3 times. They stood inside the abandoned church holding hands, cobwebs touching them and with tears running down their cheeks they were singing in German: In Thee is joy through all suffering. Marie is 82 years old and actively involved in the planning of the reconstruction. She hopes to be there for the rededication which is planned for July 2005.
There are about 10 other former members of the Vrbas church in Canada and the United States. They prayed for guidance on how to leave a loving legacy in their memory. Besides funds for general repair, they asked the Bishop’s secretary to make it possible for them to raise a specific amount of funds to pay for the reconstruction of the existing pulpit. My father, Adolf Drumm preached the Gospel from that pulpit and we were confirmed by him in that church and we received the salvation of our souls. We hope to be able to travel to Vrbas for the rededication.
Elfriede
June 2004