Reformátusok Lapja, 1969 (69. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1969-06-01 / 6-7. szám

REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA 13 ZURICH STUDENTS CALL FOR REFORMATION OF THE MINISTRY Zurich — On the occasion of the 450th anniversary of the beginning of the Reformation by Zwingli, mem­bers of the Reformed student congregation and students of the theological faculty issued a statement in which they subject the traditional pastoral ministry to a critical scrutiny, and make suggestions as to how the pattern might be reformed. They put opposite each other: What we have: 1. A parish ministry as a one-man show. 2. A “shepherd of the flock” whose pastoral function condemns him to loneliness and isola­tion. 3. A minister who is physi­cally and psychologically over-strained. 4. Over worked ministers who are no longer able to keep abreast of theo­logical developments. 5. Ministers who are no longer able to participate in responsible theological discussions. 6. On the one hand scienti­fically orientated stu­dents and on the other ministers who stand in practical life. 7. Many suggestions and experiments towards the improvement of worship, but the efforts are not sustained. 8. A church that does not make full use of the mass media. 9. Not more than attempts to cooperate at regional level in youth work and adult education. 10. Some 450 years of churchlife dependent on the ministry. What we ask for: —The handing-over of the tasks to a “parish-minis­try” in the form of an in­stitutionalized team, con­sisting of theologians and non-theologians. —A theologically qualified member of a team in the community. —A minister who is allowed to be a human being. —More guaranteed paid leave for study, completely free from pastoral duties. —The creation of more scope for joint work between church and university. —A meeting point for min­isters and students (cf. 1). —Careful consideration of the place, form and mean­ing of worship, in work­ing-parties at congrega­tional and regional level. Experiments should be theologically well-founded, and there should be an exchange of experiences. The church lives on ex­periment. —Incorporating mass media in the reform of worship. —That this pattern be taken more seriously, extended and applied to other fields also. —As a remedy, the very re­formation of the ministry and its position, (a re­formed ministry!) RPPS MORBUS SABBATICUS Morbus Sabbaticus is a peculiar disease. The symp­toms vary but never interfere with the appetite. It never lasts more than twenty-four hours. No physician is ever called. It is contagious. The attack comes on suddenly on Sunday morning. No symptoms are ever felt on Saturday night. The patient awakes as usual, feeling fine, and eats a hearty breakfast. About nine o’clock the attack comes on and lasts until about noon. In the afternoon the patient is much improved and is able to take a ride, visit friends, work in the garden, or mow the lawn. Patient eats a hearty supper and is able to go to work on Monday as usual. The ailment is often fatal in the end — to the soul. Author unknown. znaanaaaannnnaaoaaaanaauuaaunaannaaaaaanna COMING EVENTS August 17-23—Youth Conference of Calvin Synod, Camp Kanesatake, Spruce Creek, Pa. MEETINGS IN LIGONIER: Elders Conference — August 31-September 1 Ministerial Meetings — September 1 thru September 3 November 23—65th Anniversary of the United Church of Christ, Bridgeport, Conn., Dr. Stephen Bessemer, Pastor. THE SWEETNESS OF WINE When you have communion at your church, how does the wine taste? Is it sweet? Not usually, but why not? In answering this question we must look at what the wine represents. The wine symbolizes the blood of Christ. He gave us His life to save us from our sins. What is so sweet about that? The Lord gave us His life so we might live. Our lives were so bad that we had to be saved in order to get to heaven. What’s so sweet about that? Nothing! The sourness of the wine is to show us that the cruci­fixion of Jesus was not a sweet thing. It is the blood of our Lord that we partake each time we have communion. Each time we drink this wine we are reminded of the death of Christ, and why He died. But how do we get a sweet taste from a sour wine? The sour taste of wine should disappear when we realize why God sacrificed His son so we might live. Because God loves us, and wanted us to be able to live with Him,He had to give up His Son to the torments of the cross. He wanted to prove that His love for us is the greatest thing that He can give us. And in order to prove His point, He had to sacrifice that most precious, puriest, sinless thing in this world. The person He loved the most. His own Son. Once we understand why God gave us His Son to die for us, then the bitterness of the wine does not taste bitter. It becomes sweet, because we realize that without the bitterness we could not truly be saved, and since we are saved, we then too realize that God gave us His Son because He loves us, and wants us to love Him, too. Melody Toth The Hi-Lite, Youth Paper Calvin Synod 2-69

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