Reformátusok Lapja, 1970 (70. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1970-02-01 / 2. szám
14 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA “Your Help Today — Self-Help Tomorrow” The One Great Hour of Sharing— Share Our Substance (OGHS-SOS) allchurch offering is traditionally scheduled on the Fourth Sunday in Lent— March 8th this year. The offering goes in its entirety toward the work of the Service Division, United Church Board for World Ministries. Much of it is channeled through the inter-denominational organization, Church World Service. In 1969, it reported, more than 4,171 local UCC churches observed the allchurch offering which provided some $850,000 for service programs in 40 countries. Materials for this year’s OGHS-SOS appeal remind us that half the world lives in the shadow of need. In response to that need we share because we care. More than a million dollars are needed. Will you do your part? —CNS-UCC Family Protection Plan Coverage Almost 100 Percent The Family Protection Plan, offering long term disability and life insurance benefits for most UCC ministers, now provides coverage for 2,194 ministers in 28 conference-groups: No. Calif., Calvin, Conn., Fla., 111. So., Intermountain, In- diana-Ky., Maine, Mass, central, northeast, southeast, and western areas, Mich., Missouri, Mont., N. Y., No. Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Penn Central, Penn N.E., Penn West. R. L, So. Dakota, So. Central, Southeast, Southwest, and Vt. In addition, applications from 459 ministers in the remaining eligible conferNEWS ITEMS ence-groups have been received, with 193 more needed for coverage in all conferences, with the exception of the seven making their own insurance arrangements. —Keeping You Posted World Day of Prayer On March 6, 1970 a bond of prayer spanning six continents will encircle the world. On this day, known as “World Day of Prayer,” women in 130 countries will offer prayers in seventy-five languages and a thousand dialects. Protestant, Orthodox, and Roman Catholic women will unite their witness round the theme, “Take Courage,” — “Moet Houden,” — “Stech Fest,” — “Es- fuérazte.” It was chosen by an international committee headed by Miss Gudrun Diestel of Germany. A housewife from Egypt, a social worker from Guyana, a church worker from the Philippines, and a woman from the U.S.A. discovered a common bond of faith and worship as they created the service for this year. Women will “take courage” as they pray for themselves and one another. They will give courage as they join in a worldwide offering to be devoted to an Intercontinental Mission Fund, serving six continents. They will celebrate courage as they bring to mind women who have ventured boldly on behalf of their fellow human beings. Courage is not usually considered a peculiarly feminine virtue. This accent comes fittingly, however, at the opening of a decade which promises a new awakening of women, a worldwide forward movement of women to realize their full potential and to take responsibility for the future course of history. In most societies, including the very highly developed, it takes courage for women to set aside the custom and prejudice that limit their potential and to stand to their true height and dignity. Winsome Munro, Church Women United New Hungarian Institute For Denominational Studies The Presidential Council of the Reformed Synod in Hungary has decided to set up an Institute in Budapest for the study of “confessional standards and practices of Christian denominations with special reference to their interchurch and social activities”. The Institute will be headed by Dr. Imre Kadar and the teaching staff will include the professors of ecumenics of the Reformed Theological Colleges at Debrecen and Budapest. The work of the Institute will be assisted by a permanent theological committee. —RPPS New Hungarian N. T. Translation Budapest — Under the auspices of the Reformed Church in Hungary, 4000 copies of a new translation of the New Testament have recently left the press. The publication, prepared by Professor Gergely Budai, has received financial backing from the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. Dr. Budai, who at one time was Professor of New Testament Studies, and later Dean of the Reformed Theological Seminary in Budapest, embarked on his translation work after his retirement in 1954. The new edition of the New Testament includes a general historical synopsis, indexes of names and subjects, surveys of Jesus’ parables and miracles, and of parallel synoptic material. Professor Budai’s translation has been widely welcomed for its use of clear contemporary language. —RPPS Mrs. Sigismund Laky Honored Mrs. Sigismund Laky, widow of Rev. Laky, former pastor of the Bayard Street Presbyterian Church, was honored with an honorary lifetime membership in the League of Women Voters of Franklin Township, New Jersey. Mrs. Laky was bom and educated in Hungary, arriving in the United States in 1900. Before World War I, she was a strong supporter of the peace movement in this country, but when the United States became involved, she supported her adopted country. In 1921, she was commissioned to return to Hungary as an interpreter for a delegation representing the Presbytery of New Brunswick. She is a charter member of the New Brunswick YMCA, as well as the Franklin Township League of Women Voters and is the only member of the Women’s Overseas Service League who is a veteran of both World Wars. Death of Josef Hromadka Prague — Leading Czechoslovak theologian and founder of the Christian Peace Conference, Professor Josef Hromadka, died of a heart attack on December 26. He was 80. The funeral service, which took place on Sunday, January 4 at the church in Vinohrady, Prague, was conducted by the president of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren, Dr. Vaclav Kejr. Numerous church representatives from all over the world attended the service. Among those who spoke at the service were Professor J. B. Soucek, who is Professor Hromadka’s successor as dean of the Comenius Theological Faculty, Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, general secretary of the World Council of Churches and Dr. K. Hruza, minister for Religious Affairs of the Czechoslovak Government. —RPPS
