Reformátusok Lapja, 1971 (71. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1971-10-01 / 10. szám
6 REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA The plan of union for the nine churches was completed in draft form in March 1970 and is under study in denominational and interdenominational groups all over the country. The study and response is to be completed by June 15, 1972. Dr. Blake asserted that the day of the denomination is finished. He said that the “potential of lay support is greater than the strategists” realize and that delaying action on the plan of union “until the time is ripe” would be a mistake. He declared that the plan of union would be one step toward the “visible fellowship of the Christian community everywhere,” and, as such, represents no threat to the conciliar — or councils of churches — movement. “The importance of church union is not more efficiency, size, power and influence,” he explained. “The divisions of the church in America make the message of all of us incredible to those outside, to the younger generation, and people not brought up in the church. “There really is no hope for winning them into the Christian Church so long as churches continue to look like private clubs ministering to ‘our kind’ of people.” Dr. Blake termed the parish concept in the plan of union a real renewal possibility for the church. The parish envisioned in the proposed Church of Christ Uniting would comprise several congregations and task groups across socio-economic boundaries. The World Council executive denied that he had ever “cooled” on church union, as some news reports once indicated. He said remarks he had made had been taken out of context. Dr. Blake explained that the plan of union is only important in the terms that it expresses the commitment that originally caused divisions of the church — commitment to truth and relevance, and God’s revelation to the church in the 1970s is that that means unity but not uniformity. Paul A. Crow, Jr., general secretary Official Communications (continued from page 2) Also, Consistories are asked to subscribe to the Reformátusok Lapja so that every presbyter will receive a copy. All Official Communications of Synod are printed in each issue. Also, all 1971 campers will receive a copy of the paper together with the members of each local church Youth Fellowship. 6. Vacant churches: 1. New York, N. Y. The Rt. Rev. Dr. John Butosi Administrator. 2. Lorain, Ohio. The Rev. Miklós Novak was called as pastor. He began his pastoral duties on October 1. 1971. 7. The Rev. Joseph Kecskemethy was appointed Synodical Advisor to the Committee on Liturgy. 8. The Rev. Aaron Elek was asked to prepare a preliminary paper for future publication about the life and work of Calvin Synod. 9. A telegram was sent to the Rev. Dr. Zoltán Beky, president of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, in which Synod expressed its best wishes and prayers for his speedy recovery to health. OUR SICK The Rev. Louis Molnár of New York, N. Y. was hospitalized recently. He is now on the road to recovery. Mrs. Arpad George, wife of Rt. Rev. Arpad George, Secretary of the Federation, became ill during the Ligonier meetings. After a stay of 6 days in the hospital she is now at home in Washington, D.C. The Rev. Victor Orth of Chicago, Illinois was hospitalized and under observation for a few days. He is now back at home and work. The Rev. Dr. Zoltán Beky, President of our Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, was hospitalized recently. Our prayers are for his return to health and work soon. PASTOR RETIRES Bishop Beretz attended the farewell service of the Rev. Tibor Toth, pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church in Detroit, Michigan, (Hungarian Reformed Church in America). He expressed his appreciation for the life time of work and ministry he gave to his people and his church at the farewell dinner in his honor. The Rev. Toth served churches belonging to our denomination and synod before becoming pastor of the Detroit congregation. We wish him well in his retirement and may the blessing of God be upon him and his family. APPOINTMENTS The Rev. Victor Orth was named Bethlen Almanac Co-ordinator for the 1972 edition. All material should be in his hands at this time. The Rev. Dr. Arthur Ludwig was appointed Special Assistant to the Bishop on Refugee Resettlement. Highly trained young people are in Austria and Italy waiting for sponsorship to this country. If you are in a position to help please contact either the bishop’s office or Rev. Ludwig. This is urgent! * DO YOU BELONG? A minister in a distant city was once asked if a certain man, whom we shall call John, belonged to the church which he served. The preacher’s reply was, “No, although his name does appear on the roll.” The inquirer, a little confused by the answer, asked the difference between belonging and having his name on the roll. “It’s like this,” the minister explained, “John’s time does not belong to the church. John’s energy and affections do not belong to the church. And not one penny of John’s money belongs to the church.” Well, then, what sort of membership does John have in your church?” asked the outsider. “That’s a bit difficult to explain,” was the reply of the preacher. “He never refers to ‘my church’ and ‘my minister.’ It is always ‘those people’ and ‘that preacher.’ Since his visits to the church are so infrequent, he has no feelings of belonging to the church family and the church has never become a spiritual home to him. To be perfectly honest, I suppose there isn’t an ounce of John that really belongs to the church.” 1st United Church of Christ, Canton, Ohio Editor’s Clipsheet
