Bethlen Naptár, 1986 (Ligonier)
Kálvin Egyházkerület
158 BETHLEN NAPTÁR the difficulties in an area that the economic recovery has passed by. Again this past year our congregation has worked hard for the financial support necessary, in light of the fact that most of our members are elderly. Our ladies continue to bake, taking orders in the community, and the congregation as a whole joins with non-members in preparing the Hungarian sausage. In both of these, orders are limited by the amount the church members can make at one time. This past year a decades-old group in the church, the Martha Guild women’s group, dissolved, and its members joined the Ladies Aid women’s group in the congregation. The Ladies Aid, which was formed before the Indiana Harbor Congregation was established, celebrated its 60th anniversary on the 22nd of September, 1985, and again ticket sales had to be limited and some “applicants” turned away. Formed seven years before the founding of the church, the Ladies Aid is still the vital force in our congregation, and in addition to its monthly meetings sponsors and occasional bingo and rummage sale. The proceeds from their income are donated to the church on a monthly basis, and sometimes immediately following a fundraising function. Following the 60th anniversary, for example, the Ladies Aid donated $1,500.00 to the congregation. As in the past years, our congregation prepares food baskets that it delivers to some of the less fortunate in the community; the members also support the Bethlen Home Bazaar in Ligonier with various items, and send financial donations to Ligonier. Along with other organizations, we also made donations to the Statue of Liberty Fund this past year. Keeping up old traditions, we have an annual “Christmas Eve” candlelight service as one of the opportunities when first we worship, then follow this with a pleasant social evening. For the past several years we have also transformed our Annual Congregational meeting into a time of fellowship; we hold our meeting at a local restaurant, then share a meal. On the more serious side of life, this past year, in December of 1984, we buried one of our long-time members, William Barath, whose wife Marge Barath continues as a strong member of the congregation. Keeping the building in good shape is an important part of a congregation’s work, and this year we had to put a new roof on the parsonage. However, this was the only major repair which had to be made, because Mike and Marika Földesi continue to
