Bethlen Évkönyv, 1993-1996 (Ligonier)

Dr. Vitéz Ferenc, püspök: A Kálvin Egyházkerület

rebirth to life eternal (commonly or misleadingly called funeral service). We uplifted love and commitment towards God and each other in 26 marriage services. We have set a Christian tone for the proceedings by proclaiming the gospel in 65 Consistory or organizational meetings.

We obeyed the command of our Lord, to “make disciples of all nations, ” and we dedicated 25 infants to Him, in sacraments of Holy Baptism, imploring our Lord in earnest prayers for His care and guidance for our little ones, as well as for their parents.

Due to the faithfulness and commitment of Christian parents, 16 young persons dedicated themselves to our Lord, by Confirming the promises made on their behalf by their parents and Godparents at their baptism. During the three years 5 new members joined our church by letters of transfer and 6 adults by reaffirmation of their faith in our midst. Thus, on December 31, 1995, we closed our books with 493 adult communicant members.

Reaching out with our beggar’s hand of faith for forgiveness through earnest repentance and personal confession, we communed with our Lord and with each other in 56 commemorative Communion Services around His table, with the participation of 4509 faithful children of God. After deliberate self-examinations, we proclaimed His death till he comes again, in the fellowship of His table, in 22 Hungarian, in 32 English, in 2 bilingual and in 682 take-out to the sick, nursing home, hospital or shut-in communion services.

During these three years, Pastor Szucs attended to the needs of 3963 children of God in hospitals, at sick beds, in nursing homes, just as well as in premarital and prebaptismal counseling, in bereaved counseling, in preparation for church membership and in personal pastoral counselings. The dates and names (except for personal counseling) were reported at every Consistory meeting.

These three years of our Lord were full of joys and fristrations, accomplishments and disappointments, uplifting strivings and shattering pains. On the 27th of January, 1993 we said our last “so-long” to our Pastor Emeritus, The Reverend Daniel Bodor, in a memorial service and testimony to life eternal.

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