Calvin Synod Herald, 1972 (72. évfolyam, 8-12. szám)
1972-11-01 / 11. szám
6 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Joseph Benedek of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the Rev. Mrs. Coralyn Medyesy of Gary, Indiana. An Anthem was sung by the Calvin Christian Choir, directed by the organist and choir director of the church, Mr. Stephen Toth }r. and a solo was sung by Mrs. Irene Toth. At 6:00 P.M. a magnificent banquet was prepared by the two ladies organizations of the church under the leadership of their presidents, Mrs. John Bobby and Mrs. Paul Zakhar. Masters of Ceremony were Mr. Peter Farkas, Chief Elder and Mr. Alex Flame, I. Vice Chief Elder. Addresses were given by Rev. George, Rev. Balogh, by Father Joseph Magyar, St. Stephen Hungarian Roman Catholic Church; by John Jurasics, President of the Chicago Group of the Hungarian World Federation, Inc., and by Alderman of the 9th Ward, Mr. Alex Adduci. The Mayor of Chicago, Richard J. Daley, sent a telegram to the celebrating church. Greetings were sent by Monsignor Ernest Horvath, Father Alphonse Skerl, Holy Trinity Hungarian Roman Catholic Church, Rev. Kornél Tessenyi, and Rev. William Jozsa of Joliet, 111. Mr. Steve Szabó and Mr. Gabor Balogh greeted the congregation in the name of the still living founding members; Mr. Joseph Balogh, Mr. Paul Senok, Mrs. Stephen Gyure and Mr. Stephen Adam. An Anniversary Book was prepared by the Pastor and Mr. Paul Turay Jr. editor, with Mrs. Julius Popely (the former Helen Egry, deaconess of the church), and Mrs. Louis Ulbrich (the former Isabel Soltész) as historians. Mr. George Sebok Jr. designed the cover. The book contains 160 pages and can be considered a historic document. (Obtainable at Calvin Reformed Church, 12300 S. Indiana, Chicago, 111. 60628 for $1.00 and postage.) This Anniversary strongly emphasized, that “it is not the gardeners, with their planting and watering who count, but God, who makes it grow.” (1 Corinthians 3:7) A Committee of 37, chaired by Mrs. Violet Zakarowski, and the eight organizations of the church worked for the success of the Anniversary, for exactly one year. Members of the church and the organizations gave their best; their time, effort and enthusiasm in the last days and on the very day of the festivities in an unforgettable maner of cooperation, love and friendship as being the “BODY OF CHRIST AND MEMBERS IN PARTICULAR.” Victor Gijozo Orth Prat/er is not to inform God or to move Him unwillingly to have mercy, as if, like some proud prince, He requires a certain amount of recognition of His greatness as the price of His favor; hut to fit our hearts by conscious need and true desire and dependence to receive the gift which He is ever willing to give, but we are not always ready to receive. —Alexander Maciaren West Indian Churchman Succeeds Dr. Blake In World Council Post Dr. Philip A. Potter, a West Indian Methodist minister, Biblical scholar and mission specialist, has been elected as the third general secretary of the World Council of Churches. He succeeds Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, a United Presbyterian from the U.S., in the world’s top Protestant-Orthodox ecumenical post. Dr. Blake expects to retire in October. Dr. Potter is the first black to hold the general secretary’s post, the first Methodist, the first Third World worker and the first from the mission side of the ecumenical movement. But he has spent most of his adult life on the World Council staff and is an insider who at midcareer has lived the history of the Council and knows what its future demands. The tall West Indian was the unanimous choice of the governing Central Committee of the Council, which represents 255 Protestant and Orthodox Churches. His election came in a closed session of the 120- member Committee which met Aug. 13-23 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. It was announced to the candidate, the waiting press and the WCC staff in early afternoon on August 16, three days before Dr. Potter’s 51st birthday. The general secretary-elect was escorted before the Central Committee by the World Council’s six presidents, led by Honorary President Dr. W. A. Visser ’t Hooft, the Dutch theologian who was the first general secretary. Dr. Potter appeared in a short-sleeved white sport shirt worn over dark trousers, in the style of the Caribbean. He received a standing ovation and made a brief acceptance speech. The clergyman remarked that a “passion for Christian unity” was woven into the texture of his life as the son of a Roman Catholic father and a Protestant mother. He stressed that this passion is blended wih a desire for the unity of mankind. He attributed these dual concerns to early experience in youth work. Christian Unity Accent In the acceptance speech and later at a press conference, he emphasized the indivisibility of faith and action. He pledged to continue work for Christian unity, including closer relations between the World Council and the Roman Catholic Church. He said he would intensify efforts in the areas of mission and development, extend the fellowship of the WCC, and press forward the work in justice and unity begun by his predecessors. “The nearer we come to the cross, the closer we come together,” he hold the Central Committee.
