Calvin Synod Herald, 1973 (73. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1973-01-01 / 1. szám
REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA 5 The Faith United Church of Christ, Hammond, Indiana Sixty*fifth Anniversary A 3:00 p.m. worship service was followed by a banuet at 4:30 p.m. in the new fellowship room of the church building. The Anniversary Sermon was delivered by the Reverend Victor Orth of Calvin Reformed Church, Chicago. The Anniversary Greeting was delivered by the Right Reverend Bishop Arpad L. Beretz, pastor of the church. Also assisting in the service was the Rev. Desmond D. Parragh of Chicago, president of the Western Classis of the Calvin Synod Conference of the United Church of Christ, the Rev. Dr. Arthur Ludwig, president of the Western Classis Ministerial Association of East Chicago, the Rev. Laslo Medyesy of Whiting, the Rev. Mrs. Coralyn Medyesy of Gary, Mr. Joseph Benedek of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and the Rev. Alphonse Skerl of East Chicago. Mr. Alex Molnár, chairman of the Anniversary committee, former senior elder of the congregation presided over the presentation of the tithes and offerings and gave the prayer of dedication. Miss Jillinda Molnár, soprano, sang “The Ransomed of the Lord” by James Mac Dermid. Mrs. Thomas Bancsi presided at the Organ for the Prelude: “Cantilena Anglica Fortunáé” by Samuel Scheidt, the Offertory: “Hear, O God, The Holy Ghost” by J. S. Bach, and the Postlude “Psalm XVIII” by B. Marcello. The Chancel Choir, under the direction of Mrs. Ruth Bancsi sang the Anthems “Domine Fili Unigenite” (Only Begotten Son of God) by Antonio Vivoldi, and “Gloria in Excelsis” by W. A. Mozart. An Anniversary Banquet served by the ladies of the church followed the worship service. Miss Elizabeth Pandak, president of the Ladies’ Aid Society, was chairman of the banquet. A Brief History of the Church: Eighty years ago Hungarians settled in the Calumet bringing with them a strong religious faith and tradition. A Protestant Reformed Church was organized in South Chicago. After 15 years, the Reformed church people of East Chicago and vicinity decided to organize a congregation of their own and to build a church. For a time the new congregation worshipped in the East Chicago Congregational church. On October 20th, 1907, a new church building on Kennedy Ave., East Chicago was dedicated. The Rev. Stephen Kovachy was the organizing pastor and the Rev. Alexander Ludman was the first elected pastor. (Rev. Ludman baptized and confirmed the present pastor, Bishop Beretz in Bridgeport, Connecticut.) The congregation had a continuous growth and in 1933 built an educational social hall which was followed in a few years by the building of a new parsonage and the rebuilding and renovation of the original church edifice. In the 1960’s it became apparent that the church would need to relocate from its East Chicago site. On May 9th, 1965, a $330,000 Sanctuary and educational unit was built in the center of what is known now as Dowling Park in Hammond. In 1966, the congregation united with the Hungarian Evangelical and Reformed Church of Hammond. The bell from the old Hammond church on Sohl and Indiana Ave. was put into use on the day of the union. A new temporary organ was purchased, also a parsonage in Woodmar. In recent years a steeple was installed, the parking lot black-topped, the church and parsonage was air-conditioned, and on August 27th, 1972 a new Educational-Social Building at a cost of $150,000 was dedicated. The chairman of this project was Moses Chepregi, Jr. The Right Rev. Arpad L. Beretz was elected first Bishop of Calvin Synod Conference of the United Church of Christ. Serving as Senior Elder is Paul L. Pavelka, President of the Ladies’ Aid Society, Miss Elizabeth Pandak, and Director of Religious Education, Mrs. Helen K. Beretz. o The Church in Rudabánya Many people left the small village of Rudabanya, Hungary for America, before the war, with nothing in their pockets and only the word that was taught in the small Gothic church on the hill. It was these same people that founded many of the Hungarian Reformed churches in America and gave them their leaders. From Rudabanya came John Varga, the first chief-elder of the Hungarian Reformed Church in Fairfield, Conn, and his sons and daughters became leaders in the same church. The Bishop of Calvin Synod, Rev. Arpad Beretz, has family ties in Rudabanya. My father was one of these people. He left Rudabanya with only the teachings of the church and its feeling of community. He came to America and worked very hard to make a life in this new country. He, like many others, made the church the center of his life and along with his wife and family became respected and faithful members of the church in Fairfield. It was with great pride and anticipation then that my father brought his wife and two sons home to Rudabanya last summer after thirty-three years to meet his family and to see the church where the Spirit had been so strong. Rudabanya is a small mining town in the northeast corner of Hungary. The land is very hilly and farming is not done easily. There is also a
