Calvin Synod Herald, 1973 (73. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1973-06-01 / 6-7. szám
6 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD The Vassadys plan to move to Ann Arbor, Mich., to live near their two daughters. Their son, Bela, Jr. remains in this area as professor of history at Elizabethtown College. Dr. Vassady hopes to complete his book, Faith: Generic and Christian, and to write his theological autobiography in English and Hungarian. Serena Vassady will continue work on her own book, Where Art Thou, Eve? (Lancaster Theological Seminary Bulletin, May, 1973) -----------------^ <»--------------------CALVIN SYNOD—U.C.C. May 29, 1973 The Right Rev. Dr. Zoltán Beky, Bishop 3216 New Mexico Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20016 My dear Bishop: I rejoice with you on the occasion of the Fortyfifth Anniversary of your ordination to the Christian Ministry. Your entire life and work has exemplified your service to God and man. From a humble beginning God has exalted you to a high position of leadership in both the church and secular society. Our Sárospatak Alma Mater regards you as one of it’s great and loyal sons. You have always been faithful to the ideals and goals you received there. You have always kept and nurtured the aspiration of the Magyar to be sovereign and free. Your entire life is a testimonial of the love and loyalty you feel for your native land and its people. Yet, you have demonstrated a patriotic zeal and devotion toward America, your adopted country, unexcelled by anyone. America to you is not just a land of opportunity alone, but is rather a land destined to lead mankind to a new level of humanity, justice and freedom for all the world. Calvin Synod, it’s pastors and congregations, regard you as an outstanding churchman and citizen. We wish you well on this occasion and ask God to bless you and your loved ones. Blessings and Peace! Very sincerely, Arpad L. Beretz, Bishop ALB/ek--------------< + ^ -------------THE WAY AHEAD Report from the Memphis Plenary of the Consultation on Church Union Concluding a two-year period of listening to the churches, the Consultation on Church Union expresses its gratitude for the seriousness with which its work has been studied. More than 3,000 churches have been involved, reflecting the active attention of nearly 400,000 church members. The responses reflect a wide variety of attitudes toward church union. Almost without exception respondents recognize the reality of the unity of the church and acknowledge the gospel mandate to make visible the unity which has been given in Christ. Moreover, the responses show a general agreement among the churches on matters of faith, worship, and the basic nature of the church’s ministry, but a general unreadiness to accept the organizational structures proposed for a united church. Because of the nature of these responses, it has become clear that viable proposals for organization and structure of the Church of Christ Uniting need to be developed out of the experience of living and working together. The Consultation, therefore, sees the next stages of its work as actively involving the churches in working together at the various levels of their life. Growing out of this experience, a full plan of union can be developed for a united church — catholic, evangelical, and reformed. To move toward the fulfillment of this vision of church union, the Consultation authorizes the following steps: 1. That we seek from our member churches appropriate action to confirm their commitment to the process of church union and the role of the Consultation itself in guiding that process. We seek from the churches a clear commitment to help us deal with these five priorities: Institutional Racism Faith, Worship, and Ministry Generating Communities Study of the Local Expression of the Church Interim Eucharistic Fellowship 2. That the Executive Committee appoint a commission to rewrite the portions of A Plan of Union on faith, worship, and ministry, gathering together those elements in which there has been general theological consensus, and giving attention to weaknesses and omissions identified in the study process as well as to suggestions on form and language; and that upon approval, at the next plenary if possible, the revised section on faith, worship, and ministry be submitted to the churches for vote as a theological basis for working toward mutual recognition of members and ministries and further development of a plan of union. 3. That the Consultation welcomes and encourages both denominational and ecumenical exploration by the member churches of alternative models of church life at all levels, particularly at the middle judicatory level. 4. That the Executive Committee authorize a task force to make a theological and sociological study of the forms of the church at the local level. This should include the “parish” as a means by which to achieve a richer and more diverse Christian fellowship and liberation from institutional racism, and the local congregation, which, because of its personal values, is regarded by many as the locus of Christian identity. 5. That in order to develop and draw upon the experience of new forms of life together, the Consultation approve the proposal for “Generating Communities” and authorize the establishment of its Advisory Support Group. 6. That the document entitled “Congregations Uniting for Mission” be commended to the participating communions as a valuable resource for distribution, study, and action for congregations and other local groups seeking models for increasing mutuality of action, worship, and service. 7. That the Consultation establish a Commission on Institutional Racism to asume responsibilities such as the following:
