Calvin Synod Herald, 1977 (77. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1977-05-01 / 5-6. szám

4

CALVIN SYNOD HERALD

tion most adequately: “In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes” which many times was not right at all (18:1, 19:1). When we fail to appreciate what we have in our Synod, when we deliberately create chaos in membership-reporting in order to escape financial obligations, when we stagger without direction and devotion and discipline, — our situation is more than tragic, it is deadly ... But again, I firmly believe that death is not our only option! There are forces that are working for our life: the new ethnic awareness, the challenging resources of the United Church of Christ, and especially the gracious presence of the Risen Lord who holds the seven stars of His Church in His hand (Rev. 1:16, 20) make me to believe that we do not need to die as a Synod! And in this faith, I ask you to take the recommendations of the retreats (Assistance to Bishop, Vitality of the Local Church, The Role of the Synod) under your advice. I hope, one day our “priorities’’ will be based not on the impressions of volunteer church workers, but on creditable and reliable research work, nevertheless I believe that these retreat recommendations represent a feeble effort in the right direction, and if the Synod responds to them meaningfully, we may discover the heart beat of our life: the retreats providing the systole and the Synod meeting the diastole functions. .. Yes, this is a matter of life or death: unless we take, in faith, the steps necessary for a viable Synod life, the Kingdom of God will be taken away from us and given to those who produce the fruit of it (Mt. 21:43) ...

3. Our Hungarian Reformed Ecumene is the case in point. I do believe that one of the reasons of our existence is the MINISTRY we can render as a Synod — more than anyone else — in the framework of the Hungarian Reformed Ecumene. That includes: supporting our congregations in the diaspora (Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Australia, Europe), helping our refugees (in Italy and Austria), and assisting our brothers and sisters behind the Iron Curtain (Erdély in particular). A few years ago we were keenly and generously aware of this responsibility, then — for whatever reasons — the forces of death overtook us and now others are doing in these three areas much more than we do. We are the loosers, but need not be so! Therefore, I submit to you the following concerns and ask you to find ways of proper implementation:

(a) Synod to inform systematically our pastors and congregations of the needs of the Hungarian Reformed Ecumene and to challenge them to meet those needs according to faith and means;

(b) Synod to renew efforts for the inclusion of Hungarian Reformed Ecumene projects in the denomination’s “Designated Giving Projects with Basic Support Credit”;

(c) Synod to overture the Eleventh General Synod of the United Church of Christ in regard to human rights and cultural freedoms violations against minorities in the Socialist Republic of Rumania;

(d) Synod to designate Ascension Sunday (May 22) and (or Pentecost Sunday (May 29) as Erdély Earthquake Relief Sundays for the support of the 60 Reformed churches in Kovaszna County (Rumania) which suffered extensive damages during the recent earthquake of March 4,1977.

4. In regard to the “ecumenical” efforts among us in this country, let me report to you that we cooperated with the Presbyter’s Association in placing a plaque of the Hungarian Galley Slaves in the Bethlen Chapel in Ligonier, Pa. — The efforts to put life in the Hungarian Reformed Church Uniting has not been so successful. We planned meeting, but evidently if we live only in name, we are dead (Rev. 3:1). However, if this is painful enough for us and make us to turn in awakening repentance to Him who is the Resurrection and Life, I am sure, He can turn our sunsets into sunrise in this respect, too.

5. Our American Hungarian public life in general, and our Hungarian Reformed Federation of America in particular, is also in a critical stage. While we rejoice in the signs of life, especially manifested in the joint efforts of calling attention to the human rights violations in Rumania, we often ask: will this be another example of Hungarian “straw fire” or will it be the steady fire of the Lord which bakes bread for all who hunger after righteousness? (Mt. 5:6) — Of course, the election of the Rt. Rev. Arpad George to the presidency of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America gives us joy and perhaps justifiable pride, but again the open crisis in our “Ligonier Complex” raises serious questions in all of us: can we pretend to stop the forces of death in our public life by our own power? How can we be witnesses of the resurrection in our own generation: by winning elections (Acts 1:22) or by calling people to repentance and faith? (Acts 2:32) . . . We certainly pray for the new president of the Federation and offer to him wholehearted support in obedience to our Risen Lord. As a token of our new covenant, I am pleased to present to him a copy of the new Hungarian Bible whose publication he supported generously while serving as Synod President, and which now can support him in his arduous task more than anything else. (Let me add here that we received 100 copies of the New Bible through the personal efforts of Dr. Piri and Conference Council decided to offer them to our churches, pastors and church members.)

6. In the larger, non-Hungarian context, the forces of death and life are similarly present both in political and religious circles.

The United Church of Christ experienced this literally: President Robert V. Moss died on October 25, 1976 and a few days later Secretary Joseph H. Evans was elected to succeed him. The forthcoming General Synod will again struggle with vital issues, and we pray that our delegates may enhance the forces of life there.