Calvin Synod Herald, 1988 (88. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
1988 / 2-5. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD-9-REFORMATUSOK LAPJA Arpad George 1911 - 1988 The Right Reverand Arpad George, past President of the Magyar (Calvin) Synod and of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America was laid to rest in Ligonier, Pennsylvania at the side of his wife Palma, who passed away in August of 1987. Born in Szalonna, Hungary on August 3, 1911, Rev. George was brought to the United States at the age of two by his parents, Peter György and Zsuzsuana (nee Gyenes) György. They returned to Hungary in 1920, where he completed his highschool at Tokaj, and graduated from the Sárospatak Teachers College in 1931. That same year Rev. George returned to the United States, and enrolled in pre-theological classes. In 1932 he became a regular seminary student at Bloomfield Seminary, studying for the Christian ministry. In 1933 he served the Caldwell, NJ Hungarian Presbyterian Church as student pastor, then was licensed by the Free Magyar Reformed Church in America in 1934, and served in their Carteret NJ congregation. In 1934-35 he won the alumni scholarship award for receiving the highest marks. Receiving his Bachelor of Divinity Degree in 1935, he was ordained into the Christian Ministry on May 3 by the Presbyterian Church in Caldwell; in September he was called to the Elizabeth NJ Presbyterian congregation, where he served for 6 years. During his service there a fellowship hall was built, and the mortgage paid off. Continuing his education as a part-time student, Rev. George received his Master of Arts degree from Columbia University in 1939; he also studied religious education at Drew University in Madison NJ and participated in a pastoral counseling research project at Pennsylvania General Hospital in Philadelphia. Rev. George married Palma Franko, daughter of Hungarian immigrants, in 1942; Palma had been the superintendent of the Sunday School. Their marriage was blessed with two children; a daughter, Palma Suzanne George (Milles), and a son, George Robert George. Following his marriage, he accepted the call of the Bronx NY Hungrian Reformed Church, where under his leadership a church building was purchased. Two years later he was again called by the Elizabeth congregation, where he served two more years. In 1946 he was called by the South Side Hungarian Evangelical and Reformed Church of Chicago (now the Calvin Reformed Church of Lynwood), where he served for 22 years. During those 22 years, many social changes came about which called for the leadership of the church. With more than one hundred soldiers returning to the congregation from the war, welcoming ceremonies were held and a pictoral album, with biographies of the soldiers, was published. During the influx of the 1956 refugees, an agressive resettlement program was organized under his leadership, to find new homes and employment for these fellow immigrants. In 1966 the congregation dedicated a new church building, having had to move due to a rapidly changing neighborhood. During his tenure at the Chicago congregation, Rev. George served as president of the Western Classis of the Magyar Synod for four years, then served variously as Secretary, Treasurer and Vice President of the Synod. In 1963 he was elected President of the Synod, and served a second term till 1967. Being active in Hungarian cultural, social and faternál activities during his pastorate in Chicago, he was on the "Supreme Council” of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America from 1957 to 1968; at that time he was elected to the full-time position as Secretary of the Federation, and resigned his pastorate to move to Washington, DC. He served in that position till 1976, when he was elected President of the Federation, a capacity he served in till 1980. He and his wife retired to Port Charlotte, Florida in 1981, where he continued to be active in cultural and fraternal activities, and regularly held worship services in a neighboring community. He is survived by his two children and one granddaughter, but his love toward his fellow man ensures that he will be missed and remembered by many whose lives he has touched.
