Calvin Synod Herald, 1991 (91. évfolyam, 1-6. szám)

1991-07-01 / 4. szám

I CALVIN SYNOD HERALD — 5-REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA The Ilnd World Convention of Hungarian Reformed Churches was held in Budapest and Debrecen Our Synod — together with all sister Church-Organizations — was officially and adequately represented at this historic gathering of worldwide Hungarian Re­formed churches. Many of our local congregations were organizing Heritage Tours for their own members all over the American Continent. From more than 40 countries of the world and from 3,500 Hungarian Re­formed congregations thousands gathered together. The highest point of the Cele­bration was in Debrecen, where 40 thousand believers were singing in unison the XCth Psalm in the open air Divine Service in the Nagyerdő Arena and re­ceived Holy Communion from the hands of 200 ministers administering in black Hungarian palást. A “World Alliance of Hungarian Re­formed Churches” was formed as the tan­gible result of this World Conference. The---------------------PRECIOUS GIFT Bishop László Ravasz Commemorative Service — Plaque Unveiling “Andfor their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth. ” (John 17:19) With all probability the most magnifi­cent and uplifting event in the life of the Hungarian Reformed Christians during the last half century, was the II. World Conference of Hungarian Reformed Churches, in Hungary, on June 21-24, 1991. This most heart-warming and color­ful celebration was started with a comme­morative worship service and plaque unveiling at the Kalvin-tér Church in Budapest on June 21, at 4 p.m. The church was packed to the hilt. One hardly could even find starting room. A great multitude of Hungarian church and civic leaders were joined by many church digni­taries and representatives of forty diffe­rent countries. It was a very solemn and somber occasion. These thousands from all over the world gathered here to pay homage and express their love to one of the greatest leaders and the most respec­ted Bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church, the Demosthenes of 20th Centu­ry Hungary, the silver tongue Rt. Rev. Dr. László Ravasz. Bishop Ravasz, the giant of Hungarian church and national life, was never con­victed of any crime or misdoing by the Church, thus he could not be rehabili­tated, but because of fear of his influence, he was isolated, humiliated and con­demned to house arrest in a small village by the communist and soviet leadership. For this very reason the American- Hungarian Reformed Christians thought it befitting to donate a Ravasz plaque to the Reformed Church of Hungary, to be placed on the wall of the Kálvin-tér Church, where he so eloquently preached for decades. This magnificentwork of art was designed by sculptor Csaba Kur, the Ravasz László emléktábla alatt Ft. Szűcs Zoltán, Kálvin Egyházkerületünk püspöke, Lapunk főszerkesztője és dr. Szabó István szerkesztő son of a Hungarian Reformed pastor, now living in the USA. The Rev. Dr. Imre Bertalan, President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, colorfully explained the important and great contributions of Bishop Ravasz to the Hungarians outside the borders of Hungary. It was followed by the angelic choir of the Kollégium of Kolozsvár. Then the Presiding Bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church, The Rt. Rev. Dr. Lóránt Hegedűs praised and analyzed the contributions of Bishop Ravasz as a theologian and a preacher. The sermon, on the basis of John 17:19 was preached by the Bishop of the Calvin Synod, from the USA, The Rt. Rev. Dr. headquarters of the new organization will be in Budapest. Our own Dr. John Bütösi was elected to be the first president and also our own Dr. Béla Vassady was elected honorary president, who was the convener of the First World Conference in 1938. World War II made it impossible until the present to call together the second World Conference from all over the Globe. In our present Issue more detailed re­port is printed in Hungarian. It will be our pleasure to bring to you the High­lights of that great Historic Event in our succeeding issues and on both languages. Zoltán D. Sziics. He had emphazised that our Lord consecrated himself as a sacrifice for our sake. He did it volunta­rily as an expiation for our sins. Hence we have the lamb and the cross in the crescent of the Hungarian Reformed Church. Bishop Ravasz followed in the footsteps of our Savior. This is his mandate and heritage to every Hungarian Reformed Christian. This was his great­ness, his consecrated commitment to our Lord in and through our Church. This is why we honor him today and bow our heads to his example. We are not here to canonize him, but rather to praise and thank God for all the dedication of a consecrated life that He shared with us through the life work and example of Bishop László Ravasz and also those dedicated souls who from Kisrát (Soviet Union) to Lorain, Ohio (USA) understood and appreciated and even followed the examples of our Lord and of our beloved Bishop Ravasz and built churches to the glory of God before they would build their own homes. They are the ones who understood the example of our Lord Jesus Christ and the mandate of a con­secrated life of Bishop Ravasz. They are the ones whom we uplift today as ones who befitting remembered the mandate of Bishop Ravasz through their own de­dicated lives. This is the very reason why we praise God today, thanking him and paying homage for the consecrated lives of our Hungarian Reformed Churches revered gift through the life of Bishop László Ravasz. Soli Deo Gloria! July 11, 1991 Bishop Zoltán D. Szűcs

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