Calvin Synod Herald, 2004 (105. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2004-07-01 / 7-8. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HF.RALD 9 and by him He reflected upon the debt he owed to those pastors and church members who helped along the way, and to Rev. Antal Szabó who in word and life challenged him to answer Christ’s call. (He attended Elmhurst College to study the Magyar tongue, but the entry of Russian occupation forces in 1947 effectively scuttled the seminary exchange program in Hungary, and the opportunity to gain language proficiency.) He remarked upon the Magyar Synod’s refusal to ordain him then, and his transfer of membership to a Pittsburgh Synod church, where he was ordained and served his first congregations. He expressed his regret that he is one of the few still unable to serve in all offices of the Synod, although he was baptized and confirmed in it as a child, in Perth Amboy and Woodbridge, and served here for fourteen years. First Fifty Years Rev. Kovács attended Woodbridge schools with many of the parishioners he serves today. He received the Bachelor of Arts degree from Elmhurst College in 1951, followed by the Bachelor and Master of Divinity degrees from Lancaster Theological Seminary in 1954 and 1974. His previous pastorates were in Reformed churches in Penn' sylvania, and a Congregational church in New Jersey. While in Saint Clair, PA, he personally redesigned and led in completion of a unfinished church, dedicating the new sanctuary in 1959. In recent years he was the General Secretary of Calvin Synod for two terms, the chairman of the Church and Ministry Committee for six years, the Assistant Editor and Coeditor of the Calvin Synod Herald/Reformátusok Lapja, Delegate twice to the UCC General Synod, and the Synod Delegate several times to the Hungarian Reformed World Federation and the Hungarian Reformed Consultative Synod, meeting in Hungary, Transylvania, Slovakia and Switzerland. He was the Treasurer of the American Hungarian Reformed Ministerial Association, and President of its Eastern District. He also was a Dean and a Secretary of the Eastern Classis, and is its Dean at present. Pastor Kovács joined the pro-life cause, organizing several chapters of Pennsylvanians for Human Life, and serving as the state President 1973-1978. He then organized Pro-life Protestants of Pennsylvania, and was its President 1978-1985. He is presently on Executive Committee of the area’s ecumenical Breakfast for Life. He and Theresa Mary Torok were wed in New Brunswick, NJ, at the Livingston Avenue Evangelical and Reformed Church. They have two sons, a daughter, and four granddaughters. Celebration Dinner The Dinner that followed in the church hall was attended by 170 members, family and friends, including 19 ministers and their families as guests. The congregation presented to the parsonage family a beautiful original Hungarian painting, 20”xl6”, very elegantly framed. Several other framed subjects were also given by the John Calvin Magyar Reformed Church and the Kirkland Place Hungarian Reformed Church, both in Perth Amboy. Reading the Bible (Continued from page 7) knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21 - 23) III. Benefits Will Follow Faithfulness A. Jesus combined teaching, learning, and doing in the Great Commission. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things what whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20) B. Anything which deviates from Scripture must be avoided. Ye shall observe to do therefore as the LORD your God hath commanded you: ye shall not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. (Deuteronomy 5:32) C. All the great ideas of Major Men must submit to the narrow focus of the Bible. What thing soever I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it. (Deuteronomy 12:32) D. When the early church observed God’s direction blessing followed. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42) And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved. (Acts 2:46-47) E. Paul could not have been blunter about the relationship of knowing and doing. For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. (Romans 2:13) F. Scripture connects assurance in the Lord with obedience to Him. And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. (1 John 2:3) Dr. Edwin P. Elliott CAN DO Did is a word of achievement Won’t is a word of retreat Might is a word of bereavement Can’t is a word of defeat Ought is a word of duty Try is a word of each hour Will is a word of beauty Can is a word of power Author Unknown
