Calvin Synod Herald, 2005 (106. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2005-01-01 / 1-2. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 3 West Side HRC - Cleveland. OH The Lydia Ladies Guild of the West Side Hungarian Reformed Church of Cleveland is going to host a Valentine's Day Dinner and Dance on February 12, 2005 at 6PM. Music by Bela Czirjak. Admission: $15 per person. Uncooked hurka (rice ring) will be also available at the event for $4 per lb. Ticket can be ordered, and hurka orders can be placed by calling the church office at 216-476-3736. The West Side Hungarian Reformed Church is located at 15300 Puritas Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44135. Norridge UCC Celebrates 90-Year Anniversary After the first 90 years in God’s service the Norridge UCC, Norridge, Illinois, organized a Banquet to give thanks to the Lord for the opportunity of service. We did not have to search for a proper location of our celebration because the Chicago Hungarian Catholics with the leadership of Fr. László Vas granted us the usage of their large capacity social Hall for October 16, 2004. We invited many, and a lot of them came. On this day we had approximately 200 in attendance. After the American, Hungarian, and Transylvanian Anthems, Rev. Peter Toth, pastor of the Norridge UCC, invited the people to reminisce. At the beginning of the last century many Hungarian Reformed people came to Chicago. A dedicated group among them originated from a village called Visk in today’s Carpathia-Ukraine. It took only a few years to realize the dream to have a church on Caroll Street - a place where empty - handed immigrants had nothing but the Word of God in the beginning. It was like a flashback of the Baggage room of the Immigration’s Ellis Island. Feeling Home where the Word of God has been proclaimed is a great dimension of our mission amongst recent immigrants, and shortor long term visitors. As we face the challenges of this new century, we may address the same question about our Hungarian ethnic ministry today. As the people on the island of Tears were holding onto their suitcases which contained everything they owned, in this same way they handed immigrants nothing to hold onto here. The religious immigrants were always keeping the faith that God was speaking about the mansion in which Jesus prepared room for all. And the application opportunity is endless regarding this world, or the world to come. In a big metropolis like Chicago, churches are built or dissolved on a regular basis. We are still here with a hope to have our own Sanctuary by next year. The help is scarce and more and more ethnic churches are struggling for survival. But the mission goes on until we have the commitment to proclaim our triumphant Christian faith. And we do it in our ancient Hungarian language. The next to speak were Fr. László Vas of St. Stephen, Chicago, Illinois, and Fr. Alphonse Skerl of Holy Trinity, East Chicago, Indiana. They greeted us warmly and shared in the joy of this special day. After them, Rev. Janos Lukacs of the Hungarian Baptist Church spoke about the great blessing of Christian Hope that maintains our churches through Grace. We greeted the Rev. András Balogh of Free Hungarian Reformed Church, and the various civic leaders in the audience. Our very own Chicago poet, Ferenc Mozsi, presented a facsimile Karolyi Bible to our church. This 1590 Hungarian translation of the Scripture was the first of such, teaching the people to hold to the Word of God. We had a grand dinner thanks to the Chef, Mr. Gabor Vendegh. Then we had some quality time dancing the evening away with DJ Mr. József Horvath. Rev. Peter Toth, Norridge UCC Fourth Annual Reformation Service American Hungarian Ministerial Association - Eastern District The fourth annual Reformation Service, sponsored by the American Hungarian Ministerial Association - Eastern District, was held at 4 PM on Sunday, October 31, at the Hungarian Reformed Church in Woodbridge, New Jersey. The area president, the Rev. Dr. Attila Kocsis, led the service, with the host pastor, the Rev. Albert W. Kovács. The theme of the sermon, Justification by Faith, was addressed by the Very Rev. Barnabas Roczey upon the text of the Letter to the Romans 1:17, and the biblical passage of Romans 5:1-11. The scriptures were read by Mr. Frank Király, President of the Elders association, and the Rev. Leslie Martin, who also led in a prayer for Christian unity. Bishop Francis Vitéz introduced a remembrance for those martyred for the faith, reading from the latter chapters of The Revelation to John, and led the congregation in prayer in both Hungarian and English. Those more specifically named included John the Baptist, Stephen the Deacon, Zwingli, and others as exiles, diaspora, and innocent children, the victims of intolerance and oppression. Several responsive portions from the Heidelberg Catechism and II Helvetic Confession were led by the Rev. Anikó Kocsis and Rev. Csilla Lucskay, who also led in responsive prayers and intercessions with Pastor Karoly Oláh, and Mr. Király. The service music featured hymns by Zwingli, Calvin and Luther, with several sung first in Hungarian and then in English. The offering was dedicated to the relief of the Rev. Enikő Lakatos, whose husband’s sudden death at just 35 years melted down their dreams of a long married life together. She was a graduate student at Princeton Seminary two years before, and was in the pulpit of the Manville Reformed Church regularly during its pastoral vacancy, before returning to Hungary. The current pastor at Manville, the Rev. Peter Maurer, was also in attendance at the Service. The church was host to a “Hungarian Dinner” - gulyás, stuffed cabbage, retes, etc - after the worship. The next meeting of the eastern area was scheduled at the Passaic church, on Monday, November 8th at 10:00 AM. The ministerium meets every month, gathering also in New York and Connecticut, for inspiration, information, dialogue and fellowship, and includes several ministers without charge, retired pastors, and visiting ministers or scholars in America. Rev. Albert W. Kovács, Dean Eastern Classis
