Calvin Synod Herald, 2006 (107. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2006-05-01 / 5-6. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD 5 resist but still remain in the UCC. It was noted from the floor that the UCC itself was no stranger to pulling out its funds, calling it “divestment,” to express its opposition and unwillingness to participate in promoting an undesirable action. The opportunity afterward to talk with Rev. Thompson over a coffee or a spot of tea was well utilized. He had arrived in Woodbridge just after 5PM, had a quick dinner, and was up front by 7PM. He stayed with the Kovács family, and although he retired late, he was up bright and early and on his way to New Hampshire shortly after 8AM the next morning. Rev. Thompson made new friends among the Hungarian Reformed group, and left all with a new respect for the goals, program and leadership of the FWC. Rev A W Kovács Hungarian Reformed Church Woodbridge, New Jersey FWC Churches in Calvin Synod As of the writing of this newsletter, the following churches of the Calvin Synod have officially joined the Faithful and Welcoming Churches movement of the UCC: • Calvin UCC - Fairfield, Connecticut • Hungarian Reformed Church - Whiting, Indiana • Old Troy Pike Community Church - Dayton, Ohio • Hungarian Reformed Church - Fairport Harbor, Ohio • Magyar Reformed Church - Manville, New Jersey • John Calvin Magyar Reformed Church - Perth Amboy, New Jersey • Hungarian Reformed Church - Woodbridge, New Jersey • First Hungarian Reformed Church - New York, New York • West Side Hungarian Reformed Church - Cleveland, Ohio Mission at The First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles The First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles (Los Angeles-i Első Magyar Református Egyház) is the oldest Hungarian church of any denomination west of the Mississippi. We were founded on August 1, 1926 and on that special Sunday in Los Angeles, during a special worship service, our first Pastor, a 31-year old Pastor from Szatmármegye, Rev. Albert Hady declared “Érezzétek és lássátok meg, hogy jó az Ur!” Feel and see that the Lord is good! After that worship, 42 individuals “egy szívvel, egy lélekkel” ...with one heart and one soul.. .signed the Church’s Anyakönyv as witnesses and founding members. From our earliest days, our church has had a strong focus on Mission. Initially, our congregation focused on helping Hungarians back home via care-packages as well as helping anyone who came to us in their efforts to build a new life in a strange new land. During WW II our church won awards from the Red Cross for our war-relief fundraising efforts. And today, almost 50 years after the fact, some older members can still recall opening their homes after the 1956 Revolution to Hungarian refugees who lived with them until they were able to find homes of their own. More recently, our church collected and shipped boxes of toys to a number of orphanages in Hungary. Over the past several years, we raised funds to help a home for the elderly in Nyíregyháza as well as Hungarian Reformed schools in Slovakia and Erdély buy necessary equipment. Last year, our church felt called to assist people who suffered losses from Hurricane Katrina. We held a Benefit Concert in November and collected funds to help several families of the Hungarian Presbyterian Church of Albany (Arpadhon), Louisiana who lost their homes and everything in them to the devastating flood-waters. We received very touching letters from the families at first describing their losses and later, acknowledging our efforts. Additionally last year, our church sponsored several children in Erdély as “Godparents.” Mr. Zoltán Elekes, the church member who spearheads this Mission effort at our church, writes about that program in the Hungarian language portion of this magazine. I encourage everyone to turn to that page and read his words. Over the years, although the faces at our church may have changed, our Mission in the Hungarian and American community has remained the same. We still feel and see that the Lord is good! And with one heart and one soul we continue the work that was begun more than three generations ago by 42 individuals and their 31-year-old Pastor - that of serving God as we live our everyday lives. In closing, we would like to recognize and say a very special thank-you to our Pastor, Rev. István Kacsó for his hard work in organizing last year’s Benefit Concert and for working the year-round to help us keep our congregational life focused on God. As we near our 80th birthday this year, we express a profound gratitude to God for giving us the priceless gift of being able to help others. And for reminding us through Mission, that the joy that radiates in our heart from kindness, He gives first to us. SOLI DEO GLORIA! Tünde Garai Committee Chair - Mission First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles □□□ Sunday School At The First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles Our bylaws state that the committee on Christian Education shall guide, assist and supervise the total program of education among children, youth and adults of the Church. It shall enlist, train and help officers, counselors, teachers and other leaders necessary for the educational function of the Church. It shall discuss and devise for the nurturing of Christian discipleship both individually and corporately. This past year we have focused on creating a strong faith based Sunday School program for our children, ages 3-16. The children are broken up into two groups ages 3-7 in our younger class and 8 and up in our older class. We have hired two well(Continued on page 6)
