Calvin Synod Herald, 2007 (108. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2007-09-01 / 9-10. szám
8 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD WHY WE REMEMBER DARR MINE September 29, 2007 The December 19,1907 explosion in the Darr Mine, Rostraver Township, PA, took the lives of 239 men and teenage boys. This mining disaster is the worst in the history of Pennsylvania, and the second worst in the history of the United States. We remember Darr Mine, because it is the 100th anniversary of that tragic event. In the explosion of December 19, 1907, and in the many accidents before and since thousands of laborers have been killed. We remember Darr Mine, because the building of America’s economic and industrial strength came with a high human cost attached, a cost measured in lives lost and personal sacrifices made. In the explosion of December 19, 1907, a large percentage of those killed were immigrant laborers, and among them, many Hungarian immigrants. A countless number of immigrants came to America seeking a better life for their families, only to die prematurely in tragic ways. We remember Darr Mine, in order to pay tribute to our immigrant ancestors, who worked so hard and who sacrificed such a great deal, so that America prosper and their families be secure. Because of the explosion of December 19, 1907, and because of several other similar tragedies, mine safety became a public issue. New laws, policies and procedures, meant to better safeguard the lives of those working underground, were developed for the mining industry. We remember Darr Mine in order to reaffirm our nation’s focus on safety in the workplace. Because of the explosion of December 19, 1907, countless numbers of men and women joined together to help those who were affected by this and other similar tragedies. Churches, fraternal organizations, local and national ethnic organizations all joined together, in support of the widows, the orphans and the injured miners and their families. We remember Darr Mine in order to affirm the goodness in humankind, the desire to help one another in times of need. Since the explosion of December 19,1907, much has changed in American society and we tend to forget important events of the past. By commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Darr Mine disaster, we state that we remember this important historic event and all those who were affected by it. We affirm that the sacrifices were not in vain. And we pledge ourselves to continue working together for the good of humankind, for as long as our organizations may prosper. Signed: The William Penn Association; The Hungarian Reformed Federation of America; The American Hungarian Federation; The Calvin Synod of the United Church of Christ; The Hungarian Reformed Church in America; The Bethlen Communities, Ligonier, P A. DETAILS OF THE COMMEMORATION DATE: September 29, 2007 TIME: 10:00 or 11 :00 AM LOCATION: Olive Branch Cemetery and neighboring church, church hall. PROGRAM: Opening and closing prayers, English and Hungarian. Singing of National Anthem and Himnusz. Presentations by representatives of our organizations, as well as representatives of other invited/interested organizations. Wreath laying ceremony at cemetery AHF monument. Reception following the commemoration in church hall or nearby banquet facility. Visit to Darr Mine site. THE EUCHARIST AND THE KOINONIA I Corinthians 11:17-29 Text: “Do this in remembrance of me.” I.Cor. 11:24/b. The Eucharist, by any of its names; Lord’s Supper, Last Supper, Communion, is obviously so mysterious and tremendous a Sacrament, that no one can exhaust all of its meanings. The interpretation offered here today, gives the Sacrament an especially contemporary and existential meaning for the Koinonia. To understand the Lord’s Supper, one approach is to put ourselves back into “Jesus shoes” insofar as that is possible, and try to see the situation Jesus confronted when He instituted the first Last Supper, and why He did it. According to the Gospel records, Jesus came to Jerusalem determined to make an all out effort at Passover time, when the Holy City would be filled with devout pilgrims, to win the people over to His faith and to establish the kingdom of God, which all were hoping for. But He was fully aware of the risk and predicted at least three times that He would fail, would be arrested and would be put to death. Even His most intimate and loyal disciples did not understand the seriousness of the situation. They apparently believed that He was the Messiah, but they were still full of the traditional and popular conception, that the Messiah would be a politicalmilitary hero, who would overthrow their enemies - in this case: Rome - and establish the Kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital. We read that there were disputes and arguments among the disciples as to who would be the greatest, and James and John went to Jesus privately, asking Him for preferred seats, one on His right hand and one on His left, when He came into His Kingdom. Even Jesus’ closest disciples were incapable of believing that their Master could fail, to say nothing of His being arrested and put to death. Jesus knew that His followers were totally unprepared for such an event. What could He do, or give them which would enable them to withstand the shock of His death and hold them together until He could make himself known to them again as still being with them? To meet this situation and need, Jesus used the medium of
