Calvin Synod Herald, 2008 (109. évfolyam, 1-10. szám)
2008-09-01 / 9-10. szám
12 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD tn memóriám The Reverend Imre Bertalan, Sr. The Rev. Imre Bertalan (Sr.) was called to the eternal home on July 10th, 2008. Well known in America as well as in Hungary, he was much-loved and respected for his commitment, leadership, vision and service to his community and church over the course of many decades. Among his many roles over the years, he served as Pastor of local congregations, former President and Chairman of the American Hungarian Federation (AHF), President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America (HRFA), a founding board member of the Hungarian American Coalition (HAC), representative to the American Section of the World Alliance of Hungarians, and also Chairman of the Board of the American Hungarian Federation of Metropolitan Washington, DC. Rev. Bertalan passed away at his daughter’s home in Schenectady, New York, at age 90. Rev. Dr. Imre Bertalan was bom in Nyírtass in Szabolcs County, Hungary in 1918. He attended the Sárospatak Seminary, and studied as a post-graduate in Halle, Germany, Basel, Zurich, and Geneva, Switzerland. In 1946, after completing his studies in Switzerland, he was unable to return to Hungary first as a result of the German and then later the Soviet occupation. Consequently, he applied to Princeton Seminary in New Jersey, where he was granted a scholarship. His first position as a clergyman was as part-time Pastor to the Hungarian Reformed Church on Staten Island. Eventually, in 1981, he became Pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church of Washington, D.C. In addition to serving as a Pastor, 1980 he was elected President of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America and led that organization until 1992, until his retirement. In the 1980’s he was an instrumental individual in the formation of the Hungarian American Coalition. Among his many distinguishments, he holds an honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity from Hope College in Holland, MI (1988), and from the Theological Faculty of the Debrecen University (1989). On Februrary 1, 2000, Rev. Bertalan was awarded the “A Magyar Köztársaság Tisztikeresztje” by Hungarian President Árpád Göncz. On September 25, 2007, his congregation from the Hungarian Reformed Church of Washington, D.C. honored him as he celebrated 25 years of Pastoral service there. Over the course of many years, he was a tireless advocate of minority rights for Hungarian communities in the post-Trianon borders. Among his many activities in this area, as Chairman of the Board of the American Hungarian Foundation he worked to ensure Hungary’s inclusion into NATO. A published author, his books and writings among many others, include the 1986 “Three Centuries of Hungarian Reformed Peregrination to Holland with Special Significance of Sárospatak College”. The Calvin Synod as well as Hungarians on both sides of the Atlantic will greatly miss Rev. Bertalan and his deep commitment to our community in the Diaspora. The Calvin Synod asks for God’s comforting grace for the members of the bereaved family - his son Rev. Imre A. Bertalan, his daughters Sara and Vickie, and their beloved ones. Rev. Imre Bertalan Sr. was indeed “faithful unto death”! May his memory remain blessed. Emléke legyen áldott. Tünde Garai, First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles Children’s Sunday School Online Resources Many Pastors and Lay Leaders are continuously looking for good online Sunday School resources, especially this time of year, that they can use to help them teach the word of God to the church youth. Rev. Betsy Blomfield, of the Calvin Synod’s United Church of Christ, in Bridgeport, Connecticut, recently shared with me the following Sunday School websites for children. During summer, Sunday School for the children of Rev. Blomfield’s church is in recess. So she downloads Activity Sheets from www.homiliesbvemail. com for the children attending Sunday Worship with their parents. The Acvitity Sheets that Rev. Blomfield selects correspond to her Sunday Sermon. With the Activity Sheets and the fat packet of crayons that is handed out with them, the children sitting alongside their parents inside the church, can follow the Sermon with the adults. Rev. Blomfield also recommends www. BibleStudvPlanet. com and also www. sermons4kids.com. Rev. Blomfield signed up the Church’s Sunday School Teachers to the latter site so they can be sent the weekly stories ahead of time. Also, whenever possible, Rev. Blomfield tries to coordinate the Children’s Sunday School lessons with her regular Sunday Sermons for the adults. This way, everyone in the family can be on the “same page” growing together in Christ. And, when the parents and children get home, they can together discuss what everyone learned at church that day. Thank you for sharing, Rev. Blomfield! May God continue to bless your efforts! J \ Tünde Garai, First Hungarian Reformed Church of Los Angeles élive each dap so that pou will neither be afraid of tomorrow nor ashamed ofpesterdapl V r
