Magyar Egyház, 1956 (35. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)
1956-11-01 / 11. szám
18 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ Hungarian Church institutions to Reopen; Ordass Now Functioning As Bishop Far reaching changes are underway in the Protestant churches in Hungary, according to information received at World Council of Churches headquarters in Geneva today. It is propsed that new elections be held in both Lutheran and Reformed churches for all church posts occupied by officials who have received thier appointments since 1948. All such officials, including bishops, have resigned, or are expected to resign, until new elections can be held. It is anticipated that church institutions, which have been banned, are to be reopened. This includes church schools, hospitals, and other institutions of social and educational charecter. Youth work organizations such as YWCA and the Student Christian Movement are being started again. Two students of the Reformed Theological Seminary, Budapest, have been killed while serving with the Red Cross and wearing Red Cross armbands. Six others are reported wounded. Dr. W.A. Visser’t Hooft, general secretary of the World Council of Churches, has been in direct communication with the Hungarian church leaders for the past few days. Commenting on the situation, he said “a new era is opening in the life of the Hungarian churches.” APPEAL FOR FUNDS The World Council of Churches has sent an appeal to member churches for funds to “meet the great new opportunity in Hungary.” Money is needed to recommence youth work, pay interim salaries of newly appointed church workers and reopen institutions such as church schools, deaconess homes, and old people’s institutions. Money is needed even more than supplies for the tremendous task of reestablishing church institutions, World Council of Churches officials have been informed. Church supplies have been going to Hungary under the auspices of the Red Cross, Dr. Edgar H.S. Chandler, director of the Service to Refugees of the World Council of Churches, reports from Vienna. Austrian Hilfswerk, the relief and interchurch aid agency of Austrian churches, has been the channel for blankets, medicines, and clothing given by churches. Money is urgently needed both for immediate and long term needs, Dr. Leslie E. Cooke, director of the WCC Division of Inter-Church Aid and Service to Refugees reports. According to church officials in Hungary, Budapest has been flooded with supplies of food and other materials from the countryside “for they feel Budapest has saved Hungary.” Now funds are needed for immediate reopening of church institutions. --------------•-------------News From Trenton The members of the Trenton Club feel, and we hope it is everyone else’s opinion, that the 17th Annual BYF Conference held during the Labor Day Weekend in Trenton was a success. I know that we in Trenton enjoyed having everyone attend, and sincerely hope that all the members of the Bethlen Youth Federation, not only from the Eastern Classis but the Western as wall, kad an enjoyable stay and gained both spiritually and »eeially from the Conference. On the agenda is our New Year’s Eve Social to be held, in the Grand Auditorium. Plans are in full force Division of Inter-Church Aid Offers Help For Hungary The Division of Inter-Church Aid and Service to Refugees of the World Council of Churches has offered assurance to the Austrian government that its full resources of transport, food and clothing are available to help victims of the Hungarian emergency. According to Dr. Leslie E. Cooke, the Division’s director, ways are being sought to get relief for churches and people within the country as soon as possible. Arthur Foster, senior representative of the World Council of Churches Serivce to Refugees in Austria, reports he is in close touch with Austrian Hilfswerk, interchurch aid and relief agency of the Protestant churches. Hilfswerk representatives have been at the Hungarian border to offer aid and to report needs of the stricken nation. In a telephone conversation with Dr. Edgar H.S. Chandler, director of the World Council of Churches Service to Refugees, Mr. Foster told of groups of wounded refugees coming across the border. Mr. Foster left Tuesday morning, October 30, for the border for an on-the-spot investigation of the emergency. Dr. Chandler flew to Austria Wednesday to see how the World Council of Churces can best help in the situation. He says that the Service to Refugees stands ready to implement and expand its Austrian programme if a new influx of refugees from Hungary should make such a move necessary. CHURCH AID OFFERED Pastor Bengt Hoffman, director of the Department of World Service of the Lutheran World Federation, has announced that the LWF has informed Austrian Hilfswerk that help is available on request. A representative of the LWF refugee service is at the border. The German Hilfswerk has sent a representative to assist. Special intercession was made in Protestant churches throughout Austria, Sunday, October 28, in behalf of fellow-Christians in Hungary. The superintendent of the Evangelical Church in Austria asked churches to help Hungarian Protestants by sending gifts of money and supplies to relief projects organised by the Austrian Red Cross with which Hilfswerk is cooperating. American churches through Church World Service, relief agency of the National Council of Churches, U.S.A., have made an initial gift of $5000 to help the Austrian office of the world Council of Churches Service to Refugees supply emergency needs. The Inter- Church Aid and Refugee Service of the British Council of Churches has also indicated that it will help as requested. Dr. Cooke says that the World Council and many member churches are prepared to help with the rehabilitation of churches and people within Hungary upon request from the member churches there. No direct word has been received from World Council contacts with Hungary. The World Council of Churches held its 1956 Central Committee meeting in Hungary in August. At that time 200 foreign visitors rom all parts of the world were in Hungary for the meeting. for a gala affair and if those of you readers who attensd the New Year’s Eve Party in our clubroom last year, will look back, I’m sure you’ll remember a grand time. You can expect the same again this year.
