Magyar Egyház, 1958 (37. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1958-12-01 / 12. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 9 THE CHOSEN GENERATION (30th Anniversary of the Warrenville Church) The Free Magyar Reformed Church of Warrenville is the Northernmost Outpost of Hungarian Calvinism in America. It was organized 30 years ago, under the auspices of the former Reformed Church in the U. S. In the year of 1928 the Rev. Bela Kovács, pastor of the “Independent” Hungarian Reformed Church of Wallinford held the first church-service at the Town Hall, where the Church was founded by the unanimous resolution of the following charter-members: Stephen Feher, Alexander Gonczy, Stephen Harakaly, Charles Koss, Louis Molnár, Árpád Móricz, Stephen Szabó, Endre Szeles, Charles Toros, soon afterward joined by John Asztalos, Andrew Balazs, John Balogh, Joseph Dunst, Andrew Havrilla, John Meray, Charles Varga and their families. Officially the Church was organized in the same year by the Rev. James Keresztessy, who has been appointed by the Board of Home Missions as a circuitpastor of several small Hungarian congregations of North-Eestern Connecticut. At the beginning he held church-services only once a month, in a rented building near the Town Hall, but later, when the Congregation bought a property on Route 89, services were held more frequently until 1950, and under his leadership the Congregation became the leading church-group of the so-called Hungarian Reformed Circuit Church of Connecticut. After the “depression years” all the other congregations of this association ceased to exist, but the surviving Warrenville Church made heroic efforts to lay the foundations of a brighter future. These efforts were greatly stimulated when the Hungarian Reformed Church of Fairfield—founded by the present pastor of Warrenville—starting to build a new church edifice, offered the old one free of charge to Warrenville. The Congregation accepted this offer with great enthusiasm, and the money required for the remaining mortgage, moving and rebuilding expenses, has been raised and gladly provided by the members. This first real church-building of the Congregation was solemnly dedicated on Reformation Sunday in the year of 1950. After 22 years of service the Rev. James Keresztessy resigned in 1951 and after his resignation the New York Synod of the Evangelical and Reformed Church tried its best to provide supply-pastors being able to preach both in the English and Hungarian languages. It proved to be a futile effort. In consequence of irregular pastoral services, the Congregation constantly weakened, so much so that after a meticulous survey its members were advised to abandon it and join other churches of the vicinity. Instead of quitting ignominously, they decided to affiliate themselves with the Free Magyar Reformed Church. At this time the Rev. Paul Ferenczy held church-services for them twice a month, and, when the Eastern Classis of the Free Magyar Reformed Church in America officially admitted Warrenville to the fold of its congregations, the Rev. Kalman Adorján was commissioned in the month of June, 1955 to be the first full-time pastor of the Congregation. Resulting from the negotiations between the authorities of the two denominations, the Warrenville Church has been peacefully dismissed and in consideration of a token payment of $1500—by the Congregation, its property released. There was no money in the Treasury, but the members didn’t fail the Church. They partly raised and partly loaned the amount required for this transaction. The Rev. Kalman Adorján was instrumental in bringing about this achievement, but after one year of service he resigned and accepted the call of another congregation. After his resignation the Rev. Joseph Urban, former dean of both the Western and Eastern classes of the denomination,— who by God’s providence, moved to a nearby community being employed by the Hamilton Standard Division of the United Aircraft Corporation—has been asked by the Dean of the Classis to be the suply-pastor of the Congregation. He gladly accepted this commission, but instead of being a supply-pastor, he became elected as a pastor of regular standing, and since the month of August, 1956 he is serving in this capacity. During the past two years the membership somewhat increased and the church building was entirely renovated. At first the outside of the building was repaired and painted; later the unfinished basement has been transformed to an attractive social hall; an artesian well was drilled and with the addition of a new wing, a kitchen and other facilities were acquired. As a task of the anniversary year, an extensive work was started in the Sanctuary. It had to be repaired, re-decorated and a new organ to be installed. With God’s gracious help and the praiseworthy co-operation of the people, all these dreams have been realized to the time of the Anniversary Celebration. Without the generous help and unselfish work of the Church’s officers and faithful members, we wouldn’t be able to overcome the difficulties and realize our dreams. It is, indeed, befitting for them to be called the Chosen Generation and to choose these words from the Holy Scriptures as their motto: “We are not of them who draw back for perdition, but of them that believe in life and salvation.” REV. JOSEPH URBAN NEWS U. S. A. A new level of church membership has been reached in the United States. In 1957, 104,189,678 members were reported, a gain of 964,724 over the previous year. Statistics were published by the National Council of Churches in its Yearbook of American Churches for 1959. Despite growth, the increase in membreship (0.9 per cent) did not approach the poulation rise (1.7 per cent). According to the figures, 61 out of every 100 Americans are members of a church or synagoge. •k k k AUSTRALIA The Australian government is issuing special stamps depicting the Nativity scene for use on Christmas mails this year. The stamps will show a child kneeling in prayer before the Star of Bethlehem. Be sure to include one gift among those to be given to your children: your time. No matter how busy you are take out time to play with them and to talk to them. What is more valuable to you: a few more dollars earned or happy children who feel that their parents provide not only food and shelter but also understanding, interest and love?
