Magyar Egyház, 1963 (42. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1963-12-01 / 11-12. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 MAGYAR JOHN F. KENNEDY The bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America sent the following telegram to the White House: We heard with great shock and sorrow the tragic death of our beloved President who was one of the world’s most outstanding champions and defenders of the Godgiven rights of peace and liberty. Special prayers and bell ringing were ordered in all our churches throughout the whole country. Our deep sorrow and sympathy goes out towards the bereaved family and our loyalty and wholehearted support to our new President. The guidance and safekeeping grace of Almighty God be with our country in these critical days. Bishop Beky, Hungarian Reformed Church in America ENDRE SEBESTYÉN The Rt. Rev. Endre Sebestyén, one of the founding fathers of the Free Magyar Reformed Church in America, died on November 30. After the establishment of our denomination in 1924, Rev. Sebestyén was its first dean and subsequently its first arch-dean holding this office for 10 years. He was also the founder of “Magyar Egyház”. An obituary written by Bishop Béky can be found in the Hungarian Section of this issue. REPORT FROM PHILADELPHIA By: Andrew Húr sunyi THE SIXTH TRIENNIAL GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES Over 1,400 men and women representing 31 member denominations of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. met for the sixth Triennial General Assembly December 1-7 in Philadelphia, Pa. Total registration including visitors exceeded 5,000. The Hungarian Reformed Church in America, one of the constituent communions of the Council, was represented by a delegation consisting of Bishop Dr. Zoltán Béky, Dean Gábor Csordás, Dr. Andrew Harsányi, editor of Magyar Egyház, and the Rev. Stephen Szőke, chairman of the Mission Board. Besides attending the various plenary session and other official functions they participated in the work of different General Board and Assembly committees according to their respective assignments. Servants of the Eternal Christ was the program theme of the General Assembly. The program was designed to enable the participants to study and to plan for the Churches’ mission “with a particular concern and eagerness to discover” ways in which the member churches may “effectively achieve oneness in being Christ’s servants.” Today’s issues concerning “Local Ecumenicity”, “The Ministry of the Laity”, “Peace with Justice and Freedom”, “Faith and Order” as well as “Technology and Livelihood” were presented in addresses by eminent churchmen and discussed by the participants in 120 sections. Through virtually every address and discussion there ran a common note: one of urgency about racial inequality and the concern for the extension of human rights to every race and all people. Race was the dominant issue of the Assembly. It is “our No. 1 priority” as Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, Stated Clerk of the United Presbyterian Church and a former president of the NCCC stated. The Rev. Daisuke Kitagawa, national director of home missions in the Protestant Episcopal Church urged that the campaign for racial equality also embrace other American minorities: the Indian, the Spanish-speaking and the Orientals. He remarked that while American churches bravely crossed oceans and jungles to carry the Gospel to foreign lands, “they are hesitant to cross from one to the other side of the railroad tracks here at home.” After considerable debate and editing an appeal to the member churches was passed by the plenary session on Dcember 6 which called to desegregate their ongregations, their pulpits, and their staffs. A separate resolution urged to join the drive to get the rights program of the Kennedy Administration out of the House of Representatives’ Rules Committee. The Council’s traditional Message to the Churches, besides its references to the race issue noted the “new { CHURCH
