Magyar Egyház, 1971 (50. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1971-06-01 / 6-7. szám
14 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN OUR HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA The General Assembly of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America was held on Monday, May 31st, in our New York City church. The members and delegates, who traveled by airplane, train or car, started to arrive from Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania and sunny Florida on Sunday evening. The Rt. Rev. D. Abraham, bishop, and the Rt. Rev. Stephen Kovács, general secretary conducted the opening divine worship service with holy communion. Bishop D. Abraham presented his report giving a detailed account of the life of the congregations, the classes, and the national and interdenominational connections of our church. After the acceptance of the report, further deliberations continued in committee meetings. The By-Laws committee discussed the revision of the Constitutions. Various recommendations were made and the paragraphs in question will be studied. Not only the classes made their contribution to the proposed revision, but the Elder’s Association sent in its suggestion, the United Church Women and the leaders of our Bethlen Youth Federation also. The Assembly decided, that a committee should prepare the plans for revision, which will be sent to the congregations for further consideration; then the “constitutional assembly” should be convened for the final acceptance of the proposed revisions. The unity of the Hungarian Reformed Churches was discussed. It is a known fact, that the American Hungarian Reformed congregations in the U.S.A. live their life in several different denominations. The Hungarian Reformed Church in America is one of these communions, a self-supporting, and independent denomination. At the recommendation of the committee, the Assembly asked the bishop, to find a way of unity with our Hungarian Reformed Churches affiliated with other denominations. A similar unity was achieved after 314 years in the Reformed Church in Hungary, and the time seems rigjjt after 80 years of separation, for this goal to be achieved here by the Hungarian Reformed people in America. The burning issues of our age, such as the War in Vietnam, the disrespect of law and order, the widespread use of drugs and their ill-effects, etc., etc., occupied the time of the Assembly. Let us quote a few lines of the resolutions: “The Hungarian Reformed Church in America supports the President of our country in his endeavor to bring an honorable end to the war in Vietnam; — acknowledges the intentions of our President with goodwill, that he hasten the end of the war in Vietnam by gradual withdrawal of our troops; — condemns the obstinate attitude of the North Vietnamese government regarding the exchange of war prisoners; — denounces civil disobedience, which intends to undermine our nation by the activities of false-prophets of lawlessness and rebellion; — supports a more strict legislation against the spread of drugs and narcotics and demands severe punishment against the agents, who try to destroy our youth; — asks, that the leaders of our nation defend without waivering the cause of freedom and democracy in the best way possible; — furthermore, that the leaders of our country should never forget the struggle for freedom and liberty of the East-European nations among them the Hungarians and make every sensible effort to support them, in their endeavors for freedom; — for us American Hungarians it is especially painful, that the stand of America for the defense of human rights and democracy does not reach the land of our origin, Hungary. The Hungarian people tried to remain independent after the second world ivar, and establish a democratic system. Hungary did not receive aid, so the battle against the giant oppressor was lost. In 1956 the nation again rose for the defense of her freedom and liberty, when the heroism displayed astonished the whole world. But, she was again left alone. While we approve, that America stands ready to defend freedom in the far corners of the world, it comes to our mind how much less sacrifice would have been sufficient where communism has positively no ground, where in the heart and soul of a people with a thousand years of history, lives the unwritten law of their steadfast desire for liberty. We call upon every member of our church to pray for such a peace, which secures the liberty and independence of all human beings on earth. Let us pray for all those, who cannot profess their faith, and practice their religion freely, who by confessing their faith in God suffer persecution.” The nominating committee reported, that the churches unanimously reelected The Rt. Rev. Dezső Abraham as bishop, and Mr. Charles Kish, chief-laycurator; — who with the other officers and elected judges took the official oath. It was a touching scene during the Assembly, when two young ministers, Rev. Béla Pohóczky, Rev. Stefan Török received their diplomas, and authorization for pastoral services. Gábor Csordás
