Magyar Egyház, 1972 (51. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1972-02-01 / 2. szám
6 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ MAGYAR CHURCH LET THIS BE THE DECADE FOR MISSIONS Organized Hungarian Reformed church life in our nation is now entering its ninth decade. The dreams of many for the ultimate unity of our various denominations have yet to be fulfilled. But there is one important area in which our ecclesiastical bodies can work cooperatively and achieve their long desired objectives. This is, of course, in the overseas missionary field! Throughout the world there are literally tens of thousands of Hungarian Reformed people. Serving their religious needs should be the number one priority of our congregations. They form a unique community wherever they may be. Their situation is similar to that of our churches in America at the turn of the century. They offer us our one great opportunity to strengthen a world-wide Hungarian Reformed community that could well become an important force in international religious life. But many will say that just as our grandparents built church buildings and maintained parish life, our brethren throughout the world should do the same. But the situation is entirely different. Hungarians in diaspora suffered through two great wars and communist occupation. They witnessed the destruction of the Reformed Church as an independent communion and the promotion of atheistic materialism by a godless state. What would this program cost? At the very least, a hundred thousand dollars a year. It has been estimated that the roughly one hundred Hungarian Reformed churches in our land have an annual income in excess of three million dollars ! This amount includes all church revenues, including funds raised by women’s and men’s organizations. The cost of a basic missionary budget would be 3.3% of total income. The United Church of Christ reported in 1969 that 15.18% of its entire income was given for benevolent causes. The Seventh Day Adventists, the most missionary minded of all major denominations, gave an astounding 71.78% of all income to benevolent causes. Historically our Hungarian Reformed congregations have been the least missionary minded of churches. Now we have the best reason in the world to get away from this unenviable distinction. Our own people are in great need. We have the resources to be of help. We have talented leadership, strong congregations. The only question is, are we willing to begin a cooperative missionary venture? Let this be the decade for missions! Charles A. Darocy Some of the participants in the service of intercession and holy communion at the opening of the Congress in 1972: Dr. William P. Thompson, President of the World Alliance of the Reformed Churches on the right end; Bishop Dezső Abraham in the center. (National Presbiterian Church, Washington, D. C.)
