Magyar Egyház, 1972 (51. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1972-01-01 / 1. szám
8 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ munity! How do You feel about Your church? What do You think of her past and present. . . how do you feel about the future? We like to boast of financial success, publish inflated reports, yet the number of our congregations which are truly successful, is dwindling. What are the true facts? How rosy, or how bleak is our future? — What am I to do about it? — you will ask. Throughout church history a Hungarian Reformed Christian’s life was always closely related to his church. While living, he worked for her, supported her, suffered persecution, and if needed, gave his life for her cause. After death, he supported her by bequeathing to her earthly riches to assure her growth. Famous schools were founded and supported to assure an up-to-date intellectual superiority in the ranks of Hungarian Reformed Christendom. World War II has changed all this. Today, the only place in the world, where a Hungarian Reformed Christian can still work for his church, support her and need not even suffer persecution, much less give his life for her cause, is our community, the community of Hungarian Reformed Christians in the United States, to whatever “denominations” they belong. But are we continuing centuries-long traditions, is there an intense interest in our hearts for the present, and a concern for the future? The true answer will be found in every individual congregation, and the responsibility rests squarely on YOUR shoulder, dear reader! Whenever the opportunity is given, our youth claims that there is a wide generation-gap existing in our congregations. They will also tell you that this gap exists between the entire younger and older generation, not just between the youth and the ministers. Father, mothers, confirmed bachelors and spinsters, elders and officers and every single member of the different churches! Our youth is calling Your attention to Your task, our young people are reminding You of Your responsibilities! But, — what is the solution? What am I to do? ■— you will be asking. Some of our lay leaders are complaining about too much ministerial authority in the church, and vice versa. Yet, I have yet to hear expressed the desire for our main task, the propagation of the Gospel of Christ, or an interest publicized in our youth to be included in the government of our churches. I know many young people who are qualified to build the church’s future as well or even better than their ciders. Yet, we leave them to their “toys” the Youth Federations. Even there only our final approval gives them the right to function according to their own decisions. The secular world discovered long ago that our youth, the young people of today, are a great deal smarter, and a lot keener than we were at their age. The voting age was lowered, and more and more rights are given them, even if this is a slow and reluctant process. How about the churches including the youth in their debates and decisions! Let us face reality! We must cure our selective, governable deafness and it is high time that we begin to listen to our younger generation even above the congregational level! Are we less enlightened than our ancestors were, who included youth in their dreams and goals? Here is a short list of projects to achieve: 1. To intensify the instruction of our youth in catechism, in Hungarian Reformed church history, past and contemporary, and in general churcli history. 2. To compile an adequate catechism, and up-todate Hungarian Reformed church history. 3. To encourage our youth to think and debate on our Hungarian Reformed churches’ reasonable and acceptable role and importance in contemporary life. 4. To bring closer together the youth of Hungarian Reformed churches of different “denominations”, instead of nursing self-inflicted schisms. 5. To assure a youth-oriented and youth-shared participation in every phase of congregational and denominational life. I am sure that you will be willing and able to add your own ideas to this hastily compiled list, even if you might not agree with everything that it contains. In the general interest of our churches let me remind you of two important issues: First, the dogma of universal priesthood places equal responsibility upon the shoulders of ministers and laymen. Ministers may have to do more because “it is their job” but when the Lord will call us on judgement day, He will not check our professional credentials, only our deeds on earth. Dear Friends! Ministers and laymen alike! What have YOU done to assure a better future! ? Second, it has been stated that the pen is mightier than the sword! Are we using this, or any other official organ of Hungarian Reformed Christendom to its fullest effect? Fellow ministers! Are you contributing any articles, or do petty peeves or sluggishness prevent you to accept your share? Do you encourage your laymen to participate filling these pages with words that will vitally interest all of us? Laymen!
