Magyar Egyház, 1973 (52. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1973-08-01 / 8-9. szám
10 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ the one we have today, are a must. Maybe if we can unite and resolve our differences on a local level, the problems before us on a national level may be easier to solve. Three years ago when this association sponsored a prayer service in this Homestead Hungarian Reformed Church, Rev. Imre Kovács of Springdale gave one of the most inspiring prayers I have ever heard. And one particular sentence of that prayer has been with me ever since and it should he the theme of every conference where Magyar Reformed Christians are present, whether it be here, in Homestead, or in Ligonier. He said, “The things we have in common greatly outnumber our differences!” Think about it! There is a lot of unity in that sentence and it is a sentence with a great future. I’m hoping your thoughts of our church's future are the same as mine, I’m praying for a United Magyar Reformed Church in America, keeping with her traditions, her ideas, hut above all, progressing with her American Hungarian Reformed generations. And I would like to close my text as I began. I am proud of my Magyar Reformed Christian grandparents, and parents, who always made me aware of my heritage, and that “magyar református vagyok!” SEPTEMBER 16th, 3:30 P.M. Meeting of the Assembly of the Western Classis in Youngstown, Ohio. (925 Mahoning Avenue) “THE VACUUM INSIDE US!” Three members of the Bethlen Youth Federation, three members of one of our church’s youth fellowship and one minister — seven alltogether — participated in the Calvin Synod’s (United Church of Christ) youth conference at Camp Kanesatake, held August 13-17. This report is based on observations made during our stay at the conference. The theme of the conference was: “The Vacuum Inside Us.” with five subtitles: “Dumb, Turned On, With It” “Far-Out Religious Experience” “Karl (Marx)"s, Mao’s, and Vladimir’s isms” “The Highest High: Christ!” and a discussion panel made up of ministers and campers. At the end of the conference it was obvious that youth is the same everywhere, at least the BYF and CS youth have the same desire — to ask pertinent questions about . . . themselves . . . their place in life . . . their place in God’s plans . . . their place in the church . . . what about the church? ... of the present . . . of the future . . . what about predestination . . . confirmation . . . our Hungarian Reformed Christian tradition . . . what is it all about? . . . and many more. It was a good experience that made us aware again of the vital importance of at least attempting to close the different gaps . . . generation gap, youth and officers of the church, ministers and laymen, youth and ministers serving as the sides in different gaps. These young people (BOTH conferences) want to talk and to be heard, and they are willing to listen — if we take the time. The lecture on far-out religious experience was held by Rev. Louis Illés, the visiting minister of our denomination. His lecture dealt with the age-old problem of the church of the past and the present: “Is the church relevant, what s missing?” After all, we hear the same questions now that are contained in the Old Testament, and the same questions were asked throughout history. The church was fighting a battle against three major causes of weakness: habit,
