Magyar Egyház, 1974 (53. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1974-08-01 / 8-9. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 11 MAGYAR CHURCH AUTUMN 1924 — 1974 Summer will be over when this August-September issue of Magyar Egyház reaches our church members. Most Hungarian Reformed Christian men and women participated in “thanksgiving Holy Communion for the New Bread”. The “Harvest” thanksgiving is one of the most honored and best attended traditional holy communion occasions in Hungarian Reformed churches throughout the world, and usually only the sick miss it. It is good that our members and leaders observe the age-old traditions of our Hungarian Reformed faith and show their loyalty to Christ and His church by participating in the central act of Christian worship. The same spirit should prevail and even more faithfulness should be shown during the time when the table of the Lord will be set in observance of “thanksgiving for Grape Harvest”. Some of our churches combine the well known American of World Wide Communion with the Hungarian thanksgiving service for the “new wine” and observe it on the same first Sunday in October. Let us never forget the ancient traditions of our beloved church and prepare ourselves for the proper celebration of Holy Communion, let no one ever stay away from the Table of Grace! Not only should the holy communion special services be attended regularly, rather every Sunday when the hells peal out their invitation in the four directions of the wind our loyal and faithful members should attend divine worship services without fail. There is nothing more sad than to hear, when visitors come hack from Europe, about the conditions of some village and city churches alike, where hardly anyone attends divine worship services. So far, the general attendance of churches in America has been fairly good, yet more faithfulness and stronger emphasis must he placed on going to the House of the Lord, which should he practiced by parents and leaders of our communities. The strength and power of each local church is visible immediately if someone looks at the Sunday worship attendance. Summer vacation being over, the work in the various organizations of our churches should be more enthusiastic. The officers and leaders of the Sunday School, choir, men, women and youth groups and every member should regard it a “God-given privilege” to promote the kingdom of our Lord and help bring others to Jesus Christ. It is very difficult to work in a congregation where only a few labor hard and the rest just sit back and “observe” the good and sometimes “nottoo-successful” results. It is very difficult to achieve goals where people pull into opposite directions and there is no unity of spirit, and mutual understanding. We must pray more earnestly and ask God’s Spirit to guide us and lead us in this Fall Season, that clergy and laymen, young and old in every congregation may work to the greater glory of God. If you have been working in the vineyard of the Lord for years do not stop now, but ask God to grant you the spirit of perseverance, that others may join you and together hand in hand greater things may be accomplished in the congregations. If you have suffered hurt and injustice, or people have caused you embarrassment and you are ready to quit working for your church, do not let the temptation of the devil take hold of your life, remember our Savior, how much humiliation He sufered, still He carried on His ministry. Be ready to serve the cause of Christ and forgive those who trespassed against you. 1924 was the year the Free Hungarian Reformed Church in America was organized in Duquesne, Pa. and now we live in 1974 ... 50 years of blessings came down from above upon the work and efforts of our ancestors and those who founded our denomination, a half-century ago. 50 years of blessings in building the kingdom of our Heavenly Father. Let the leaders and members of all Hungarian Reformed Churches in America, from Canada to Miami, Florida, from New York to California make appropriate plans to celebrate the Golden An-
