Magyar Egyház, 1981 (60. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1981-09-01 / 9-10. szám
10. oldal mens ecyhÁz Visiting The Lorantffy Center For many years my conscience bothered me that I have not yet seen the Lorantffy Center in Akron, Ohio. Our church in Montreal supported its building fund in a modest way and I felt very badly about it that I did not see this new Hungarian Reformed center. Coming from the meeting of the Bethlen Home in Ligonier, Pennsylvania towards Cleveland Airport, Rev. Zoltán Szűcs of Lorain, Ohio and I decided to visit the Lordntffy Center and turned off from the Ohio Turnpike. The days in Ligonier were beautiful days this year. My friend and faithful companion in difficult and happy days, Rev. Szűcs was very tired and fell asleep during our trip. While driving my heart sang praises to the Lord for the blessed spirit of the Ligonier days. I did not know it yet, the greatest surprise and gracious gift from God is still ahead of us. It was. It is always somewhat depressing to visit a nursing home. We think immediately of ourselves-, may it happen to us that we will be in need of such a home? The warm spirit of the Lordntffy Home, the modern building, the very efficient service and care for the ailing patiens made a tremendous impact on both of us. Great was my surprise as one of the Anglosaxon registered nurses told me that she and some others attended the University of Akron, taking Hungarian language courses which enables them to communicate in Hungarian with the aging patients who had already forgotten whatever little English they knew. The tremendous phsychological forsight of the board of directors under the dynamic leadership of the Rt. Rev. Tibor Dömötör deserves the praise and appreciation of all people who know how existentially important it is for an aged person to be able to communicate with his or her environment. In Montreal I have to visit many different French or English nursing homes, convalescent hospitals, and senior citizen centers. In every single instance there is the same problem: our old Hungarians mainly complain about one thing: nobody understands us, they all speak French... or they all speak English. It is not enough to give the best possible medical care, to provide efficient nursing care, our own old people deserve to feel at home even at the sunset of their lives. The only way to feel at home is to be able to communicate with those who are in the same house where we have to be. This masterful policy of the Lordntffy Center to pay for the Hungarian language courses of its employees who are not of Hungarian Dear Elders and Ministers! When I received the commission to speak to my fellow elders and ministers, I honestly confess, that fear sorrounded my soul, as I wondered wether I can do justice to the great task, that confronts every conscientious speaker in our modern problem laden world? In this endlessly interwoven, social and economic system can I find that “height” from where I may take a picture of the whole world, and in it our church, so it may be clearly visible in all its reality? Can I point out man as the subject of saving, and that holy community into which helpless man was born; the church, which is in danger and I do not exaggerate, when I say, in “mortal danger. ” Can I shake up the watchmen, who were entrusted with this treasure? Provided that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, it would succeed, the big question is still: do I have ability in a short message to show you the possibility of the way out? Can I tell you where the holy instruments are, with which the ship can be repaired and put into motion for this great task, that we elders and ministers are called upon? How can I use the available resources and adopt myself to the work, which was entrusted to us by our Lord God, if I am either a captain, or only a seaman of the ship; the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, which still leads thousands of people towards the gates of eternity, so that they may arrive into that waited and hoped for country of “salvation. ” 1. I would like to present my mesorigin is the best Christian policy and the only way to solve this very difficult problem, which every pastor knows who brings holy communion to the aged in nursing homes and visits them periodically. Leaving Akron, both Rev. Szűcs and I sang all the way: Unto the Lord lift thankful voices.... All people that on earth do dwell. ...It was our way of thanking God for the gift of the Lordntffy Center. Aladár Komjáthy sage in three steps. The first step of my message is found in Matthew 20:30 “Behold, two blind men sat by the wayside, and when they heard, that Jesus was going by cried: Lord, Son of David, have mercy upon us”. Jesus stopped and asked them: “what do you want me to do for you?” They answered: “Lord, that our eyes may be open! “Lord, that we may see!” O Lord, grant vision to the elders of our churches, who were placed into the work of our Savior, to shepherd your Hungarian Reformed people wisely. O Lord, grant, that the fog which causes us not to see, may disappear from before our eyes, that the lack of ministers, the slumbering pastors, still at their posts, the negligence of the great majority of leaders and elders, shall not destroy the faith of our people, and we may not run into a sand-bar before it is too late. O Lord, give us sight, that we may guide and govern the ship of our church to prevent it from running aground. O Lord, give us insight to see how deep our church has fallen from the heights of the reformation. How the words of Jeremiah, chapter 23 speak to all who live today: “Woe be unto the Pastors, that scatter the sheep... thus said the Lord: “Ye have scattered my flock and driven them away and have not visited them: behold I will visit upon you, the evil of your doings. ” “/ will bring them back to their folds and they shall increase. I will set up shepherds over them, which shall feed them. ” Let me emphasize here, that every Reformed Christian but especially S.O.S. SAVE OUR SOULS
