Magyar Egyház, 2004 (83. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)

2004-07-01 / 3. szám

MAGYAR EGYHÁZ

7. oldal

California was held, where the Officers of the Synod greeted the celebrating congregation.

May God bless the congregations of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, and provide them with strenght to further build Kingdom of God.

Resolutions of the Bishop’s Council

1. After the proposal of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop’s Council ruled that the next Bishop Council Meeting will be held on Friday, Saturday, June 10-11, 2005 at the American Hungarian Reformed Church of Allen Park,MI.

2. The Bishop’s Council appoints the Rt.Rev.Andor Demeter to request the bishop of Kolozsvár, Romania to waive the apprenticeship requirements for Rev.Gabor Magyari-Köpe as he is an elected pastor of the Free Magyar Reformed Church of San Francisco and Vicinity.

3. If the Ministerial Qualifying Committee finds the Credentials of Rev.Gabor Magyari-Köpe acceptable, the Resolutions Committee recomends his appointment to the Free Magyar Reformed Church of San Francisco and Vicinity.

4. The Bishop’s Council ruled that Rev Gabor Magyari-Köpe be accepted as a regular pastor of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America.

5. After recommendation of the Resolution Committee a letter of greeting from the Bishop’s Council be sent to the Honorary Bishop Alexander Forró, Honorary Chief Elder István Szabó, Mrs.Margaret Harsányi, Mrs.Margaret Abrahám and Mrs. Katalin Nagy.

6. After recommendation of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop’s Council ruled that all Synod Checks be signed by the Treasurer and either the Cief Elder of the Synod or the Dean of the Estem Classis.

7. After recommendation of the Resolution Committee the Bishop’s Council accepted that Rt.Rev.Andor Demeter Bishop attend the Consultative Synod of the Hungarian Reformed Churches on August 13-14 in Papa, Hungary and his travel expenses be reimbursed by the Synod.

8. After recomendation of the Resolution Committee the Bishop’s Council ruled that each Congregation contribute toward the building project of the Bethlen Home.

9. After recommendtion of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop Council elected the Very Rev.Barnabás Rőczey and Rev.László Ujj to serve on the Board of Directors of the Bethlen Home.

10. After recommendtion of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop’s Council appoints the Very Rev. Frank Varga to serve on the Strategic Planning Committee of the Bethlen Home.

11. After recommendtion of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop’s Council ruled that the Synod pays its membership dues to the World Federation of the Hungarian Reformed Churches, $300- the Consultative Synod of the Hungarian Reformed Churches $300 - the World Alliance of Reformed Churches $250- National Council of Churches $250- The American Hungarian Federation $300.-12. After recommendtion of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop’s Council requests the Dean Barnabás Rőczey of the Eastern Classis to review the details of the dissolution of the Linden,NJ Church.

13. After recommendtion of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop’s Council requests that the 2004 Treasurer’s report be

filed with the Bishop by February 28,2005.

14. After recommendtion of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop’s Council asks that the Rt.Rev.Andor Demeter bishop requests Rev.Ambrus Batiz to forward report to Bishop Demeter and Chief Elder Beke concerning the dissolution of the Linden Church and attach a copy of the Minutes of the Congregational Meeting.

15. After recommendtion of the Resolution Committee, the Bishop’s Council asks that Bishop Demeter send a letter to the William Penn Association and to the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America requesting support for the Youth Camp.

HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH IN AMERICA 2004 Chief Elder’s Report

Rt. Rev. Andor Demeter, Bishop

Deans and Chief Elders of the Classis, Guests

Of the thirty (30) churches listed in the Treasurer’s Report as members of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, there are twenty-three (23) that I would classify as being truly viable congregations. Sadly, as of this date, only fifteen (15) congregations have met their obligations to the General Found for 2003.

During the course of the past year, I have visited eight (8) of our member congregations. I have also visited several churches affiliated with the Calvin Synod, UCC. 1 am happy to report that, of the member congregations visited, all are in relatively good spiritual and fraternal condition. However, all of the congregations visited suffer from the same malady, declining membership from that of ten or twenty years ago. If not reversed, this condition, not may, but will have grave consequences for the Hungarian Reformed Church in America.

Since I also have a substantial presence within the ministerial and lay leadership of the Calvin Synod, United Church of Christ, I can assure you that this problem is not limited to our denomination alone. But there is little consolation we can take in that fact. Declining membership among our churches is declining membership within our denomination. The simple truth is that we must address this problem without delay and reverse this trend or we will not survive.

Sadly, I have observed the attitude: ’’This church will be here for as long as 1 need it”. Where would be today if our predecessors and forefathers had built their churches with the attitude that. ’’Let’s make it just good enough to last for as long as we need it”. Fortunately that was not the case. They built their churches so that they would be there for their children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Those of us who are descendants of the founders and early church builders can be proud of their foresight. While we cannot guarantee what will happen in the future, we certainly can take steps that will increase the likelihood that the Church will survive for another one hundred years. Every congregation must address this problem within the context of its own situation.

I fully support those congregations that have Hungarian Language services and activities, as long as that congregation is growing as a result of that approach.

If the congregation is not growing, or worse yet, declining, it is obvious that a different approach is necessary. It is not good enough to do nothing with the attitude that the church will last for ”as long as I need it.”