Magyar Egyház, 2004 (83. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
2004-07-01 / 3. szám
10. oldal MAGYAR EGYHÁZ Bethlen Home - What's Ahead? From the Strategic Planing Committee It was a vision, a dream come true. It was the sweet fruit of prayerful planning and long hard work of our Hungarian Reformed Christian forefathers. It is called The Bethlen Home of the Hungraian Refonned Federation of America Founded in 1921 in Ligonier, Pennsylvania. A home, a shelter, or a place of rest and caring for many. Generations of dedicated leaders, faithful directors, diligent staff members made it into what it is today not to mention the sacrificial support of countless individuals, churches and organizations through out the United States of America. I am quite sure you have been there maybe several times already as a visitor or guest. Perhaps as a church member, elder or pastor participating in a conference or merely spend some time in that peaceful environment surrounded by the beauty of nature which is a jewel of our Hungarian heritage as well. Have you ever wondered what makes this place so special, what causes it to operate smoothly? I believe that it was a God-given vision, and through the faithful response of beleivers it materialized, the Lord has richly blessed it in the past and continues to do so. Its future depends on the continuation of visions, dreams, planning. Under God’s guidance and by His inspiration besides the Bethlen Home we have Ligonier Gardens. This is what I would like to tell you about briefly. The members, invited and or appointed, of the Strategic Planning Committee present at the meeting on July 16 were: Rev. Ilona Komjáthy, Co-Chairperson, Rev. Leslie Martin, Co-Chairperson, Rev. Robert Cummings,Mr. Robert Fiok, Dr. & Mrs. (Katherine) George Grof-Tisza, Mr. Joseph Kecskemethy, Esq. Rev. István Nyeste, Rev. Frank Varga, Ex- Officio: Mr. George Dózsa - HRFA, Rev. Imre A. Bertalan - Exec. Dir. Recording Sec.: Ms. Pat Armel In the meeting also participated Rev. Dr. Joseph Posta and Rev. Levente Molnár chaplains of the Bethlen Home and Mr. Bill Szucs. The purpose of the Planning Committee is to project a future for the Bethlen Home taking into consideration all its aspects, current operation and the potentials for the future, its needs and resources. There are exisiting needs that need to be addressed immediately such as bringing up to code some parts of the North Wing. To deal with this a few members (Sub-Team) of the Committee is getting to work as we speak. Others will discover the idea of expansion of the Retirement Cottages. And again others will be devoted to develop goals for the years ahead. At our next meeting on September 8th ideas and plans will be put in writing as it will go to the Convention of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America. I as a member of the Committee, appointed by the Bishop’s Council representing our denomination, am plead-ing with you dear leaders and members of Congregations as you consider the great past of the Bethlen Home, to ardently pray for ist future ministry, and its role in the preservation of our Hungarian heritage. Pray also for us, members of the committee as we in obedience to God’s guidance plan for its years ahead. I also would like to invite your thoughts, comments, any and all constructive inputs along the way. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions and thoughts and look for another report on the Bethlen Home in our next Issue. Rev. Frank Varga (From page 9) Their son, August J.Jr., is a policeman in Plainsboro. A daughter, Kathryn Sapienza, is a nurse and resides in Peru, 111. Hungarians have made their mark on the community and the area. At one time, says Molnár, a third of New Brunswick’s population was Hungarian. They also were one of the main sources of employees for J&J industries. The location of the Hungarian Heritage Center in New Brunswick was decided upon after considering other cities, including Washington, D. C., and New York, Molnár said. “We almost bought property in Washington, D.C., next to the Libra-ry of Congress. We would have been a small fish in a big pond.” There are 150,000 Hungarians in New Jersey, about 1.5 million in the United States and 40,000 in Central New Jersey. Plans are in the works for the celebration of the foundation’s 50th anniversary in 2005. The first phase of the foundation’s program was raising the money to build the Hungarian Haritage Center. Phase 2 will be to raise $10 million to provide for endowments and expanding program needs. “We’re looking far ahead, and I trust that God will give me enough time to realize these goals,” Molnár said. Elmhurst College, Honorary Degree Conferees August J. Molnár Doctor of Humane Letters Elmhurst College Commencement May 30, 2004 August J. Molnár, Class of 1949, has written and published extensively on Hungarian-Americans and is widely recognized in the Hungarian community and beyond for his leadership. An ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, Rev. Molnár is president of the American Hungarian Foundation, which he founded in 1955 to fund academic and research programs is Hungarian Studies. During his tenure at Elmhurst, Rev. Molnár served on the faculty at Rutgers University, developing the programs that eventually became the Institute of Hungarian Studies. Rev. Molnár holds a divinity degree from Lancaster Seminary and a master’s degree from the University of Michigan, and was a Cholnoky Research Fellow at Columbia University. Elias Holtzman, writer, Home News Tribune,PageDi Thursday, June 10, 2004
