Fraternity-Testvériség, 1968 (46. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1968-07-01 / 7-8. szám

OFFICIAL SECTION:

MINUTES

OF THE TWENTY-EIGHTH CONVENTION OF THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED FEDERATION OF AMERICA

held in the Holiday Inn, Ligonier, Pennsylvania June 24-27, 1968

FIRST DAY

Monday, June 24, 1968

The Convention was preceded by a Service oi Worship and Holy Communion held in the church of the Bethlen Home. Participating ministers were the Rt. Rev. Alexander Daroczy (Call to Worship and Scripture Lesson), the Rev. Tibor Toth ( Prayer in Hungarian), the Rt. Rev. Dr. Zoltán Beky (Sermon in Hungarian on Revelation 2:11, 3:8-9), the Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Szabó (Sermon in English in Romans 8:31), the Rev. Bertram Szathmary ( Prayer in English), the Rev. Dr. Nicholyas Sewell (Offertory), the Rt. Rev. George E. K. Borshy (Preparatory to Communion), the Rt. Rev. Dezső Abraham (Prayer of Thanksgiving), the Rev. Kalman Csia (Benediction); the Rt. Rev. Louis Nagy and the Rt. Rev. Arpad George distributed the holy elements. 65 men and 32 women partook of the sacrament; the service started at 10:12 and was concluded at 12:03 p.m.

Plenary Session

1. The first pleanary business session was called to order by President Beky at 2:09 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Holiday Inn. The singing of the American National Anthem was led by Miss Anikó Kovács, followed by the Hungarian National Anthem and by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag.

2. President Beky, in his opening remarks, delivered both in English and in Hungarian, charged the delegates to be faithful and observant of the Federation.

3. Mr. William J. Granger, President of the Chamber of Commerce of Ligonier, welcomed the Convention to Ligonier and presented President Beky with a gavel.

4. Elmer Vargo, Director, Chairman of the Credentials Committee Presented the Committee’s report listing 15 members of the Supreme Officers and of the Supreme Council (14) present, and the delegates from the districts as follows:

New York District

8

7 present

New Jersey District

10

all present

Pennsylvania and

Mining District

8

all present

Ohio District

15

all present

(one case was appealed and examined by the Supreme Council as a result of which Louis Borsos replaced by Mrs. Elizabeth Szabó)

Detroit Section Chicago District California District Canada

3 all present

3 all present

3 all present

1 present

The list of names was not read, it appears on Exhibit A. Total number of accredited officers and delegates: 67; present: 65; total number of voting members: 64. Upon question from the floor, it was established that should the members now absent arrive, they will be accord voting rights.

The Convention accepted the report of the Credentials Committee.

5. Upon motion by Controler Ezyenyi, following the time honored custom,

the Rev. Dr Andrew Harsanyi, Editor of ‘ Magyar

Egyház” and the Rev. Joseph Marsalko, from the staff of “Reformátusok Lapja” were elected recording secretaries of the Convention.

6. Fraternal greetings were delivered by Mr. Elmer Charles, President of the William Penn Fraternal Insurance Company. His delegation included Mr. Albert Stelkovics, Secretary, Mr. Gyula Somogyi, Treasurer, Mr. Janos Balia, Chairman of the Board, Mr. Bela Kohut, Chairman of the Auditing Committee, Mr. Michael Hegedűs and Mr. Antal Gabor, Directors, Mr. Geza Banes, Attorney. In his address Mr. Charles stressed the brotherly sentiments shared by his group as well as the need for a future dialogue between the two organizations.

7. Greetings from the Hungarian denominational groups were extended by the Rt. Rev. Arpad George, Vice-president of the Calvin Synod-U.C.C., the Rt. Rev. Dezső Abraham, Bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, the Rev. Dr. Nicholas Sewell, Vice-president of the Hungarian Presbyterian Conference, the Rev. Imre Bertalan on behalf of the Hungarian congregations within the Reformed Church in America. Mr. Zoltán Gombos spoke on behalf of the Hun- garian-language press; other representatives of the Hunga- rian-language secular press introduced by President Beky were Mr. László Dienes and Mr. Gyula Hovanyi.

8. The Rt. Rev. Alexander Daroczy, Superintendent of the Bethlen Home, saluted the Convention as the representative body of the Home’s parent organization.

9. President Beky reported with pride and great satisfaction that the President of the United States of America has sent a telegram of greeting to the Convention. This happened for the first time in the history of the Federation.

10. Attorney Alex Eger presented drafts of two telegrams to be sent to the President of the United States of America and to Governor Raymond P. Shaffer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

The Convention accepted the proposed text of the two telegrams (Exhibit B).

11. President Beky extended a special greeting to the Rt. Rev. Francis Újlaki, former president of the Federation.

12. President Beky reported that the Supreme Council has invited the following persons to be present at the Convention as advisory members with the right of voice but no vote: the Rt. Rev. Alexander Daroczy, Superintendent of the Bethlen Home, Alex B. Eger, Jr., Legal Counsellor, Dr. Frank S. Horvath, Medical Director, Max Blum, Accountant, Jerry Wizon, Accountant; also, the members of the Board of Managers of the Bethlen Home: the Rev. Alexander Babos (absent), the Rev. Dr. Nicholas Sewell; the Rev. Kalman Csia, Overseer; also, the Field Supervisors: the Rev. Paul Fe- renczy and Joseph Benedek; also, from the District and Section Managers, on the basis of their past performance: Mrs. Emma Áros, Dr. Tibor Köss, Dr. Daniel Vizsolyi, Rev. Leslie J. Carey (absent because of illness), Albert St. Miklossy, Joseph Molnár, Jr., László V. Kernes, Joseph Arnosky, Albert Oris, the Rev. Bertalan Negyessy; also, from the Home Office Staff: Miss Elizabeth Balazs, Mrs. Marta DeGauland, Bela Toth.

15. Further greetings were extended by Judge Aladar Fiok, President of the American Hungarian Federation and the Rt. Rev. Stephen Csutoros, President of the American Hungarian Reformed Ministers’ Association.

14. President Beky, after introducing Attorney Alex B. Eger, Legal Counsellor and Dr. Frank S. Horvath, Medical Director, ordered a recess at 3:30 p.m.

15. President Beky reopened the Plenary Session at 4:02 pm. and reported that Vice-president Gazéi Veszprémi, due to a serious heart-attack, is unable to attend.

The Convention voted to send a telegram to Vice- president Veszprémi expressing its best wishes for a speedy recovery. The Convention appointed Director Stephen Syposs to take his place on the respective committee.

16. Controller László Eszenyi submitted the Supreme Council’s recommendation in regard to fees and travel expenses for the members of the Convention as follows: a) a flat fee of $400 to each accredited member of the Convention; b) two days of travel allowance of $50 per day; c) 15 cents per mile for actual travel; b) and c) applies to all delegates except for those from California and Florida who will receive three days travel allowance of $50 per day and, in lieu of mileage, the cost of first class airplane tickets.

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