Fraternity-Testvériség, 1972 (50. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1972-07-01 / 7-9. szám

English Section OFFICIAL SECTION: MINUTES OF THE TWENTY-NINTH CONVENTION OF THE HUNGARIAN REFORMED FEDERATION OF AMERICA held in the Holiday Inn, Ligonier, Pennsylvania June 26-30, 1972 FIRST DAY Monday, June 26, 1972 The Convention was preceded by a Service of Worship and Holy Communion held in the church of Bethlen Home. Par­ticipating ministers were the following: the Rt. Rev. Dr. Francis Újlaki (Call to Worship), the Rt. Rev. Louis Nagy (Scripture Lesson), the Rev. Tibor Toth (Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer in Hungarian), the Rt. Rev. Dr. Zoltán Beky (Sermon in Hun­garian on Nehemiah 2:11), the Rt. Rev. Arpad George (Ser­mon in English on Romans 8:11), the Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Szabó (Prayer and Creed in English), the Rev. Stephen Csutoros (Offertory), the Rev. Kalman Csia (Benediction) ; the Holy Communion Service was conducted by the Rt. Rev. Dezső Abraham, the Rt. Rev. Arpad Beretz, the Rt. Rev. Louis Nagy, the Rev. Aaron Elek (Prayer of Thanksgiving) ; the Rev. Imre Bertalan sang a Solo; the Rev. Louis Illés presided at the or­gan. The Service which started at 10:12 and ended at 12:18 was attended by 81 men and 44 women. PLENARY SESSION 1. The first plenary business session was called to order by President Beky at 2:31 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Holiday Inn. Lt. Col. Walter Parker presented the American and Major Eugene Nemeth the Hungarian flag. After pledging allegiance to the flag, Mrs. Margaret Csutoros led the Con­vention in singing the National Anthem and the Hungarian “Himnusz.” 2. Elmer Varga, director, and chairman of the Credentials Committee presented the Committee’s report stating that all submitted credentials of delegates were found in order. After listing the alternates (Thomas Halo replacing Kenneth Toth in the Detroit District, Mrs. Donna Veszprémi replacing Alex Pálfi in the same district, and Bishop Arpad Beretz replacing James Labas in the Chicago District), he reported that there are altogether 66 voting members, 16 being from the national officers and from the Board of Directors, and 50 delegates, namely: New York District 8, New Jersey District 10, Pitts­burgh District 8, Ohio District 13, Detroit District 3, Chicago District 5, California District 2, Canada 1; these delegates are all present. The list of names was not read, it appears on Exhibit A. The Convention accepted the report of the Credentials Committee upon which President Beky declared the Convention duly constituted. 3. President Beky reported that the Board of Directors invited the Rev. Dr. Andrew Harsanyi and the Rev. Francis Vitéz to be recording secretaries of the Convention pending the Convention’s approval. No other nominations being made from the floor the Convention elected the Rev. Dr. Andrew Harsanyi and the Rev. Francis Vitéz recording secretaries of the Convention. 4. The Mayor of the Borough of Ligonier, the Hon. Clar­ence Ruff welcomed the Convention in the name of the local government and the “friendly townspeople” pledging their fur­ther cooperation. 5. President Beky, in his words of greeting to the Conven­tion, called their attention to the great responsibility they have towards the membership of the Federation. He also announced that although the official language of the Convention is English anyone who prefers Hungarian may use that language. 6. Fraternal greetings were delivered by Mr. Elmer Char­les, president of the William Penn Fraternal Association. Mr. Charles, who spoke in Hungarian, invoked God’s blessing upon the future work of the Federation including the preservation of the Hungarian and Reformed tradition and the concern for the welfare of the people of the homeland. Mr. Charles introduced the members of his delegation, Mr. Albert Stelkovics, National Secretary, Mr. Julius Somogyi, National Treasurer, and Mr. John Balia, Vice President and Chairman of the Board. Presi­dent Beky, in his reply, expressed his hope in an eventual mer­ger of the two bodies. 7. Upon President Beky’s request, Secretary Harsanyi read President Richard Nixon’s letter of greetings to the Convention. It was duly moved and seconded that the Convention send a telegram of thanks to President Nixon to be drawn up by a committee con­sisting of Mr. Alex Eger, Dr. Stephen Szabó and Dr. Andrew Harsanyi and to be presented at a later session. 8. Upon President Beky’s request Director Szuch read the letter of greeting sent to the Convention by the Hon. Milton J. Shapp, Governor of Pennsylvania. It was duly moved and seconded that the Convention send a telegram of thanks to Governor Shapp to be drawn up and presented by the committee listed under 7. 9. Further telegrams of greetings were received from Mr. Bob Dole, Chairman of the Republican National Committee (read by Dr. Stephen Szabó), from Dr. Andrew Pogány and Mr. István Gereben on behalf of the Freedomfighters Federa­tion, U.S.A., from Mr. James Labas, and a letter from Dr. Ede Ágoston. 10. Greetings from Hungarian denominational groups were extended by the Rt. Rev. Arpad Beretz, Bishop of the Calvin Synod, United Church of Christ, the Rt. Rev. Dezső Abraham, Bishop of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America, and the Rev. Stephen Csutoros, on behalf of the Hungarian Presby­terian Conference. All three stressed the need for deeper understanding and spiritual unity among the various Hungarian Reformed groups in America. Bishop Beretz also conveyed the greetings of Dr. Karel Ripa, President of the Polish-Hungarian World Federation. Attested by (signed): John Nagy Rev. Francis Vitéz Dr. Otto Hamos Dr. Andrew Harsanyi Rev. Alexander Marton Recording Secretaries (To be continued in next issue) 14

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