Fraternity-Testvériség, 1984 (62. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1984-10-01 / 4. szám
FRATERNITY Page 7 PRESIDENT'S GREETINGS TO THE CONVENTION Members of the 32nd Convention: Fellow Delegates: A great power has brought us together, constituent members of the 32nd Convention of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America in historic Ligonier. It is the power of love for our Federation; it is the power of faith in its God-given mission; it is the power of dedication to serve its welfare. Ligonier is a historic town. For more than a century, it was a favorite stop for weary travelers who took the long journey, on stage coach from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. The Compass Inn, 3 miles east, was indeed a welcome sign for the traveler. In the last 60-some years, Ligonier served as a favorite meeting place for members of the Hungarian American community who gathered here from time to time for. decision making meetings and fellowship. For our ancestors the welcome sign was no longer the Compass Inn but rather Old Fort Ligonier, the Breneiger Hotel — the places of little sleep, much singing, card playing and joyful fellowship, naturally, all these as a conclusion to a “good day” of work. In the window of a local business recently, I read these words: “Welcome to the city of hills and valleys.” For us this welcome has a special meaning, for we know that one of the lovely hills, some 200 acres, are owned by American-Hungarians. On the top of it stands the Bethlen Home, the symbol of the unity of our sadly divided Hungarian American community. This unity found its beautiful expression in many ways in the past few weeks. Those who attended our yearly Youth Camp, representing the future of our churches, visited here. The lay leaders, the presbyters and the pastors of our churches from USA and Canada united in the Hungarian Reformed Ministerial Association met here. Their gathering was followed by the meetings of the official Boards of the Bethlen Home and of the Federation. And now comes the biggest one — the 71 delegates gathering for the 32nd Quadrennial Convention of the HRFA. They come from 12 states and from the great province of Ontario, Canada. This Convention is being held in the wake of the conventions of the two great political parties of this country, each having chosen delegates, each being jealous of the representative form of government and each representing great traditions. Although we are far from being political in nature, our convention shows similarities in structure and aims. We, too, believe in the representative form of government. You did not come here on your own. YOU are representing the members of your branch or branches. The decision making power is delegated to you. YOUR decision will effect the future and well-being of our beloved Federation in the next four years! We, too, have a platform — to be true to the principles of our founding fathers; to serve the need of our members according to the demands of our modern times; to check the course and direction which we have taken in the last four years and to make corrections, if necessary. We are here to start a new and decisive chapter in the history of our 88 year old Federation. We are here to elect our National Officers and Board of Directors. We are here to re-affirm the very reasons for our existence! It will be good to be together, to work together, and after the day’s work, to sing together, enjoying each other’s company, renewing old friendships and making new friends within our fraternal family. It is my privilege to welcome you and our guests in behalf of the National Officers, and the members of the Board of Directors. I pray for God’s blessing upon our work! Imre Bertalan The 32nd Convention checked the course and direction that the Federation had taken during the last four years and re-affirmed the principles of the founding fathers. Resolutions were brought to serve the needs of our members in modern times. The Convention committed itself to serve, as it has in the last 87 years, the entire Hungarian American community. It re-affirmed our identity as a society which cares about it’s members! We indeed felt God’s blessing upon our work. In order to share activities of the Convention with all our members, we now publish the minutes in its entirety.
