Reformátusok Lapja, 1969 (69. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1969-08-01 / 8-9. szám

14

REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA

News Items

In our previous issue there were two prayers on entering and leaving church. Since publication, we have found that the author of these prayers is the Rev. Stephen Murányi.

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Pictures on the filmstrip on the cover are as follows: 1. The Coat of Arms of Hungary, 2. Parliament, 3. Castle in Pozsony, 4. Castle in Munkács, 5. Castle in Vajdahunyad, 6. Castle in Kismarton,

7. Fiume, 8. Map of Hungary.

THE SEVENTH GENERAL SYNOD

of the UCC is past only in time, but in its effects it will be with us for a while. The Executive Council sent a report on it to all pastors with the suggestion of reading it, at least in parts, from the pulpit.

From a strictly “Hungarian” point of view, we regret that although the Synod President submitted more than 30 names to the Nominating Committee, they saw fit only to include only one in the official nomination (and this one also lost in the actual election). Should we also shout for “minority” representation? ...

While we rejoice in the overwhelming election of Dr. Robert Moss as president of the UCC, we see deep, disintegrating forces at work in our denomination. The old liberal line of Dr. Wagner is dead, and the “new” liberal line is often ignorant of theological implications. Perhaps the contribution of the “Hungarian Reformed experimentation” is more needed than we can imagine...

One thing Is sure: we can no longer ignore the decisions of the General Synod; we should study, digest and discuss them seriously, and implement them according to our faith and obedience. .. Dr. John Butosi

LITURGY FOR THE PEOPLE:

NEW ORDER OF WORSHIP

After a two-year period of preparation, the order of worship “liturgy for the people” has been released by the Consultation on Church Union (COCU).

Written in contemporary English, the official title is, “An order of worship for the proclamation of the Word of God and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.”

The liturgy is intended for experimental use in congregations of the nine Protestant denominations participating in COCU. It was drafted under the general direction of the Commission on Worship of COCU. The Rev. Massey H. Shepherd Jr., author of the basic text, said, “the liturgy was written as a means of assisting the denominations towards the common goal of understanding and recon- cilation.”

The service includes the texts of the Lord’s Prayer, Apostles’ Creed and the Nicene Creed, agreed upon earlier by COCU, the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship and the International Committee on English in the Liturgy of the Roman Catholic Church.

“The whole service represents an attempt to be faithful to the traditions of the participating churches, but also seeks new forms of worship,” said the Rev. Paul A. Crow Jr., general secretary of COCU.

The denominations included in COCU are: African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Christian Methodist Episcopal, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Episcopal Church, Presbyterian U. S., United Church of Christ, United Methodist and the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A.

—UCC Herald

CENTRAL EUROPEAN REFORMED CHURCHES MEET IN HUNGARY

Balatonfiired, Hungary — A consultation of Central European Reformed Churches, held here at the end of May at the invitation of the Reformed Church of Hungary, has welcomed the recommendation that will be considered this summer by the W.A.R.C. Eiixcutive Committee, and the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity of the Vatican that “Roman catholic-Reformed dialogue should be engaged in”.

The consultation has urged tht World Alliance, however, to adopt an “attitude of gentle spirit and sobriety in meeting the new ecumenical stance of the Roman catholic Church.”

While they recognized that "the church

of the anathematizations . . . has opened herself towards the non-catholic churches, to the non-Christian religions, the unbelievers, that is, to the whole world”, representatives of the seven participating churches also warned against the romantic view which does not envisage the whole Roman catholic Church . . . and makes a choice instead between the various Roman catholic declarations, stressing and propagating the theses which are amenable to evangelical teaching”.

The consultation has expressed the view that, during the dialogue, the W.A.R.C. should keep on considering the views of the member churches, and continually supply them with information about the results of the dialogue. RPPS

Hyinn of the Hungarian Galley Slaves

Gályarabok éneke, 1674 Trans. Rev. Arpad L. Beretz, 1969

Stand undaunted men of Zion,

God is still with thee akin;

Like a father He enfolds thee, Sharing heart and soul with thee; Whom He loves He doth Chastise, God cannot do otherwise;

Zion, give consideration,

Cease unending tribulation.

Wave and billow terrify thee,

O’er immeasurable sea;

Quickening thy heart within thee. That the deep thy grave will be;

If thou see Him fast asleep,

Hope and trust in Him still keep; Zion, e’er remember His deeds,

He reigns o’er tempestuous seas.

Galley chains and fetters bind thee, And thy death is agony;

Cleave unto Him tenaciously,

God awaits thee graciously;

Rejoice always and be glad,

His people are never sad;

Zion, doubt not His compassion,

God reveals His heav’nly mansion.

Angels sing in exultation,

Songs of joy and hymns of praise; He who died in subjugation, Triumphs now o’er angry wave*; Home at last victorious,

Free of death inglorious;

Zion, in His habitation,

Fear no more expatriation.

“SING OUT GO”

is the title of the long-awaited collection of Hungarian Folk Songs, compiled, translated and adapted by Mrs. Julianna C. Toth, the wife of our Lorain, Ohio pastor. The book has 64 pages and sells for 75 cents. It can be ordered from Rev. Dr. and Mrs. K. Toth, 3036 Globe Ave., Lorain, Ohio, 44055. Let us take advantage of this excellent treasure of our “heritage”!