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

1969-12-01 / 12. szám

14

REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA

20th Anniversary

It was not too long ago that the 20th Anniversary of the building of the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Cleveland was observed. This cathedral like church building was completed at the commencement of Dr. Stephen Szabo’s pastorate.

The Anniversary celebration consisted of three parts:

At the morning Worship Service, Dr. John Biitösi, president of Calvin Synod, preached in English and Bishop Sándor Ráski, of Hungary, preached the Hungarian sermon.

Following the Worship Service, the Rt. Rev. Stephen Csutoros, former pastor of the Cleveland Hungarian Presbyterian Church, dedicated a bronze plaque in memory of Dr. Szabo’s late wife, Margaret Újlaki Szabó. Two other bronze plaques were dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Mathias Daróczy.

An Anniversary Banquet followed in the Bethlen Hall. Dr. Joseph Piri, chief-elder of the congregation, greeted the guests. The main speaker was Dr. Zoltán Béky, president of the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, a former schoolmate of the pastor. Bishop Ráski brought the greetings of the Reformed Church in Hungary and of the Church in Miskolc, where Dr. Szabó had served as assistant minister.

Andrew Donó, assistant to the mayor of Cleveland, presented Bishop Ráski with the gold key to the city. Other speakers at the Banquet included Father Paul

Hoffman of St. Margaret of Hungary Roman Catholic Church. Sándor Dombrády of the Hungarian Reformed Presbyters Association, Elmer Varga ol the Hungarian Reformed Federation of America, and .Nicholas Major, legal advisor. Robert I.avdis presented a plaque from the citv of Cleveland to the Church.

Miss Exelvn Kálnásv sang several musical seieetions. accompanied by Elizabeth Davis kondorossy. wife of the famous Hungarian composer. László kondorossy. Toastmaster for the festive banquet was Gábor Szabó, Jr., an elder of tlie congregation.

Many other representatives were introduced and endless letters and telegrams of congratulations were received. A most unforgetahle and far reaching occasion in the life of the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Cleveland.

Francis 1 itez

WARC-ICC Assembly Confirmed l or Nairobi

Geneva — Uncertainty about the venue for the 1970 General (Uniting) Council was removed when the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Kenya Government gave to the Alliance and International Congregational Council the written assurance that “members attending the assembly in Nairobi in August 1970 will be issued with entry visas subject to their personal records”.

News of this decision, which was made after the exchange of letters and telegrams, was received with great satisfaction at the staff officers here. It means that the General Council at which the two World Confessional Families will be United can now definitely be held at University College, Nairobi, from August 20 — 30, 1970.

The assurance, given by the Ministry of Home affairs, means that it will be possible for delegates from those countries with which Kenya has no diplomatic relations, to represent their churches at the assembly.

110 churches of the WARC and 19 of the ICC will merge to become the new World Alliance of Reformed Churches with an estimated total membership of some 60 million people in more than 70 countries.

RPPS

National Secretary Cites Gains And Losses For 1968

Dr. Joseph H. Evans, UCC national secretary, has released the first available statistics on United Church gains and losses for 1968.

Dr. Evan pegged total membership in the denomination at 2.032,000, a loss of 20,000 over the previous year. However, he pointed out, most Protestant bodies are finding that their membership rolls arc not keeping up with the general population trend. “We are discovering who our members are,” said Dr. Evans. “The day of the padded roll is over.”

The net change in the number of UCC congregations dropped from 6,908 in 1967 to 6,866 last year, Dr. Evans reported.

“We received 12 former Congregational Christian Churches into the United Church of Christ,” he said. “I can only identify two that joined the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches.”

While 17 churches withdrew from the UCC, Dr. Evans said, the church received 19 new congregations. In addition, 52 churches merged to form 24 congregations.

—Keeping You Posted