Reformátusok Lapja, 1971 (71. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1971-12-01 / 12. szám

6

REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA

time, showing the way home for the tired pilgrim. And I’m sure that, by the grace of God, this is the story for many of you. The story of a bright light, a ruthlessly searching light, the story of a painfully exposing light, but, at the same time, the story of a tenderly healing light. So may you have life in the Light and that abundantly.

Andrew Hamza

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If he is young, he lacks experience; if his hair is gray, he is too old;

If he has five or six children, he has

too many; if he has none, he is setting a bad example;

If his wife sings in the choir, she is being forward; if she does not, she isn’t interested in her husband’s work;

If he speaks from notes, he has canned sermons; if he is extemporaneous, he is too dry;

If he spends too much time in his study, he is neglecting his people; if he visits, he is a gadabout;

If he is attentive to the poor, he is

playing to the grandstand; if to the wealthy, he is trying to be an aristocrat;

If he suggests improvements for the Church, he is a dictator; if he makes no suggestions, he is just a figurehead;

If he uses too many illustrations, he

neglects the Bible; if not enough, he is not clear;

If he condemns wrong, he is cranky; if he does not, he is a compromiser;

If he preaches an hour, he is windy, if less, he is lazy;

If he preaches the truth, he is offensive; if not, he is a hypocrite;

If he fails to please everybody, he is

hurting the church; if he does please everybody, he has no convictions;

If he preaches tithing, he is a money- grabber; if he does not, he is failing to develop his people;

If he receives a large salary, he is mercenary; if a small salary, he is not worth much;

If he preaches all the time, the people

get tired of hearing him; if he invites guest preachers, he is shirking his responsibility:

And yet they say a preacher has an easy time!

Unknown

THE KONDOROSSYS

Leslie Kondorossy, well known composer, is famous in Hungary, in the United States, and throughout the world. He is closely related to us since he has been the choir director of the First Hungarian Reformed Church of Cleveland for many years. His wife, Elizabeth Davis Kondorossy, has been the organist in our Cleveland church for more than twenty years. Thus, our Calvin Synod proudly can say that the

Kondorossys are “ours.”

Mr. Kondorossy studied at the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and at Western Reserve University, Cleveland. We could fill many columns enumerating the many musical societies and organizations in which he has membership, as well as the scholarships and awards presented to him. However, let me here mention only two awards that were presented to him: the “Certificate of Merit for Creative Art” by the City of Cleveland, Cultural Art Bureau, 1958, 1959-60 and the “Decoration Medal” (Cultural) 1968 by the Hungarian World Federation, Budapest.

He was commissioned to compose the following works: “Kossuth Cantata” — 1952, Hungarian Federation of Cleveland; “Night in the Puszta” — 1953, Church Civic Committee for Arts; “New Dreams for Old” — 1959, Church of the Master Baptist, 100 Year Anniversary; “David Son of Jesse” oratoria — 1967, The Oratorio Fund. On the occasion of the 80th Anniversary of the First Church in Cleveland this fall, he composed the music for “Ode to the Loyalty of First” written by Rt. Rev. Dr. Stephen Szabó. Mr. Kondorossy was the director of the choir and orchestra at this festive occasion. The “David Son of Jesse” oratoria was presented on November 28 in Budapest. This past spring, his “Japanese Suite for Woodwinds” was presented in Japan. During November, two new works were presented: “Kala- mona and the Four Winds” at the Sheraton-Cleve- land Hotel at the Conference of the Ohio State Council for Exceptional Children; “Fantasy for the Organ” at the organ dedication of the Grace Lutheran Church in Steubenville, Ohio.

Mrs. Kondorossy is a special educator, poet and music teacher. She wrote more than 50 poems of her husband’s 102 songs under the pen name of Shawn Hall and has revised seven of his opera lyrics. This music loving couple ascend continually to world wide fame.

I met Mr. Kondorossy twenty years ago when I was the assistant-pastor in Cleveland and since that time have been friends. He attended my instal-