Bethlen Naptár, 1989 (Ligonier)

Kálvin Egyházkerület

over $5000 were returned. „Well done, good and faithful servants!”

Congregational life is rich and varied. This year’s celebration of our Lord’s Passion was memorable. On Passion Sunday there was a congregational reading of Luke’s account of Jesus’ last week. Various members had been pre-selected to read the parts of Jesus, Peter, Judas, Pontius Pilate and others, while the congregation read the croud’s response to Jesus, shouting ’’Crucify him, crucify him!” Later, during that morning’s educational hour, we toured Luke's Lenten Gallery, the Sunday School children’s art work depicting Christ’s Passion. On Good Friday, we experienced the humility and shame involved in footwashing according to John 13, and on Easter we gathered before sun-up at a local park for an Easter Sunrise service.

Vacation Bible School, traditionally held the first week in August, took a bold new step. Instead of purchasing curriculum we created our own after the Living Stories method we have been using during the year. The children spent all week in three classes working with one of three Bible characters, Joseph (son of Jacob), Ruth and Esther. The last day each class prepared a dramatic presentation to teach the other classes the story of their Bible character. Thirty youngsters, aged 3—12, attended.

Outreach has also been a prime concern of our congregation. In addition to sending an anti-convulsant drug to an epileptic in Hungary, we have continued to support the local food bank and homeless shelter. In May and October clothing drives were mounted for the needy in Appalachia. On November 14, 1988 after five months of collecting pledges and one-time gifts, a handicapped accessible lift was installed on the steps of our sanctuary. Our church affirms that one does not need to be able to walk in order to worship God with us....

We were honored this year by the presence of two noted professors from Hungary’s theological schools: Dr. Janos Pásztor preached on Easter, and Dr. Ferenc Szucs preached on the third Sunday in Advent. Also, we are delighted to welcome each Sunday the Rev. Eva Kadar into our fellowship. Rev. Kadar is a minister from Hungary currently doing a Th.M. degree at Princeton Seminary. She helps lead worship, preaches, visits in the congregation. In January she will begin teaching Hungarian language on Sunday afternoons to children and adults.

John Adams, Chief Elder; Jim Kline, Treasurer; Peter Jacob, Secretary; Clifford Irish, Financial Secretary; Lillian Vagi, Ladies Aid President; Carol Palagyi, Ladies Aid Vice-President; Doris Köteles, Ladies Aid Treasurer; Clara Beck, Ladies Aid Secretary; Susan Whitenight, Sunday School Superintendent.

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