Bethlen Almanac 1997 (Ligonier)
Kálvin Egyházkerület
Following the church service, the banquet was held at the Itasca Country Club. It was an occasion where many of the former church members who moved away came back and met the leadership of the church, and many notable leaders of the Hungarian community of Chicago graced the occasion. The Master of Ceremonies was the Rev. László Kovács, pastor of our Gary church, who masterfully handled the job. Joining us in the celebration were our Hungarian Roman Catholic colleagues, Rev. Ordog of Chicago and Rev. Alfonse Skerl from East Chicago, Indiana. The changing immigration situation in the Chicago area required the church to place a monthly invitation and advertisement in the Hungarian paper. We have encountered immigrants who came two or three years ago and did not know that there is a Hungarian Reformed Church in the Chicago area. We also have another Hungarian congregation in Chicago started by Rev. Tibor Dömötör a couple of years ago. Few of those who came from Transylvania joined our Church, though some felt resentment when the pastor asked them to join our church. Now they are urging our church members to join their congregation. Let us hope that the small number who are available for church membership is not going to make both congregations unable to perform Christian work. Rt. Rev. Dr. Desmond D. Parragh, Pastor WHITING, IN Pastor: Rev. Koloman K. Ludwig Chief Elder: Magdaline Bajzatt Hungarian Reformed Church Whiting, Indiana Church Officers: Chief Elder: Magdaline Bajzatt; Assist. Chief Elder: Elizabeth Salas; Secretary: Sylvia McClelland; Treasurer: Steve Visnyai; Controller: Ernest Salas. The history of the Hungarian Reformed Church of Whiting begins with the establishment of the Hungarian Reformed Church of South Chicago in 1898, established by the earliest Hungarian Reformed peoples in the area. As more Hungarian Reformed people came into the East Chicago - Hammond - Whiting area, the East Chicago church was established in 1907, and what was later to be the Whiting congregation moved their membership to this closer church building. By 1918, the Whiting congregation had formed itself as a community of worshipers, and on the 115
