Bethlen Almanac 1999 (Ligonier)
Keleti Egyházmegye - Eastern Classis
BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA Hungarian Evangelical Reformed Church Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Pastor: Rev. Ronald R. Hari Chief Elder: Robert F. Csizma The last year of this Millennium has been good to our small parish in Bethlehem. We have added three new members to our parish and our sister Esther Athis Wohlbach has gone home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Although there have been some major illnesses, the Holy Spirit has given strength to these dedicated and devoted members and their families, adding not only quantity, but quality to their lives. We have had two weddings and two baptisms this past year of 1999. As your pastor, I have also officiated at 3 funerals. I note again, with sadness, the death of Martha Eaton Flisser, wife of the Rev. Dr. Frank Flisser. We started out the year with our annual Congregational Meeting followed by an exceptional covered dish dinner, with excellent Hungarian Style cuisine. Our mid-winter Hungarian Style Pork and Sauerkraut Dinner was another huge success. The winter passed quickly while the Kitchen Krew continued to make fine Hungarian soup noodles on Tuesday mornings. The Lenten season found us reflecting upon our lives and preparing for our Lord’s Ultimate Sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins. Our chancel was filled with Easter lilies and their lovely aroma, as we gathered to celebrate our Lord’s Resurrection and receive the Sacrament of Holy Communion, to say nothing of the wonderful smells of nut and poppy seed kalacs, which our Kitchen Krew prepared for their Annual Easter Bake Sale. The next few weeks passed quickly as we gathered for Ascension Day, Mothers’ Day, and Pentecost Sunday. We presented red geraniums to each member on Pentecost. Additional geraniums were planted to beautify our Church yard. We celebrated Father’s Day one Sunday early as I left for Slovenia and Hungary, visiting my relatives that I have not seen since 1979. This was also the Sunday the Parish celebrated my 52nd birthday, with a presentation of a beautiful, hand-tailored preaching robe from Hungary, 128
