Calvin Synod Herald, 1978 (78. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1978-07-01 / 7-8. szám

REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA

7

NEWS ITEMS

HUNGARIAN REFORMED CHURCH REVIEWS ITS DIACONIA WORK

Budapest — A Synod recommendation by the Reformed Church in Hungary that each congregation should appoint a diaconia committee to coordinate the caring ministry at the local level, and to liaise with church service development nationally, is being widely implemented. This was reported at a national diaconia consultation here last month by Dr. Tibor Bartha, presiding bishop of the church.

Experience has shown, according to Dr. Bartha, that the creation of local diaconia committees has improved the systematic organization of support for national projects, and that church members are being enriched in their own work and witness through a heightened sense of responsibility for the service the church is called to render to the world.

According to a staff executive for the church’s welfare work, some 300 old people and 600 handicapped children are presently being cared for in church homes. Although many of the buildings are old and in need of repairs, the level of care was reported to be up to general standards.

RPS, June 78

US PRESBYTERIANS VOTE AGAINST ORDAINING HOMOSEXUALS

San Diego — The United Presbyterian Church in the USA has come out strongly against the ordination of self-acknowledged practising homosexuals as ministers.

It took four hours of intense debate for an overwhelming majority of delegates to this year’s general assembly of the United Presbyterian Church to reach the conclusion that “unrepentant homosexual practice does not accord with the requirements for ordination. '

Discussions were based on a majority and a minority report submitted by a 19-strong task force which had been studying the issue for 15 months.

Not only the majority report, favoring the ordination of homosexuals, but also the minority report was defeated. The minority report, signed by 5 task force members, recommended that the assembly should rule that the UPCUSA constitution precludes the ordination of avowed homosexuals “unless they adopt a celibate lifestyle.”

An assembly committee then drafted a new paper which states, among other points, that homosexuals who sincerely affirm Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior should not be excluded from membership, but that outright ordination should be withheld from them.

With regard to the civil rights of homosexuals, the assembly declared: “There is no legal, social or moral justification for denying homosexual persons access to the basic requirements of human social existence.” It urged opposition to federal, state and local legislation discriminating against anyone on the basis of sexual orientation. The assembly paper also condemns homophobia-fear or hatred of homosexuals.

The United Presbyterian decision had been awaited with much interest throughout the USA. Other denominations in the States also engaged in the homosexuality debate have not yet had to contend with a similar decision-making challenge.

RPS, June 78

NEW BISHOP FOR POLISH REFORMED CHURCH

Warsaw — The Synod of the Evangelical-Reformed Church in Poland at a recent meeting has elected the Rev. Zdzislaw Tranda as its new bishop. He will succeed Bishop Jan Niewieczerzal who is retiring for health reasons.

Mr. Tranda, 52, who studied theology at Warsaw University, will remain pastor of the Reformed congregation in Zelow, Central Poland, after his induction which is scheduled for October L, 1978.

The Evangelical-Reformed Church is one of the smaller Protestant communities in Poland, with a membership of some 4,500, spread over 9 parishes. The Church has seven ordained ministers.

RPS June 78

BIBLE NOW AVAILABLE 1,631 LANGUAGES

New York, N.Y. (RNS) — Portions of the Bible are now available in 1,631 languages — the number spoken by 98 percent of the world’s population, according to the American Bible Society (ABS). The ABS reports that it now has published portions of the Bible for the first time in 28 languages which never before had been reduced to writing.

This year, also for the first time, some 200,000 people in the border area

between Kenya and Uganda received Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians in the Dhopadhola language, the report said. New language translation also appeared in Papua-New Guinea, Indonesia, Nepal, Argentina, and other countries. In the Solomon Islands, a community of 4,000 people who speak Kahua received the Gospel of Mark in their language.

Entire Bibles were published for the first time in four languages, including some of those spoken in Mexico, Nigeria, and Indonesia. There were 23 languages in which complete New Testaments were first published in 1977. The society reports that the complete Bible is now available in 266 languages, the New Testament in 420.

The Church Herald, April 21, 1978

REVEREND NOT RETIRING

SOUTH RIVER — It’s not often that members of the First Reformed Church stand up and clap, especially during Easter services.

But this year was different. The joy of Easter was compounded by the announcement of the church’s pastor that he had reconsidered his earlier decision to retire.

When the Rev. Emil Varga made his Easter announcement, the congregation stood and applauded, and Charles Brilla, Sr., vice-president of the church Consistory, rose to express the appreciation of the church’s 200 families.

Rev. Varga, who as dean of the South River clergy has served the Thomas Street congregation for some 34 years, had indicated his desire to retire around Christmas. He said reaching retirement age under Social Security guidelines was his main reason for considering leaving the congregation.

At a recent meeting of the church’s Consistory, however, the board unanimously moved to ask the pastor to reconsider.

While mulling the church board's move, Rev. Varga discussed the matter with the Stated Clerk of Classis, the area judicatory of the church. Considering that the synod’s mandatory retirement age is 68 years and that his wife, a teacher in the Monroe Township public school system, has another two years before her retirement, Rev. Varga changed his mind.

The news is also pleasing to the South River Clergy Council, which the First Reformed pastor has actively served for many years and of which he currently holds the office of treasurer.

Frances Kosa Sentinel, Apr. 5, 1978