Calvin Synod Herald, 1980 (80. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1980-11-01 / 11-12. szám
4 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD THE CALVIN SYNNOD THE CALVIN SYNOD, CONFERENCE OF THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST During the formation period of the United Church of Christ, the Basis of Union seemed to provide assurance that the Magyar Synod could not be dissolved or its various parts could not be reorganized as parts of regional Associations and Conferences except by its own agreement. However, the Constitution failed to guarantee Conference Status to Magyar Synod. As a matter of fact, the realignment paragraph was used against those congregations: when the Magyar Synod did not want to dissolve itself on practical, pastoral, theological grounds, but respectfully requested to remain a Synod-Conference of the United Church of Christ, — the “maximum offer” was that “the Magyar Synod acting as a Conference of the UCC will be given further time to make the necessary preparation, and to allow the historical process of assimilation to take place before integration into the territory of Conferences and Associations will be expected.” No wonder that Magyar Synod was the only conference which voted against the ratification of the Constitution on account of Christian conscience and at the same time sought union with other Hungarian church bodies in affiliation with the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Although this latter effort failed, the General Synod of Denver in 1963, granted Magyar Synod full conference status allowing them to be governed by their own laws and to exist within “new geographical” boundries. Thus, Synod Constitution and By-laws — consistent with United Church of Christ — were adopted in 1964, in which the name, “The Calvin Synod” was accepted. The following year, By-laws were adopted for the classes, and in 1971 the name of Synod President was changed to Bishop, and later the Classis President, Dean, in conformity with the tradition practiced in the Reformed Church in Hungary. MINISTRY IN THE UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST While in the Ev. and Ref. Church, the Magyar Synod was subsidized in several ways (local churches, annual meeting, “Reformátusok Lapja” — the official church paper, Hungarian work at Franklin-Marshall and Elmhurst colleges, even a full-time Hungarian secretary in the person of Dr. Alexander Toth, etc.), The Calvin Synod in the United Church of Christ has become totally self-supporting, Although secularism and anti-institutionalism take their toll, this unique conference of the United Church of Christ tries to keep a healthy balance between denominational participation and fulfilling its special ministry in the Hungarian Reformed diaspora. Their denominational participation includes: moral and financial support of projects consistent with their scriptural-confessional understanding; personnel contributions whenever elected or assigned (e.g. the Rev. Anthony Carter, a “missionary” in Japan is a member of the Synod); offering ecumenical enrichment with their particular gifts if accepted (e.g. human rights in Eastern Europe); etc. At the same time, Calvin Synod conscientiously endeavors to meet needs of special interest to them! In local churches it means preaching the Word of God in Hungarian; teaching Hungarian language and culture in order to make America truly “e pluribus unum”; cultivating Reformed piety from liturgy to confirmation, from administration to confession. In diaspora “diakonia’ it means supporting Hungarian Reformed congregations in South America, Australia, Western Europe, etc. In ecumenical solidarity, it means sending heart-lung machines to Hungary and Romania; assisting the rebuilding of earth-quake or flood-damage Reformed church edifices in Hungary and Romania; fighting against human rights violations in Transylvania; etc. Leaders of The Calvin Synod believe that the special ministry justifies their existence before God and man; even if it is not always easy in the United Church of Christ. Dr. John Butosi YOUTH CAMP 1980 From July 20 to 26 the Youth Camp of the Calvin Synod Conference (United Church of Christ) and of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America was held at the Laurelville Mennonite Church Center in Pennsylvania. 85 boys and girls took part in the camp, most of them in the 13 to 18 year old age group. Sixteen adults provided leadership and supervision virtually around the clock every day. The theme of this year’s camp was: “Our Christian Roots.” Under this general title, five lectures were presented by the main speaker, Rev. Nicholas Novak of Pittsburgh. The Monday through Friday morning sessions comprised the review of some 3000 years of Christian history under the headings: The Old Testament Church, The New Testament Church, The Medieval Church, The Age of Reformation, and The Church in Our Century. Devotional periods of prayer and song were conducted by the camp directors, Rev. László Medgyessy and his wife, Rev. Coralyn Medgyessy, as well as by Mrs. Elizabeth Turrell of Fairport and Mrs. Kathy Maday of Springdale. The afternoons were free for swimming and other recreational sports. In charge of the evening worship services were Bishop Desmond Parragh and, on one occasion, senior members of the camping youths. In the early evening the campers were free to choose between six workshops. Stained-glass design was taught by
