Calvin Synod Herald, 1999 (99. évfolyam, 2-4. szám - 100. évfolyam, 9-12. szám)
1999-07-01 / 4. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD- 3 -AMERIKAI MAGYAR REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA BISHOP'S REPORT 1999 Rt. Rev. Louis Medgyesi I Corinthians 12 STATE OF THE CALVIN SYNOD Dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ, During my visit among the churches of the Calvin Synod and participation in various celebrations, my singular message has been focused on maintaining the unity, purpose and mission we have in Jesus Christ, our Lord. A unity that defines us as the body of Christ, the church, of which He is the Head, Master, Savior, Lord and King; a unity in which every member has a vested interest and right regardless of race, nationality, gender, education or socio-economic standing. Said unity is for the strengthening of the body of Christ both in its individual as well as corporate identity. As an overseer, it has been my duty and responsibility to encourage all members to use their God-given gifts for building up and strengthening the church, and to act as witnesses of God’s redemptive love in the communities of their founding. One of the most revealing and meaningful teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ is, “I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit; and apart from me, you cannot do anything” (John 15:5). These words of Jesus should tamper any thought of self-importance in pride, merit and skill and bring us all to a healthy understanding of humility, dependence and trust in Him who is our strength and life. We are called to sow the seeds of the gospel of God's love, mercy and grace, and trust Him for the increase of our efforts in His time and according to His will. The Lord God has sought fit to transplant and establish the Hungarian Reformed churches onto the American soil. He has called us to stand firm with the same faith conviction which our forefathers and mothers held under great opposition, persecution and slavery during the counter-Reformation, Inquisition, struggles for national independence and the communist gulag labor camps. He did not intend for us, their progeny, to be isolationist, full of ourselves in our manifold “...ism”, but full of His Holy Spirit and contribute our share of piety to the grand mosaic of the Christian witness. We do boast in the Lord Jesus Christ for our tenacious and uncompromising faith that stands against overwhelming odds; for the profound Communion liturgy that confesses the spiritual laws of man’s lostness in sin, our need for redemption, the promise of resurrection and eternal life, and dedication to Jesus Christ; and for the hymnody that encapsulates the pathos and psyche of a people accustomed to trials and tribulations, the loss of liberty and their great dependence on God. Yes, we have much to share in our witness of God’s faithfulness of love for His people, but we often hesitate because of misplaced pride and loyalty. The cockles of our heart should be warmed that our churches have been established among the poor, in working-class neighborhoods, so that we can identify with and help our fellow man in their need and lead them to Christ. It should be easy for Hungarian Reformed Christians to understand, identify with and help the “greeneared” immigrant, to exercise compassion and care for the poor, the hungry, the homeless and dispossessed because we were all like them when we arrived on the shores of these United States. In the midst of plenty, comfort and ease, how easy it is to forget that we are our brothers and sisters keeper, that here we have no abiding place, that all the fullness of heaven and earth belong to God, who is the Creator and Provider, the Savior and Sanctifier. As I traveled among the churches of the Calvin Synod, a number of observed realities are worth noting that might be fodder for further discussion and resolution. Some of these are habits and issues brought over from the “old country”, some are of our own making, and some are endemic to our experiences among the Christian folk of America. STEWARDSHIP Our historical record about exercising stewardship is colored by the conditions and practices prevalent in Hungary before the turn of the 20-th century. The Református Egyház and its pastors were funded and are still funded by the state. Hence the need for regular, individual monetary church support was not practiced to the extent as in America. Here, churches exist by the grace of God and the benevolence of the membership; there, we exist by the grace of God and the tax levies that are distributed by the state. In short, the idea of personal stewardship responsibility was not installed in our people and seems to be a foreign concept to this day. That normative practice was brought over by our immigrant founders along with their idea of paying the prescribed church “dues”. Certainly, economic realities were also a factor for the poor stewardship practice in Hungary. Many of our ancestors were dirt poor farmers, a few artisans and still fewer “rich” persons who graced the portals of the church. Perhaps we can understand, sympathize and excuse the mindset of the first and second generation immigrant families. They had no “old" money to pass on to their children, most were not established in their businesses long enough nor knew the intricacies and vagaries for making sound investments and they sacrificed to build churches before they built their own homes. Yet, in the little over one-hundred years of our presence, little has changed on this score. We are still debating the ways and means for increasing membership giving while all along the problem lies within the heart. Jesus touches on the issue of stewardship more than on any other topic. The widow’s mite, the unscrupulous servant, the rich young ruler, the prodigal son, paying of taxes are a few examples He used for prompting good stewardship with God’s resources. When church membership and its accompanying re- Continued on Page 4
