Calvin Synod Herald, 2012 (113. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2012-07-01 / 7-8. szám
10 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD President of the Hungarian Club, then about two dozen students, he also developed those public relations skills that marked his labors among the Hungarian churches and wider community. It was there that he met Priscilla Arvay from Toledo, and found his beloved bride. The information above is necessary for the understanding of his life’s work. In 1946, churches were involved in the resettlement of Europe’s refugees, but not only in the United States. Many had found a new home in Latin America, and Dr. Deines was urged to take a leave of absence from Elmhurst to aid the émigrés, leaving his books and other materials in the dormitory trunkroom at Elmhurst. He never returned, stricken suddenly by a fatal heart attack. But he left behind in “Gus” Molnár not a seed but an already growing awareness of the importance of the Hungarian program at Elmhurst and of its importance to the churches and their members in the days ahead. Somehow there was a new urgency and growing concern, with a maturity that motivated him to assume a personal, almost fatherly, responsibility for the program and the students. Even after his graduation, then a Master’s degree at the University of Michigan and three years for a Divinity degree at Lancaster Theological Seminary, he returned to Elmhurst in the new role of instructor of Hungarian studies, accompanied by Priscilla. As Elisha picked up the mantle of Elijah after the chariots had swung low to take the prophet to heaven, Rev. Molnár picked up the mantle of Dr. Deines, and the earlier vision of the Synod’s leaders. Young men dare to dream, he also, and a fuller vision developed that led to the founding of the new organization we know today as the American Hungarian Foundation. With the public relations skills honed through years of practice, with a contagious love for his Hungarian heritage at home and abroad, in the churches and the diverse Hungarian community all across America, and with diligent fostering of the ties with Magyars and many of varied ethnic roots, he has distinguished himself and a brought respect for the heritage he has loved so much. Sacrificing personal gain, and with the gracious partnership of Priscilla in her career as a teacher, both he and she earned our respect for their exemplary generosity, getting the American Hungarian Foundation off the ground and building its firm foundation. Honored by Elmhurst College with a well deserved doctoral degree, and by others as well for his accomplishments, wherein we may readily find a fuller story of his life and credentials, in this too brief tribute we have come to know more of the “why” that led the Rev. Dr. August J. Molnár to capture a vision, to motivate others like us to share that vision, and to labor intensively through many years to make that vision a reality, always with the dignity and sincerity becoming a minister called by the Lord Jesus Christ. We are honored that he truly is one of us, and we are proud of who he is and all he has done. In time to come we are confident our Savior will confirm what we all know, with the words: “Well done, good and faithful servant,” Rev. Albert W. Kovács Special presentation to Rev. August Molnár, Bishop Poznan and Rev. Albert W. Kovács Together in the Journey of Faith Acts 8.26-39 and Isa 56, 1-8 We read about the conversion of an "Ethiopian eunuch" in one of the most colorful narratives of the Acts. We do not know much about this man. We know his profession: a court officer, a treasurer; and we know his reason for going up to Jerusalem, to worship the Living God. The officer is going on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Ethiopia has a long history connected to God's people. We know that already Queen Sheba had visited King Solomon. This beautiful story of the Bible makes it clear that we are all on our journey of Faith - like Philip or the eunuch. There are quite big differences among us - we have to acknowledge these differences. We see and meet different people in our churches, we have different educational or family backgrounds and moreover we are ourselves in different stages of the Faith journey. We meet people in our congregations who are like the Ethiopian eunuch - they have an eagerness for God. It is a question what can we do for them and how we deal with them. The most important question is, are we accepting them as they are and as they come to us? Notice that a eunuch could not be a member of the holy congregation in the Temple of Jerusalem. The episode reveals to us that we are in the coming of the new age, at the consummation of the old one. This is made clear and evident already by the prophet Isaiah in 56,1-8. God is preparing something new and this newness is revealed for us in our Lord Jesus Christ. Without doubt we can consider that this Ethiopian believer has made a profound step toward the Living God. He arrives at Jerusalem and for his physical state he cannot be accepted in the worship in the Temple. But then he makes another step. He buys an Isaiah scroll, makes an enormous effort and pays a fortune for this lenghty manuscript. We shall ask ourselves: are we welcoming the strangers? Are we welcoming those who might be irregular? Do we sense that people are eagerly searching for something precious? And do we £003
